The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-07-13

] 500, 900 boxes this season" says Mr..
Childs. 'The crop in the Lower Val
ley is quite spotted Some OF the
heavier producing sections are inclined
to be light this season. The best crop
of the section is found in the Middle
Valley and Upper Valley, where more
fruit will be produced than last year.
Exceptionally good growing wealth
er has prevailed this year and apples
are sizing well. Growers are thinning
their fruit more carefully than ever
before, in order to obtain as high a
percentage as possible of clean, as
we'll as good sized apples. No serious
injury in the way of disease or insect
troubles has occurred to date. On ac-
count of warm weather the past two
months, codling moth activity is much
more noticeable at this time than usu-
al and growers have been advised to
exercise diligence in fighting this pest.
1t will cause much loss if careful at
tention to spraying IS not given.
"The pear crop will be heavier than
last season. Many orchards in the
Lower Valley are not producing as
heavily as they should. We have esti-
mated that the crop this year will be
about 85 per cent of 1919 or ship
ment from the district of 100 carloads.
Quality and size of pears will be good,
as usual.
''In making an estimate of the crop
for the Hood River valley this sea-
son, +" says John G. Duckwall. there
are several conditions that enter into
the estimate besides the showing OF
the trees at this time.
''The weather conditions for.sthe past
two weeks have been very favorable
for the development of large crop OF
worms, and we look for trouble the re-
mainder of this season. The unusually
heavy foliage and large leaves, charac-
teristics of this year, are having their
effect in making it difficult to reach
the apples in the center of the trees
with spray and making the apple clus-
ters here breeding place for worms,
some per cent of which at least will be
overlooked in the timing.
"A general survey of the valley in
dicates without doubt that the crop
will be smaller than last season.
Some scattering orchards here and
there will have as large or a larger
crop than last season. Some growers
estimate a half crop. but we believe
now that the average will run about ~
per cent of last year. Just what effect
the worm development will have later
on remains to be seen, but we look
now for more worms than last year.
"Our estimate of the Hood River
valley tonnage is not to exceed 1000
cars as compared with over 2, 800. cars
of commercial apples shipped last
year. In the Odell district where we
have our shipping headquarters. we es-
innate tonnage of $50 cars. Thinning
this year will be with the idea of re-
moving all of the smaller sizes, and
spacing the apples to secure good
growth. Growers realize that large
apples will be necessary for profitable
returns with larger crop in prospect
in the east.
"The freight rates are still too high
for the Northwest to compete with the
east on big crop year there. We ex-
pect the railroads to make another re-
duction this year. but just that his will
be remains to be seen. The rate of
SI.25 per hundred to eastern coast
points in effect before the last raise,
is Necessary to the success of the fuit in
dustry in this territory.
Walter X. Woolpert places the Hood
River valley estimate at 80 per cent OF
last year. He says:
"Spitzenburgs will be heavy and
Newtowns lighter than last season.
Apples are growing well. and will no
doubt make up during the summer for
! the general lateness of the earlier sea-
son. The favorable growing weather
and distribution of the crop over the
trees will make for large sized fruit.
TO date the apples are clean and are
now beginning to show little color.
! Orchardists have their work well in
hand and are in good shape to harvest
and pack their fruit. The fruit should
be delivered in excellent condition.
'The White Salmon district is con-
siderably lighter than last year and
| will probably have 60 per cent of last
years crop. Practically all of the val
| lev orchards are light but the highland
orchards will have as many apples as
last season Similar conditions to
those in Hood River prevail there, in
that Newtowns are light and Spitzen-
/ burgs heavy.
II. f. Davidson, who will handle a
tonnage from all Northwestern dis
trIcts, after a tour of all sections with
Chas. H. Castner, declared last week
that he had never seen the Hood River
valleys orchards presenting a better
physical condition than at present. He
and Mr.. Castner placed the tonnage at
an approximate 1000, 900 boxes for the
coming season. Mr.. Castner said:
"This is really our off year. Before
the 1919 freeze our trees were accus-
toned to bear enormous crops enc year
and the next the yield was very small.
The application Of new methods of cul-
tivation, proper thinning, fertilization
and irrigation, however, have done
away with the alternate bearing, and
now our annual tonnage Is more regu-
lar each year. The foliage this year is
rich, and the apples are sizing well.
Growers everywhere are taking ex-
ceedingly good care Of their crops, and