The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-02-17
GROWERS HOLD
MASS MEETING
COOPERATIVE PLANS DISCUSSED
While Committee Was Instructed to In,
veStigate Further, Undercurrent of
DiStruSt Seemed to Prevail

| While Hood River orchardists in a
mass meeting Saturday afternoon,
when the proposition of cooperative
cider and vinegar plant was under dis
cussion. fairly generally expressed the
opinion that returns on Gull apples
were unjustifiably low, an undercur-
rent of distrust of cooperative manage
ment as cure for the situation seemed
to prevail. Indeed, several speakers
frankly opposed any move toward
launching a cooperative cider and vine
gar plant. r. +. Miller. 0dell grower,
declared the by-products business high
ly specialized and carrying such over
head expenses that it might prove dis
astrous in case growers decided to
enter on a scheme of cooperation for
operating plant.
The meeting was called by the Vine
gar committee of the Apple Growers
Association, composed of August
Guignard, S. G. Oxborrow and ID. L..
Pierson, with whom a delegation from
the Growers Welfare Association,
composed of West Side orchardists, has
been working in securing data. f. b.
Van Alta, a New York state manu-
facturer of cider and vinegar equip
ment, was present and addressed the
meeting. MIR. Van Alta frankly ad-
mitted that the expenses of operating
by-products plant under cooperative
management might be higher than
under private management. lie cited
that the demand for cider, sale of
which was stimulated to a great de-
gree when the prohibition law first
went into effect. had made a marked
decline.
MIR. Guignard reported'that it would
be folly for a new cider and vinegar
concern to attempt to compete with an
existing plant, said to be one of the
largest in the country, already oper-
ated here by the Hood River Apple
Vinegar Co. He said the owners of
the local concern were ready to aid
with any cooperative plan by trans
fer of their plant and stock at an ap-
praised valuation, and recommended
that such a course be pursued in case
cooperative plan is launched. MIR.
Guignard suggested plan of financing
by the App'e Growers Association un-
derwriting credit of individual mem
ber.
One of the arguments advanced by
those favoring a cooperative cider and
vinegar plant was that it would turn
into channels o. control the low grade
apples of the community and prevent
their competition with commercial
grades.
Mr.. Guignard presided at the meet.
ing and G. r. Frey was secretary. 1t
was unanimously voted at the close of
the session to have the committee to
pursue its Investigations further.
S. G. Oxborrow declared that the
day would come when Blue Diamond
canned Spitzenburgs would be as ia
nous as the commercial pack is
today. John r Edgar pointed out that
Gull apples in the Dee and UpperaVal-
ley districts were worthless. Peter
Mohr declared that cooperation, if
really put into effect would bring the
results desired here. He cited how
Denmark has made a national name in
dairying and agriculture by the prac
tice of cooperation and the utilization
of all products of the farm.
An interesting point made at the
Saturday meeting by Mr.. Van Alta
was that the pomace waste from cider
mills had greater value as COW feed.
when stored in silos, than corn silage.