April 1021 BETTER FRUIT 

 Western Apple Industry Problems 



By Dwight L. Woodruff, District and Export Manager Hood River Apple Growers' 

 Association at New York 



THE apple season of 1920-1921 is still. We must either advance or recede, 



now about ended. The curtain for we are surely now facing unusual 



will soon be rung down on the final act conditions which must be met and mas- 



and many in the audience will turn tered if we would maintain our rightful 



away not wholly satisfied. place. 



Every industry has its trials and The most outstanding problems we 



victories, smooth sailing never developes have to deal with, as I see them, are: 



strong, brave and capable sailors. First — Transportation charges. 



No business has escaped the experi- Second — Size and quality of our fruit, 

 ence of post war readjustment. All lines Last — Wide difference between 

 of industry are slowly but surely set- wholesale and retail prices, 

 tling down to a basis of safety and ad- The three problems are closely inter- 

 justment to new conditions brought related. Transportation rates may de- 

 about by the awakening from the experi- cline and then again, they may not. If 

 ence of exorbitant prices, big profits, they do decline, the grower directly ben- 

 easy money, unnatural demand and lax efits, but his difficulties are not there- 

 financial methods. b y altogether overcome, as many would 

 Perhaps no class of producer has suf- have us believe. Should the rates re- 

 fered more severely during the business main unchanged, we must rapidly alter 

 depression of the past eight months than our export methods and use the all water 

 has the American farmer, but among routes to the United Kingdom and Con- 

 these probably the Northwestern fruit tinental Europe for pears and apples, 

 grower has been as little injured as any. The question of size and quality of 

 We are all disposed to believe our lot our Western apples is a most serious 

 the most burdensome and difficult. It one. Fifteen years ago with our young 

 is easy to see the fine points of the "other trees bearing large clean fruit, our out- 

 fellow's" particular line of business put decidedly limited in quantity, we 

 while bemoaning our own situation. had no task to readily dispose of our 

 Statistics stem like dry reading, but crops at satisfactory prices and, in fact, 

 reference to the table below will be both the buying competition was exceedingly 

 helpful and cheering. keen - Dealers in New York, Chicago, 

 Wholesale decline in prices between Philadelphia and other large cities were 

 February 1, 1920, and February 1, eager for all the fruit we could pro- 

 1921, as published by the Irving Na- duce. 



tional Bank, New York City: As our crops increased, the growers 



_ in New York state, New England, Vir- 



Breadstuffs 3^.3 gin , a ^ {n fa( ^ aR applg producing 



Livestock ^8. stateg saw wha( . the Nort j lwest was do _ 



Provisions • in g anc j q U j c kjy bestirred themselves to 



* rults "" ' meet this new competition by systematic 



Hides and Leather 41.1 spraving pruning, cultivation, fertili- 



lexuies • zation, improved grading and packing 



Metals • methods and while this was going on, 



*Coal and coke *J.O the West had suffered some serious dis . 



U s "_ appointments — low prices, the result of 



Naval stores 50.7 outf?rown sel i ing me thods. 



Building material 9.8 This wag the direct cauge of m 



Chemicals and Drugs 6.0 growers neg lecting their orchards until 



Miscellaneous 60.8 ag a whole the Northwest pro duces far 



Increase. too man y seeont J and third grade small 



Thirteen commodities, including the sized apples that come in direct compe- 



miscellaneous list, show an average de- tition with apples grown much nearer 



cline of 42.3 per cent, while fruits only the large consuming centers which can 



show 16 per cent. Coal and coke show profitably be sold at the price Western 



advances and only two items less de- growers pay for freight, 



cline than fruits. The freight on a box of jumble pack 



A comparative reference to gross Ben Davis is the same as on a box of 



sales at the big consuming centers show 3I/2 tier extra fancy Spitzenburgs or 



only slight declines on standard varie- Delicious, but the value in New York 



ties and sizes of apples, but the net re- is as one dollar is to five dollars. The 



turns are very much less on account of one shows a dead loss ; the other a sub- 



greatlv increased freight charges, stor- stantial profit — which will you grow? 



age rates and other advances. Let us forget the two or three ab- 



Sober thought compels us to admit we normal years just passed and get our 



have much to be grateful for. However, feet back on earth again. Stop deceiv- 



we should not lose sight of the funda- ing ourselves into believing that the only 



mental fact that no business can stand (Continued on page 16) 



Page 5 



Red 



Gravenstein 



Apples 



See front cover of this copy of 

 Better Fruit for full sized colored 

 illustration of the Red Gravenstein 

 apple which possesses all the good 

 qualities of the old Gravenstein in 

 flavor, size, shape and ripening 

 period, to which is added a bright 

 red color, greatly increasing its 

 attractiveness and market value. 

 The Red Gravenstein has established 

 a record for quality and productive- 

 ness which makes it a leader. 



Our stock of Red Gravenstein 

 trees is entirely sold out, but we 

 will again offer trees of this splen- 

 did variety for fall, 1921, and spring 

 1 922, delivery. Place your order 

 now and be sure of getting your Red 

 Gravenstein trees next season. 



Meanwhile: 



For commercial planting we still 

 offer in limited quantities the fol- 

 lowing fruits in proven varieties: 



APPLES PLUMS 



PEARS CHERRIES 



PRUNES And other 



PEACHES Fruits 



Also a big line of small fruits, 

 choice shrubbery, shade trees and 

 roses. 



Whether a few trees for a home 

 orchard or thousands of trees for 

 a commercial orchard, you want 

 the best. Good trees soon pay their 

 own cost. 



Eighteen years in business at this 

 same location and thousands of sat- 

 isfied customers throughout the 

 West are evidence of good trees and 

 good service. 



Planting time is at hand. Write 

 us now. Satisfaction guaranteed. 



TREES SHRUBS ■ ROSES B ERRIE S 

 ■HSU Toppenism. Wash. FET^" 



"Largest in the State" 



Salesmen Everywhere — More Wanted 



