The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-07-28

Continued ffOm FIRST rage.
"The condition of the trees is gen.
orally much better than last year.
Except in parts where the trees were
killed by the winter of 1919, foliage is
much better and crop prospects are
much better accordingly. The pear
crop will be light this season but of a
very fair quality.
Odell, centrally located on the line
of the Mount Hood X. r. Co., has be-
come one of the most important valley
shipping points. Commenting on the
shipments from this section, John c.
Duckwall, of Duckwall Bros, growers
and shippers. says:
81 have not the figures available as
to comparative shipments out of Odell
for the last two years, but think they
were, roughly, 450 cars last year and
$50 the year before. In 1919 the Odel
tonnage was cut down owing to the
lack of cars and the shortage of stor-
age facilities. With storage greatly |
improved in the past two years, we
expect 800 cars to go out of Odell this |
year.
''The market situation will develop
in the next 80 days or so, and we be-
lieve the attitude of the growers will
largely shape the market and the price
for the year. While there is a short |
crop in the east the buying power of
the public has declined so largely that
we do not look for any extreme prices
this season. If growers take the same !
attitude the market will shape itself {
to the advantage of all concerned.
The freight rates are still high and
we believe they will have to come
back to 80 cents per box before grow
ers of the Northwest will be in posi-
tion to take care of their orchards and
market their fruit with an even chance
of profit. We already have a number
of orders for domestic market and ex
pect to ship heavy block of New
towns for export.
r. d. Chatfield, manager of the Mo
sier Fruit Growers Association, gays
that present indications point to the
best crop, as far as size and quality
are concerned, that the district has
ever had.
"There is some doubt" says Mr..
"about our having as many
as in 1919 when we shipped 125, 900
boxes, but we feel sure that we will
have 100, 900 boxes, which will be
double the 1920 tonnage.
Growers have taken extra care of
their orchards this year, and fruit is
clean and making size rapidly. Prob
ably 80 per cent of our output will be
Spitzenburgs and Newtowns. about
equally divided, with the balance Deli
,ious, Orteys, Arkansas Blacks and
Winter Bananas. All fruit here will
be handled by us through our commun-
ty packing house. AS the season is
some earlier than usual. packing will
start the latter part of Sep
.ember."
81 believe the Northwest will have
only good average apple CROP" says
DR.. C. A. Macrum, former state horti-
cultural commissioner for the Fourth
District and now president of the Mo-
iier cooperative shipping organization.
Il cannot see anything bumper about
t from the present outlook. Already
most districts are shaving estimates,
and it looks as if there will be more
shaving before the apples are in the
)OX.
MANY trees in all districts show the
effects of the l9l9l920 cold weather.
The limbs of the south and west sides
If some trees are showing injury.
This will result in at least smaller
'ruit on these, and in many cases ulti- g
nate death of the limbs. Most of
,hese trees will be found to be badly /
injured in the crotch. where the limbs a
DIN the trunk. The Spitzenburg is c
showing more damage than other vari t
sties. e
'The recent reduction in rail freight y
'ates, of six cents per box on apples, a
8 Joke. The railroads. with the help I
If the Interstate Commerce Commits
zion have eaten our apples and handed Il
Is back the core. We need expect no o
urther reduction on the present high a
ail freight rates unless we compel I
easonable rates by utilizing water I
If freight rates are re- {
Iuced to a reasonable basis will the
growers profit by the difference? Per- o
laps. | have not seen any six cents e
)er box attached to any of the few K
,ffers made so far this year. d
However, it is too early to form S
my ideas as to the market. The six c
ents may be in evidence later, provid-
ng the several fruitsgrowers organiz- s
ltions fill their orders with the grade s.
nd pack their invoices call for, com v
ine to procure orderly marketing, a
voidance of congesting marketing and o
ease rolling unsold cars - especially d
he latter" !;
c. w. McCullagh, who recently
pened an office here for participation G
n the marketing of apples in Oregon, "
Washington, Idaho and Montana, says
'After a very careful survey of the a
arious districts of the Northwest e
m Of opinion that this year will pro- b
uce the finest crop, from the point of 81
uahty that has ever been harvested. h