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PAGE FOUR
AMERICAN FRUIT GROWERS, Inc.,
ANALYZED BY ORCHARD MAN
success Predicted for Orchard Growing Syndicate
Under Present Management--Secret
Strength of Plan Explained
William Harper Dean, an experi
enced horticuralist, has just completed
an exhaustive investigation of the aim,
objects, plan and scope of the Ameri
can Fruit Growers, owners of thou
sands of acres of apple, orange, lemon
anil vegetable land thruout the coun
try. In the Country (ipntleman he
jrives his conclusions and the reasons
why he believes in the ultimate success
of the $50,000,000 corporation.
Among other things he wirtea:
"When I discussed the general
problem of orchard management and
sales of the products with Vice Pres
ident and Production Manager C. J.
Tyson, I found that the questions to
which I wanted answers were among
those which for quite a while made
him doubtful of the feasibility of the
plan and kept him turning over the
situation in his mind before he merged
his carefully built up business with
the present syndicate.
I had my very serious doubts
whether a large block of producing
property could be secured at prices
that would make it a satisfactory div
idend earner,' said Mr. Tyson. I had
in mind our own experience and the
present attachment we have for the
property we built up from nothing.
But we have found that many of the
largest and best fruit properties in
the country are seeking a market.
"In some cases the grower feels
that he is getting too old to be bur
dened with the care of the property.
His children are not greatly interested
in managing it. He would like to
leave his estate in liquid shape but
has had difficulty in finding a buyer
for his large holding. We are able
to pay him a price which represents
more than the cost of producing the
property and yet leaves ample earn
ing power for us. In other cases we
find small corporations or close part
nerships in which the partners have
become suspicious of one another and
want to out. Other properties in
the formative stage have cost the
original growers more than they an
ticipated and are hampered by lack
of funds. In stepping into situations
of this kind we can save properties
that might have been allowed to go
to pieces.
Many Orchards Saved From Loss
"Another difficulty which looked
even more serious was that of pro
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A COMMON SCENE IN THE WENATCHEE VALLEY—IT REQIIRES A WHOLE ARMY OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO HARVEST THE CHOI'
viding our orchards with the right
kind of supervision. I doubted
whether men could be employed to
give the same interest and care to the
production of fruit as was being
given by the best resident managers
and owners. But after studying su
pervision methods and watching re
sults, and after employing a good
number of intelligent young men as
a nucleus of the supervision organi
zation, and after securing Professor
Scott, I am thoroughly convinced
that the results on the properties
which we are taking over can be
greatly improved.
Former Owners as Managers
"I believe that the average of effi
ciency on all these properties can be
increased fully 25 per cent by thor
ough organization, applying on one
property the good results secured on
another and by working out a busi
ness system which is entirely appli
cable to a proposition of this kind."
Further light on this problem of
efficient management of the prop
erties came after further conversa
tion with Mr. Tyson. Mr. Brand and
Mr. Crutchfield. I learned inciden
tally that one of the most promising
feacures of the present plan of the
syndicate is the retention of former
owners and managers on absorbed
properties when these men prove to
the satisfaction of the syndicate's
traveling supervisors that they are
thoroughly capable. Many orchards
absorbed by the syndicate are being
managed by the same men who sold
out. Such men were offered cash for
the properties and many accepted
cash; others asked for part payment
in stock. It follows that such an ar
rangement insures the best efforts on
the part of the local management.
At this moment General Manager
Brand is working on a contract ar
rangement between the syndicate and
former owner managers on properties
taken over. He told me that he con
siders an efficient, equitable contract
basis between the two parties indis
pensable to the success of the whole
undertaking. He wants to design an
agreement which will encourage the
maximum interest and effort on the
part of these managers.
Not a single property has been ac
quired before the most thorough ex
amination of it from every possible
THE LEAVENWORTH ECHO
angle. Here is where Professor Scottl
figures in strong, for his specialty is
sizing up orchard values. The same
holds true in the case of Mr. Tyson.
The age, health and vigor of the
trees are carefully determined, the
adaptability of the varieties, location
with respect to elevation; air drain
age and distance from railroad; con
dition, depth and apparent fertility
of the soil; expense of spraying and
cultivation because of hills, rocks or
other local conditions; past history of
the property and of other adjacent
properties as to regularity of pro
duction, occurrence of frost, freezes
and hail; character and keeping qual
ity of the fruits produced; present
conditions of crops.
Labor Question Not So Serious
"And the labor question." I asked,
"where will you get enough trained
orchard men to keep your properties
going?"
"There isn't any such labor problem
now as we had a little while back."
said Mr. Tyson. "We expect to train
all the additional labor we need—take
them into the orchards or into the
packing houses and put them under
experienced foremen until they serve
out their apprenticeships. Here's
where the scheme of retaining many
former owners and managers as man
agers for the property taken over
comes in.
We expect to send our labor from
district to district when necessary,
moving along as the crop matures in
the different sections. We will use a
great many-graduates from the agri
cultural colleges, first under exper
ienced foremenlater as foremen or
managers themselves. Such a wide
scale of operation offers good oppor
tunity for these graduates."
Ultimate Aims of Growers Syndicate
From Mr. Tyson and others I
learned that the syndicate will pro
vide a considerable portion of its own
box and crate materials, manufacture
and mix its own fertilizers, buy in
large quantities direct from the man
ufacturers or perhaps manufacture
and mix its own fertilizers, buy its
machinery and other supplies in large
quantities direct from the manufac
turers, or perhaps manufacture these
supplies on its own account.
It plans also to cut down waste
by using all culls and windfalls in the
manufacture of canned fruit and veg
etables, dehydrated products, marma
lades, jams and the like.
