happenings here in Oregon oreat fruit yield. Rogue River Valley Trae Promlte Choice Product. From the viewpoint of the grain raiser dame nature ia in a state of revolt this year in Southern Oregon, the drouth prevailing for the past few months having wofully reduced .the average in all small grains. It ap pears as if nature. Indeed, rebelled at man's persistent perversion of soil and climate conditions intended to produce nectar for the gods, to the baser uses of growing provender for Vine or grain for human kind or other cattle. The orchards and alfalfa meadows, however, are yielding up such stores of wealth as only those realize who are familiar with existing conditions. Apples and pears promise fancy fig ures again this year, in fact growers look for record-breaking prices, owing to partial failure of fruit of ordinary finality in the east. Of course the fancy fruit for which this section is distinguished is not exactily In com petition with ordinary barrel stock, but scarcity of the latter article al ways enhances prices all round. Growers are carefully thinning and applying the summer spray at pres ent, and favoring weather conditions are giving promise of quality sur passing, perhaps, any former year In the history of the local trade. FIX PRICE OF PRUNES. Willamette Valley Grower' Association Says 2 Cent Basis. The Willamette Valley Prune Asso ciation held an Important meeting at Salem last week. Delegates were In attendance from Douglas, Lane, Linn, Polk, - Benton and Clackamas coun ties, and from Vancouver, Wash., and was the most representative gather ing of the fruitgrowers of the North west ever held in that city. Organi zations are already formed in Linn, Benton, Douglas, Marion and Yamhill counties, and at Vancouver, Wash., and associations will be formed all over the state and the northwest In the near future. The plan under dls- cusion at the meeting was to have all the associations in the Northwest un der one secretary, so that it will be Impossible for one organization to un- dersell another in the market, thus creating uniform scale of prices for all fruits on the coast. The plan met with the approval of all present and an effort will be made to bring the condition about. The price of prunes this year is fix ed on a 2 cent basis. Coming Event. Ninth annual rgatta, Astoria gust 19-21. Au State fair, Salem, September 14-19. Second Southern Oregon District fair, Eugene, September 29-Octoher 3. Summer association of the North west Indian agencies, Newport Au gust 17-27. Lane county teachers' institute, Eu gene, August 4-5. Klamath county fair, Klamath Falls, October 6-9. Good roads convention, Jackson ville, August 15. Fruitgrowers' convention, Jackson ville, August 15. Teachers' institute, Tillamook, July 29-31. Old Folks' celebration, La Grande Aueust 1. Hoo Hoo contenttion, Portland, AllfUBt 1. Knights of Pythias convention, As toria, August 20-21. Teachers' institute, La Grande, Au gust 17-21, Smiling Fields of Polk County. Excellent samples of hay and grain have been brought to Independence this week. Early oats and spring wheat have commenced to change col or. and the heads of each are well filled. Some early hops have been exhibited in town, which are three- fourths grown. Hay harvest is ueing pushed rapidly forward, and there is a larger acreage in Polk county this year than has ever been planted be fore. The fruit season for cherries and berries has practically passed but the plums, prunes and apples are just commencing to ripen. Bricks Made on Coos Bay. The first lot of brick just burt at the new kiln in Catching slough was delivered this week at North Bend to be used in making the foundation tor the boilers and engines of the woolen mills and sash and door, fac tory. This is the initial burn and somewhat of an experiment, but from the appearance of this production Coos Bay will be able to turn out first-class brick, a much needed indus try, for heretofore this article had to be imported. Huckleberry Season Here. Huckelberries are beginning to rip pn in the foothills of the Blue moun tains. Never before was there prom ise of such a bountifuT crop there as is now presented. The ' season has heen an ideal one for their growth. There were no early frosts, and as a consequence none were blighted. Evt'ry bush Is loaded, and already parties are being formed to go out and gather the luscious fruit. Collecting Mlnlnir D. George E. Boos, of the United States Geological Survey. Washine tnn Tl C. is at Baker Cltv. and will inake a complete report of mining in Eastern Oretron, showing production, cost of operation, wagts, etc. By act nf congress mineowneru are eomnel lpd to furnish informatioa '.yadcr pen alty. Reany for Steel Bridge. The pnpronrfcpq on" centpr pier for the Lewis and Clark draw bridge near Astoria have been completed and are ready for the steel