The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-10-13
WOMAN APPLE
BUYER THRILLS

Mrs. Vincente Mistretta, wife of
! MeXico's fruit baron. active aide of
her millionaire husband in conducting
| the largest wholesale fruit business in
| Mexico and said to be the only woman
| apple expert who buys in trainload lots
recently concluded a tour of the Spo-
| kane valley, contracted for delivery of
some so cars of fruit through Sales
Manager j. S. Robinson of the Earl
Fruit Company and left for Wenatchee.
Black-eyed, vIvacious Mrs. Mistretta,
Texan by birth and typically Ameri-
can in her business dealings, and who
devoted Sunday to visiting friends in
Spokane, has gained a reputation for
thoroughly inspecting every box of
fruit in the cars before accepting con-
signment. Born at Nixon, Texas. near
San Antonio, Mrs. Mistretta spent her
younger wears along the border. In
1907 she became the bride of Vincente
Mistretta. and for ID years has been
associated with him in the wholesale
fruit business in Mexico City.
1--WE of troubled Mexico are prone to
be reticent regarding existing condi-
tions in the southland" said Mrs.
Mistretta. President 0bregon is en-
deavoring to do his best to bring con-
ditiOns back to normal, and despite the
series of revolutions we are hopeful.
Mexican duties on imported fruit have
been so heavy as to make the business
hardly profitable. Apples of ordinary
varieties bring 81 to $40 box in Mex
leo City. Apples are sold entirely by
weight, the kilo system being used. |
Ordinary retail apple prices are So to
so cents a kilo or two and one-fifth |
pounds.
Market conditions govern. We
figure that box of apples costs US $5 |
to So laid down in Mexico City, and |
the box is retailed at about So cents
kilo Or a peso and l9 cents, Mexican
money having only half the value of |
American legal tender.
"Mexicans favor the large and high
ly colored apples. If an apple is of
pumpkin size and fiery red it brings
the highest price among those of Span
ish blood. Consumers prefer flaming
red apples even if they are of inferior
quality. The extra fancy grades are
snapped up and ordinarily reach us in
good condition.
From the Spokane valley we handle
carload lots of Jonathans and Winter
Bananas. We have no use for such ap-
pies as the Delicious, Rome Beauty or
the green or yellow fruit. 1t must be
marked with red before it appeals to
the Mexican connoisseur. Thousands
IF people are too poor to buy apples.
Yet many of the best retail customers
are English, French, Italian and Span
sh. From the Yakima valley we get
The Black Ben Davis, an inferior ap-
pie in quality but rich in coloring, and
he Winesaps. Our grapes and decidu-
JUS fruits are purchased in California
and come to us through Eagle Pass.
from the Spokane district
ire sent through Laredo, Texas.
November | we expect the Mexican
governments duty will be materially
educed. On box of apples weighing
- kilos or about 30 pounds we are
orced to pay the.government 10 cents
| kilo or $3.50 box in duty. Freight
harge from the border to Mexico City
s about the same as that from Spo-
,ane to the border. We send a Mexi-
an boy with every car from the border
o the wholesaIeshouse at Mexico City 7
o protect it against being looted.
My visit through the Spokane val :
ey was the first time / have ever seen
pples growing on the trees, although
have graded, judged and bought
hem in box and carload lots for ID
ears. The view of the orchards was I
revelation to me.
I'VE recently received large ship
lent of Bing cherries from Lewiston
richards. They reached us by express
! splendid condition and were kept
lonth after their arrival before being q
Did. They were high grade fruit, but T
ere not red enough to appeal to the
Iexican palate"
While in Spokane Mrs. Mistretta /
as the guest of Mr.. and Mrs. j. S. a
obinson, of the Earl Fruit Company. y
'The businesslke attitude of Mrs.
istretta in the apple warehouses was
revelation in efficiency to workers."
i'd Mr.. Robinson. ARMED with a N
uit box hammer she literally skips n
trough the boxes, examining each box N
efOre accepting it, and discarding
lything she knows will not be mar N
stable in Mexico City. The Vincente N
istretta Company handles between so
I'd rs cars of apples annually from
e Spokane, Wenatchee and Yakima