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BETTER FRUIT 



May 



BY A recent decision of the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission the California Fruit Growers' 

 Exchange has established its right to do its own 

 precooling, and where the railroads precool the rate 

 has been reduced from $30 to $7.50 a car. When 

 the exchange precools and ships citrus fruits with- 

 out ice it must assume the responsibility of damage 

 in transit, although the roads are responsible for 

 reasonably prompt service. This case grew out of 

 the fight between the Arlington Heights Fruit 

 Exchange and the railroads, in which the exchange 

 demanded the right to precool its own fruit. The 

 complaints made by the Arlington Heights shippers 

 were that the refrigeration rate of the railroads 

 was excessive, that the railroads' reluctance to ship 

 fruit which w^as precooled was illegal, and that the 

 rates under which the roads were willing to ship 

 precooled cars were out of reason. While the rail- 

 road companies are upheld by the commission in 

 many of their contentions, the bulk of the victory 

 goes to the fruit exchange. In the final anaylsis 

 of the case, however, the right of the shippers to 

 avail themselves of the precooling system of ship- 

 ping is established. On this point the report of the 

 commission says: 



"Clearly these growers who have devised and 

 perfected this system of shipment should not be 

 compelled to pay for the privilege of using it more 

 than the fair cost to the carrier of providing the 

 additional facilities, which are not included in the 

 ventilated rate, with a fair profit. We are of the 

 opinion that the precooling charge of $30 per car 

 is unreasonable and that this charge should not 

 e-xceed $7.50 per car. It is urged that to allow 

 shippers to precool their own shipments will result 

 m discrimination in favor of the large and against 

 the small shipper, but this is not apparently true 

 under actual conditions at the present time." 



The decision is regarded as a body blow to the 

 precooling establishments that have been erected by 

 the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific roads in South- 

 ern California. The outcome presents many com- 

 plicated questions. The exchange, when it does its 

 own precooling, assumes responsibility in transit, 

 the roads only being expected to make reasonable 

 time. In the case of tramp cars, where there are 

 frequently long delays — which delays are caused by 

 the shippers' own orders — it appears that the fruit 

 exchange will have to assume all loss. — The Packer. 



<$> ^ ^ 



SMALL FRUITS. — Strawberries may be grown 

 for two cents a quart. I have raised 400 crates 

 per acre, but 200 crates is an average yield. Rasp- 

 berries may be grown for four cents per quart; 

 yields vary from 60 to 150 crates per acre. Black- 

 berries can be grown cheapest of all — one cent per 

 quart, and yields from 60 to 120 crates per acre. 

 Other fruits may be grown cheaply, such as grapes, 

 gooseberries, currants, cherries, plums, pears, 

 peaches and apples, the latter of which, with a 

 selection from early to later ripening varieties, will 

 of themselves supply fruit nearly the whole year. 

 Raspberries bear the second year after planting. 

 I have tested over twenty-five varieties of the black 

 sort; Kansas and Cumberland lead. Cardinal, nearly 

 purple, yields fairly well; few of the red varieties 

 yield paying crops; would advise planting them 

 only close to a city market. The blackcap rasp- 

 berries have made me the most money during the 

 past twenty years, and with better markets every 

 year. Blackberries bear the second year after 

 planting. Early Harvest is not as yet excelled by 

 the newly introduced early sorts, and leads for 

 profit. Kittatinny fifteen to twenty-five years ago 

 was in the lead, but of late years it rusts too badly, 

 and I would not plant it. Snyder is hardy; I never 

 knew it to rust or winter-kill. Some new sorts 

 promise well, but it is better to go slow than too 

 fast in planting new varieties. Peaches, pears, 

 plums and cherries will begin to bear the second or 

 third year; mulberries, which begin to bear the 

 second year, should be planted in the poultry yard 

 and cherry orchard, as the birds prefer mulberries 

 to cherries. Apple trees will commence to bear the 

 fourth and fifth years, like other fruits, owing to 

 varieties and care. — Jacob Faith in Colman's Round 

 World. 



COST OF APPLYING WATER.— The first irri- 

 gation on new land is the most difficult and 

 expensive, often costing one dollar or more to the 

 acre. After the banks of the ditches have settled 

 and become firm the average cost is sixty cents an 

 acre. Where three men are needed to manage the 

 irrigation in tlie spring, but one man is required 

 later in the season. With the ditches in good order 

 and the furrow system established, one can irrigate 

 100 acres of small grain or 150 acres of alfalfa. 