draw when it ar rives from the east. It has been on the road for several weeks and is expected within a few days. JUNE OUTPUT SPLENDID. Sumpter District Mines Cleaned Up All of $350,000. Estimates based on the production of ore In the Sumpter mining district for the past month give much greater returns than heretofore. The deep sinking operations carried on in most of the leading properties have result ed in opening up a larger area of min ing territory and consequently an In creased production has resulted. According to the estimates that are at hand from the best sources obtain- ble, the Bonanza is said to have clear ed up during June $50,000; the North Pole, $80,000; the Columuid, $45,- 000; Golconda, $35,000; the Badger, 30,000; total, $240,000. The produc tion of the Red Boy is variously stat ed to be from $25,000 to $50,000, and therefore should be added to the to tal production. There are many- other properties that are constantly shipping ores away for treatment at smelters. It is impossible to get any figures as to the value of these ores, as no returns are given from the - smelters receiving them, except to the owners, and the latter as a rule are opposed to mak ing public these figures. It would be safe in fixing the total at $350,000 for the month. This total includes the cleanup from many claims in the dis trict that are not ranking with the big producers. This also includes the output of the placers as far as can be learned. Oregon King Looking Up. he Oregon ...ing mine, which has been shut down tor several years on account of litigation, Is again hoist ing ore. The management is -looking for more miners and preparing to make heavy shipments. . To give . history of this mine would be to re peat that of other properties accident ly, discovered, abandoned, relocated and developed sufficiently to make a trial shipment, which was found to give surprising returns. Shipments followed, which, after deducting charges for a 60-mile wagon haul to the then terminus of the Columbia Southern railway, which was being extended southward, and freight from there to the smelter at Tocama, net ted over $105 per ton. Not Enough Water. The voters of the proposed Little Walla Walla river irrigation district near Frewater turned down the pro position to form an Irrigation district by 89 to 52. the vot ers living at the upper end of the dis trict killing the proposition on the ground that the river does not give enough water when at low ebb for those holding riparian rights, where as if an irrigation district were form-i, ed including both themselves and those below them, they would have to divide what water was with those lelow them. A three-fifths vote of the residents was required to carry the establishment. Hot Contest for Land. A contest of more than usual Impor tance was begun in the Oregon City Land Office a few days ago. Import ant is the contest because an entire section of heavily timbered land lo cated near Corvallis, Benton county, Involved. It Is estimated that the section contains 16,000,000 feet of fine timber. There are four entry- men, each having filed upon a quarter Pection, and there are as many con testants on the ground that the en trymen abandoned and did not prove up properly on the land. Prosnects for New Flax Mill. James Boyce, a millionaire of Mun- cie. Ind.. who is at Salem, is investi gating the prospects for a new flax mill in that city. He has made a for tune in that business, and is impress ed with the idea that such an Industry would be a paying one there. He la much pleased with the excellence of I he Oregon flax fibre, and may back Mr. Eugene Bosse, the local flax-erow- er, In the construction of a mill to manufacture the flax fibre into a marketable product. PORTLAND MARKETS. Wheat Walla Walla, 7778c; val ley, 7Pc. Barley Feed, $19.00 per ton; brew ing. $20. Flour Best grades, $4.10 5.50; graham I3.353.75. Millstnffs Bran, $23 per ton; mid dlings, $27; shorts, $23; chop, 18. Oats No. 1 white, $1.07 1.07K; gray, $1 05 per cental. Hay Timothy, $1920; clover, nominal; cheat, $1516 per ton. Potatoes Best Burbanks, 7076c per sack; ordinary, 354Sc per cental, growers' prices; Merced sweets, $3 3.50 per cental. Poultry Chickens mixed, 11 12c young, 1617c; hens, 12e; turkeys live, 1012c; dressed, 14ai5c; ducks 4. 0035.00 per dozen;- geese, $6.00 6.50. Cheese Full cream, twins, 16J 16c; loung America, 15616c; fact ory prices, ll$c less. Butter Fancy creamery, 2022o per pound; extras, 22c; dairy, 203 224c; store, 16c17. Eggs 2021c per dozen. Hops Choice, 15 60 per pound, Wool Valley, 1718c; Eastern Or egon, 12ai6c; mohair, 3537)c. ueei uroes, cows, 3s4c, per pound; steers, 55$c: dressed, 74c Ve,!78c. Mutton Gross, Sc per pound dressed. 