It will adopt a strict standardiza
tion of packages and grades, will es
tablish brands and trademarks and
will enter into an aggressive cam
paign of national advertising of these.
The officials recognize the fact, how
ever that it will not in every case pay
to abolish brand names which have
been taken over with the properties
behind them, for these have estab
lished reputations.
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U'H E OR \niNG ON THE RANCH OF F. A. WINGATE
AN OPTIMISTIC FRUIT GROWER
F. A. Wingate Says There Need Be No Fear of an
Overproduction of Apples
Frank A. Wingate is an optimistic '
individual, and when one starts to
talk about an overproduction of ap
ples, well, he won't listen to it. Some
few days ago in conversation with
an Echo representative he said: "I
have never felt better over the pres
ent and future of the apple business
during my ten years' residence in the
Upper Wenatchee Valley.
Mr. Wingate naturally has Mine
reasons to feel good. He is harvest
ing this year from 17 acres of bear
ing orchard about 12,000 boxes of ap
ples, all fine commercial varieties.
In addition to this he will have about
4,000 boxes from a seven acre orchard
which he bought only a few weeks
ago. The sixteen thousand boxes of
apples will net him considerably over
$20,000. Good bearing orchard land in [
the vicinity of Mr. Wingate's place is
selling at from $1,500 to $2,000 an
acre, but as Frank says, his place is '
not for sale—sso,ooo would not tempt
him. He enjoys the life, is pleased
with the surroundings, and asks the
question, "Where could I invest the
same amount of money and get as j
good returns?"
About ten years ago an exhardware
and general store man, who was tired
of the strenuous life and seeking an
occupation that would permit his com
ing into closer contact with nature,
and at the same time offer a recom
pense, stopped off in the Wenatchee
valley. It did not take him long to de
cide that a great future awaited those
who go in for fruit growing. The
business was new to him, but that
made no difference —he could learn.
He chose the Peshastin district and
bought seventeen acres from H. W.
Otis. This man was Frank Wingate.
The orchard was partly set to apple
trees and he continued to set out trees
until he had covered every foot of the
ground. He studied the apple busi
ness from every angle, but more es
pecially the culture and care of his
trees. Mistakes were made, but ex
perience is usually a good teacher, and
ence made they never occurred again.
He gave his orchard his own personal
supervision, and every tree received
attention. He discovered that certain
varieties did not do so well in his
particular locality, also that certain
kinds were in more demand and brot
better prices, so these trees were up
rooted and others planted in their
places, or they underwent the graft
ing process, so that today we believe
we can say that the Wingate orchard
is above the average and will corn-
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, ltlfc
pare favorably with any in the We
natchee valley. Frank has his own
ideas about taking care of an or
chard. For one thing, he grows al
falfa between his trees but never cuts
it. He doesn't believe in robbing the
soil and believes the trees derive
much benefit due to this fact. In ad
dition to this he uses a considerable
amount of fertilizer. He also has a lot
of notions that differ from other
growers—but the fact remains he has
made a success of his orchard.
Frank has met with adversity sev
eral times in his life but it has not
affected him as it does some people.
He is nearing the three score mark
but is still one of those genial, cheer
ful sort of fellows that you like to
meet. He is a young fellow about
forty-five in appearance, has young
ideas and picks young associates. He
enjoys life and doesn't figure on
"cashing in" for a long time yet. His
orchard isn't for sale at any price.
As we stated before he is here to stay.
He believes the Wenatchee valley is
destined to become the richest spot
in the state and his advice to every
one, more especially the young man,
is to "stay and grow up with the We
natchee valley."
Peculiar Characteristics
Of This Valley
Favored by a low altitude and being
thrust far back into the lap of the
lofty and encircling Cascade moun
tains, the Wenatchee Valley enjoys a
frost proof position which none of its
rivals can claim. In the history of
its few old orchards, peach trees
twenty-four years old without a re
corded failure of crop since pioneer
hands planted them, tell the story.
By reason of its unique physical
environment the summer season
comes on gradually until the season
for maturing and ripening fruit; it
then becomes quite warm, but never
oppressive, and sunstroke is unknown.
When the fruit has grown almost
to maturity in the cool mountain air,
tho snows have melted in the moun
tains near by and the warm weather
comes just at the proper time. It is
the dry, clear air and warm summer
sun that gives to the almost matured
fruit the color and flavor that have
made Wenatchee Valley's "Big Red
Apples" world famous.
There is no place on earth where
they grow just such apples as they
do in the Wenatchee Valley. That the
world has built a road to this favored
spot; that the markets of the world
are open to the fruit products of the
Wenatchee Valley, and that there are
efficient specialists in the valley who
dc produce a little better fruit than
their neighbors is evidenced by the de
mand for Wenatchee fruit from all
parts of the world, and the very large
number of medals won at exhibitions
all over the United States and Canada.
Wenatchee apples grace the tables
of fastidious Britishers all the way
from Liverpool and London to Sydney
and Melbourne in Australia, and, re
gardless of price, they find their way
to the breakfast rooms of thousands
of luxurious homes and catering es
tablishments in New York, Washing
ton and other eastern centers.
It is the common occurence for
Wenatchee growers to realize from
$2.75 to 3.50 per box (39 pounds
net) on fancy apples packed for the
fall markets of London and New
York. Without appreciable loss to
its appearance or peculiarly delicate
flavor, the climate and its innate keep
ing qualities, the Wenatchee apple
may be stored in common cellars until
April and May. Then it is marketed
in Seattle, where it is distributed at
fancy prices among the prosperous
communities on Puget Sound and the
miners of snow bound Alaska. April
and May markets at Wenatchee range
from $2.25 to $3.00 for the different
varieties of apples and these prices
have been without app.v.nt fluctua
tion for many years.