 From tu-elve to eighteen hours will be required for 

 the irrigation, and with a head of two second feet 

 water may be running on from six to ten acres at 

 one time. If the system is automatic, but a part 

 of the working hours of the day will be required 

 to look after the irrigation, but when not so 

 arranged constant attention is necessary. When 

 funnels are not used one man can generally irri- 

 gate four or five acres a day, but if the ditches are 

 new he can attend to but two or three. The aver- 

 age cost of clearing, preparing land for irrigation, 

 applying water, and the cost of production of two 

 of the leading crops may be summarized as follows, 

 assuming that the automatic furrow system is used 

 and that the alfalfa is sown without a nurse crop: 

 Clearing, $.') : plowing, $2.50; leveling, 50c; ditch- 

 ing. $1; seeding, $2.50; furrowing, 50c: spouts, $1 ; 

 irrigating three times, S2; harvesting one ton. 

 $2.30: total. $17.30. Alfalfa the second year: 

 Repairing ditches, 25c; irrigating three times. 



$1.50; harvesting six tons, $10.80; total, $12.55. 

 Wheat on second-year land: Plowing, $2.50; level- 

 ing, 50c; seeding, $2.10; furrowing, 50c; repair of 

 ditches, 25c; irrigating two times, $1.20; harvesting 

 forty-five bushels, $5.60; total $12.70. Flooding is 

 the general practice and furrow irrigation is not 

 employed for small grain or alfalfa. The fields 

 are laid off into long strips 100 to 200 feet wide. 

 These are termed lands and are separated by low 

 levees which confine the water to each strip. — 

 Exchange. 



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My IJear Rulofson: — The "Hood River" apples 

 reached us in good condition. They were delicious. 

 We enjoyed the flavor of the apples and greatly 

 appreciated the kind remembrance. The old say- 

 ing, "Out of sight, out of mind," did not apply 

 in this instance. 



We made a gastronomical discovery while eating 



ASHLAND DISTRICT 



of the 



ROGUE RIVER 

 VALLEY 



Orchards near the City of Ash- 

 land, Oregon, hold the highest rec- 

 ords for productiveness per acre, 

 in comparison with all the other 

 orchard localities of similar size. 



A booklet descriptive of the many 

 resources of this city and the sur- 

 rounding country will be sent free 

 on applying to the Publicity Depart- 

 ment of the Ashland Commercial 

 Club, Ashland, Oregon. 



the red ones. Spitzenbergs, I believe they are 

 called. Here's the discovery: If you take a bite 

 of the apple and at the same time a bite of one 

 of those small French cakes called Macaroons you 

 will find it not only very toothsome, but will 

 notice a delicious farewell flavor similar to the 

 taste of ice cream. It is somewhat like eating a 

 piece of Roquefort cheese with a small particle of 

 Bartlett Pear. Each particle seems to better 

 develop the flavor of the other. 



We hope that it will be in the line of probability 

 to have, in the near future, the pleasure of your 

 company at a home luncheon with us. Then, if 

 between the three of us, we do not make some 

 other surprising gastronomical discovery I shall 

 think that we are not "Bon Vivers." 



Thanking you very much for the apples, likewise 

 for the remembrance, we remain thy friends, Joe 

 and Harry, San Francisco. 



YAKIMA COUNTY 

 HORTICULTURAL 

 UNION 



North Yakima, Washington 



C. R. Paddock, Manager 



Apples, Pears, Peaches, Cherries, 

 Plums, Prunes, Apricots, Grapes 

 and Cantaloupes 



Mixed carloads start about 

 July 20. Straight carloads in 

 season. Our fruit is the very 

 best grade; pack guaranteed 



We use Revised Economy Code 



Come to 



the Fertile Northwest! 



The Prosperity States 

 of America 



€I,Get a home in this Land of Plenty. 

 Make a comfortable living — and a good 

 profit — as thousands are, raising fruits, 

 vegetables, grains, grasses, alfalfa, cattle 

 (or dairying), hogs, poultry, bees. 

 iH^A healthful, growing climate — land 

 marvelously productive, in irrigated and 

 non - irrigated sections. Free Govern- 

 ment land in choice localities. New 

 extensions of the Northern Pacific Rail- 

 "'"*"'""""""' way and its allied lines are opening up 

 rich fields to the Homeseeker. Come now, while you can 

 buy land cheap. 



<I.Tell us which state you are interested in, what kind of land you 

 want, and what you want to do. We will send free illustrated booklets 

 and full information about low fares to the Northwest for the Spring 

 and Summer months. Ask for illustrated folder "Through the Fertile 

 Northwest." 



<n.Minnesota. North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, 

 Oregon — here lies your chance — along the Scenic Highway 

 in the Land of Fortune. Don't delay — write today. 



A. D. CHARLTON, Ass't G. P. A., Portland, Oregon 

 A. M. CLELAND, Gen. Pass. Agent, St. Paul 



Northern Pacific Ry 



WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS MENTION BETTER FRUIT 