6HBc. Lambs Gross, 4c per pound dresesd, 7c. Hogs Gross, 68c per pound dresesd, 6X976. LAW FOR EXPOSITIONS. Foreign Exhibits Must Be Returned or Pay Duty. Washington. July 21. Foreign ex hibits brought into the United States for display at the St. Louis exposition will, under a recent ruling of the treas ury department, be exempt from duty, provided they are, at the close of the exposition, taken oat of the country in the same condition in which they en tered. This is a customary rnling re garding foreign exhibits at all expo sitions where foreign manufactures and products are provided for, and similar instructions will be issoed one year hence regarding Oriental exhibit that are brought to Portland Jor the Lewis and Clark exposition. In the case df foreign exhibits which are to be sold in this country, however, the usual rev enue charge will be made, as such goods are regarded as pure importations lor commercial purposes, and naturally a large percentage of the foreign exhibits will never be returned to their owners abroad. ' In order to be exempt from doty, goods for the exhibition must be re ceived in bond at the first port cf entry into this country and sent in bonded cart direct to the exposition grounds, where they will be continued in bond nntil the close of the exposition. At that time, they must be repacked in their original parking and returned through the same port at which they were entered. The rnling, it is said, will require the presence within the St. Louis exposition grounds of upwards of 500 revenue officers, inspectors and supervisors, and at Portland of a pro portionately smaller number, to be reg ulated by the else of the Oriental ex hibit. At St. Louis and at Portland certain classes of goods will be subject to re lease without duty, such as personal supplies for use of the foreign commis sioners within the limits of the expo sition, free samples of merchandise to be distnbtued by foreign contributors, and advertising matter in the form of literature. ROMB IN SORROW. Silence of Mourning for Pope In the Holy City. Rome, July 21. The body of Pope Leo XIII lies tonight in the ball of the throne room, a few steps from the room in which his death took place. I he same vestment, the comauro hood, the rochet and the white gown which were put on yesterday cover the form, which rests in temi state, surrounded by the ighted candles, the noble guard and the Franciscan penitentiaries. Tomorrow morning the diplomatic body, the high dignitaries and the Roman aristocracy will enter the hall to pay their tributes ot respect to all that remains of the pope, who won the respect and affection ol the world. In the afternoon the body will be arrayed n all the glory of the pontifical robes, the mitre replacing the hood, and at (unset it will be taken into the chapel of the Sacrament of St. Peter, where for thiee days the public will be given an opportunity of paying a last fare well. The interment will occur Satur day evening. CAMPAIQN IS ON. Politicians are Busy Around Vatican Over Coming Election. 'Borne, July 22. The conclave of cardinals will meet a out August 1 to elect a new pope. A vigoroue campaign is being made by the adherents of the various candi dates, theBe including the foreign am bassadors to the Vatican. Kaiser William is supporting Cardi nal Gotti in the hope that he will give the triple alliance a protectorate over the Oriental Christians. Gotti has been made the subject of attack on the g-ound that his brother is an ex-convict. Svampa is supported by those who desire a short-lived pope, but is op posed because he rides in an auto mobile. Archbishop Merry del Val, whose mother is English, has been elected secretary of the conclave. Italy Will Honor Cardinals. Rome, July 23. The Italian govern ment has given orders to the railroad officials that cardinals coming to Home for the conclave Fhall be considered princes of the blood and have reserved compartments or saloon cars placed at their disposal from the frontier. In addition, instructions have been given to all the government authorities to pnt themselves at the disposal of the card inals if they are reques-ed to do so and to leave nothing undone for their ac commodation and protection. . . Hostilities Warded Off. Helena, Mont., July 23. A serious clash between cattlemen and sheepmen on the middle fork of the Sun river, 00 miles north of Helena, has just been averted by county officers, who were called to the scene. The cattlemen, who had organized, sent sheepmen notice that if they did not remove their herds from the range by Sunday they would be forced out of the country. The sheepmen sent to Helena for arms and ammunition to resist. Beef Trust Has Appealed. Chicago, July 23. The Chicago pack ing firms, the "Big Six," made defend ants in the beef-trust cases, today ap pealed the snit to the supreme court of the United States. This is the rase in which the packers were enjoined frcm continuing the operation of an agree ment which