NEW INDUSTRY FOR SCAPPOOSE

STRAWBERRY BARRELING PLANT

GOOD MARKET PROMISED

Seattle Concern Signs Up Strawberry acreage in Scappoose Section and Will Have Barreling Plant

SCAPPOOSE, Ore. Jan 15,1926

A barreling plant for strawberries is the newest industry to become established in Scappoose, with contracts now being signed up with the growers at the the top price of 8 1/2cents per pound as compared with the cannery price of 5 1/2 cents and 6 cents of last year.

Messrs. Emery and French, of the Puget Packing Co., of Seattle, have been in Scappoose the past week looking over the situation and to date have signed up 23 acres on contract for the coming season's pack This year they will operate in a local warehouse and when their berry contracts amount to 100 acres they have assured the local community that they will build a $15.000 packing plant.

The company barrels the strawberries in packs of 300 pounds to the barrel. These are later packed in tins and glass and made into jams and syrup for home table use and the soda fountain trade. The berries are taken field run and no grading or selection is necessary, and they are taken when ripe and at their fullest size and sugar content. The "Improved Oregon," and "Marshall" are the varieties preferred by the company as they are particularly adapted for processing. The grower does not even furnish containers, as the company furnishes all boxes and containers necessary.

The Puget Packing Co. has operated successfully in the Northwest for some time and last season operated successfully in the vicinity of Sherwood, Oregon. This industry is expected to bring new settlers into Scappoose community and help to settle up many acre tracts and homesites as a market will be assured to all those that will grow strawberries.

Growers wishing to contract their berries for the coming season at the top price of 8 1/2 cents per pound should see the company's representatives at the First National bank in Scappoose immediately..

SCAPPOOSE DIKING AREA RIVALS FAMED DELTA LANDS OF THE NILE

The St. Helens Mist 1928

"The delta lands of the Columbia"

This expression of E. E. Wist, appropriately describes the fertility of 5000 acres of rich soil now being reclaimed by the Scappoose drainage system in one of the most complete projects of this kind ever carried on in the west. It is not a misstatement of fact when the soil is compared with the delta lands of the Nile and the Mississippi. With the gigantic project now nearing completion the Columbia river bottom land will be high in productivity for almost any imaginable crop. It is the realization of a dream of men of vision, men of tenacity of purpose, builders for the morrow. Even now a large percentage of the land is being sowed in the first crops and is fulfilling the early hopes of prolific harvests. By the end of the year all the bench lands included in the project will be ready for cultivation. At present ten and one half miles of dike have been completed together with a modern system of interior drainage that has made this undertaking feasible from and agricultural and engineering standpoint.

The length of the district is about six miles and its average width a mile and a half. The land is protected from annual overflow and hill run-off water by a levee, a pumping plant and interior drainage. The land reclaimed will be susceptible to a high state of agricultural production. The area will be furnished with electric power, telephone connections, good road, pumping facilities and close proximity to community centers. A loop highway is now under construction around the entire section and should be completed in the early fall.

Thus, before the vision of the prospective home builder and settler unfolds a panorama of prosperity and Utopian promise. The area eventually will be sub-divided into tracts of 30 and 40 acres thus permitting a colonization of the land on a colossal scale. With this district populated with a thrifty people and with every acre highly productive the year 'round, the Scappoose expanse will be second to none in agricultural wealth.

From the prospectus of the Scappoose drainage district it is learned that the land in the project is largely in private ownership and has been used in past years chiefly for beef cattle and dairy pasture. In recent years a limited amount of the land at higher elevations above low water has been plowed for the production of forge crops for dairying, buildings are located on the bank lands near the Willamette Slough or on the main land above the overflow land. Home gardens and orchards can be grown as well as small grain, alfalfa and other forage crops on the higher ground. The surface of the area is comparatively flat, lying with moderate depressions.

Nature has been kind here in her lavish contribution of willows, cottonwood and ash that fringe the rive banks and the myrtle and wild mint that are riotously scattered over the area. On higher ground, blue grass and red top occur.

Soil is Rich

The soil of the whole region is of recent alluvial formation and is deep silty material with comparatively uniform texture. Chemical analysis of the entire project shows this soil to contain a very good amount of plant food. Where diked, this type of soil proves to be strong and very productive. On account of the annual overflow and moving water, the acidity in these soils in but slight, and they produce very good cops of legumes without liming when drained.