the court held to be in re straint of trade. NOW LIES IN STATE LEO XIII'S REMAINS AT BASILICA OP ST. PETER'S. Were Escorted Thither With Much Pomp Preparation Completed for Allow. Ing Public to View Body of Late Pon tiff -An Autopay Showed No 5lga of Cancer. Rome, July 22. Tonight the Body of Leo XIII lies in state at the Basilica of St. Peter's. Beginning tomorrow at sunrise, the people of Borne and the people of all nations now in the Eternal City will be permitted to pay their last farewell. Opportunity for this solemn tribute will end Saturday. Until 5 o'clcok this evening the re mains ot the dead pope lay in the throneroom of the Vatican, where the leaders ol the diplomatic, clerical and civil world were allowed to pass the bier. The ceremony tonight, when the bodj was 'conveyed from the throne room to St. Peter's, was one of the most striking of all the obsequies. During the day the congregation of cardinals met and decided to hold the (onclave under the identical regulations which obtained at the conclave which elected Leo. Dr. Lapponi, in the course of the day ((presented to Cardinal Oreglia a report of the autopsy which was held yesterday, which showed there was no sign of cancer in the pope's body. Some hours be for 3 sundown St. Peter's . was cleared of idle crowds. The massive doors were closed and the throng of sight seers was pushed back to the foot of the great flight of circular stone steps. Half a hunderd carpen ters hastily constructed a stout fence five feet high to. resist the encroach ments of the crowd, nhk-h is expected during tomorrow and the following days. The fence extends directly across the colonnade, and in it are two narrow entrances which will give ready means of controlling the ingress and egtess of the throngs. JAPS FIT UP TRANSPORTS. Rusalan Encroachments on Corea Ex cite Them. Victoria, B. 0., July 24. News was received by the steamer Olympia, which arrived today from the Orient that warlike preparations are going on apace. Officers of the Olympia say that the Japanese government was fit ting many large liners fcr transport service. The fleets of warships of Japan and the powers in the Orient were still maneuvering in the Gulf of Pe Chi Li and off Corea. Russian re inforcements were also reported to be arriving. It was reported from Harbin that two mixed biigades, consisting of in fantry, cavalry and engineers were com ing over the Trans Sioreian railway, and an infantry regiment was follow ing. The announced pupose of the coming of these toons was to test the transporting capacity of the Siberian railway. Further to reinforce the Rus sians, a battalion of sailors and marines has been organized in Russian Turkestan and ordered to Manchuria. The three new Russian cruisers are also reported from the Straits Settlement on the way to Port Arthur with cargoes under merchant flags. TORNADO IN NEW JERSEY. Three killed and Much Property la Des troyed. Pater son, N. J., July 24. In a tor nado here today three persons were killed and at least three sere more or leas seriously injured. One house was blown down and more than a score of buildings unroofed. By the collapse of a house that was being repaired, Joseph Vandam was killed and four other workmen were oadly hurt. Thomas Hancock, 80 years old, was struck by a piece of shafting, blown from a wrecked laundry building, and his head was completely severed from bis body. . The monetary loss is estimated at be tween $150,000 and $200,000. Favora Exchange Coraralaalons. Berlin, July 24. President Creel, of the Mexican monetary exchange com mission, pays the American and Mexican exchange commissions are much grati fied and encouraged by the warm recep tion they have met from the German government. Some most important resolutions, be added, were unanimous ly passed by conferences held at the reichsbank with the German delegates, and the commissioners expect that the whale plan will be approved and that Germany will give the propositions sup poit. Boundary Commissioner Confer. Watertown, N. V., July 24. The representatives of the United States be fore the Alaskan boundary tribunal, which will meet in London in Decern ber, have -just come together at the summer cottage of ex Secretary John W. Foster, at Henderson harbor, for Snal conference, and discussed the man ner of presenting the cape before the tribunal. Members of the agency and council will start for London about August 20, and the tribunal will orga nize September 3. August Century. There will be another "Pa Gladden" story in the August Century, "The Tramp," For this the material was largely drawn from family tradition, for Pa Gladden's character is actually based upon that of Mis. Elizabeth Cherry Waltz's father, Major. John Nicholas Cherry, of Columbus, Ohio, a man of broad and Rental charity, much humor and quaint phraseology. Marker from an Old Cnltlvator. The Illustration shows a corn marker without a fault AU cultivators are not alike, as some have straight tongues, and some have a scat at tached, but they can all be used by simply removing the wheels and shovel beams. No 1 A shows a bole where a clevis attaches the wblffletrees. This brings the draft 'on the sled Instead of the frame. D shows a plank spiked on be hind, making a place for the driver to stand, thus leaving a clear vision be tween his horses and straight ahead. C shows where the wheel spindles are se- ma HOME-MADS CORK MARKER. cured to the marker plank with a yoke, secured on the underside of the plank by burs. At B Is an upright pin. This Is to receive B of No. 2. This pole Is Just eight feet long, and V Is a runner made rounding at each end. This Is 2 feet long, 8 Inches wide and 1 Inch thick. It Is made of bard wood and Is wedge-shaped on the bottom. G is a wire attached with a ring on It. To the ring Is attached a good stout string, and to this string Is fastened a com mon snap, II. Place B. No. 2 on B No. 1, snap H on same ring, and your high est ideal of a perfect corn marker will be realized. I use E for handles when turning at the end of the field. Cor. Orange Judd Farmer. The Uee of Sweat Pad. The use of sweat pads under some circumstances may be Justified, espe cially when horses have started work In the spring In good form and are re duced In flesh during the summer. One of the principal objections to the sweat pad Is that It tends to become soggy, and consequently increases the friction between the surface of the pad and the shoulder. It sometimes happens that by the use of the pad one can fit a col lar that could otherwise not be worn. In this instance the price of a collar may be saved. By the use of the pad the drnff Is often thrown on the outer edge of the shoulders, while It should be as close In as possible. When an animal gets a sore spot on some part of his shoulder It is sometimes possible to cut a hole In the pad and thus re lieve the pressure on this place until It becomes healed. The main thing Is to have a collar fit the shoulder well. Where this is the case there Is seld'.im any danger of Irritation, providing the liames are properly fitted to the collar and pulled up tightly each time they are put on. It never paye to work away with a collar-that does not fit, because an animal that constantly ex periences pain through Ill-fitting har ness cannot do the came amount of work, nor do it as willingly, as would be the case If all parts of the harness are adjusted to Its form. Iowa Home stead. f elf-Feeding Belt Box. Even so simple a thing as a salt box Is a source of much satisfaction If made a little better than others of the kind. The one Illustrated was first suggested to me some time ago and has been Improved till It fills the bill. The board at the back is 10 inches wide and about 4 feet long. The sides of the box are nailed directly onto this board, and the top of the box Is Joined to the board by strap Iron hinges, which are better than leather. The end piece in side the box, and next to the board, does not quite reach the board, and the bottom of the box, being nailed to the end piece, also docs not reach the board. Thus rain running down the long board cannot get Into the box and soak the salt. The board Is nailed to a building, tree or fence wherever wanted. The support In front is a stake drlveu Into the ground and fas tened with a nail to the projecting bot tom of the box. Animals soon learn to open the cover and help themselves. The cover closes by gravitation. II. II, Hersbey, In Farm and Home. Whole or Ground Corn. At the West Virginia station hogs fed four weeks on ground corn gained about 28 per cent more than similar hogs fed on whole corn. It is explained that the hogs had been previously get ting ground corn, and the change to whole corn was not relished. The re sults of twelve experiments at eight different stations along this line show an average of 505 pounds of whole com, or 472.9 pounds of ground corn for 100 pounds of gain that Is, It re quires about 0 per cent less ground corn to make a pound of gain than whole corn. It Is generally concluded from these experiments that unless a farmer Is located near a mill It will not pay to have the corn ground, the extra cost of grinding more than coun terbalancing the extra feed, value of the corn, Bonr Swill Bad for Bwlne. One of the chief reasons why some pig raisers fall to secure the success which their neighbors enjoy In because the kitchen refuse Is .allowed to be come fermented before being fed. It Is a mistake to imagine that evenr SALT BOX. thing a pig will eat la good for nlna. He has really no greater need, nor does his system call for food strong ly acid, than a man would have for pickles at every meat There la no more active agent In promoting Indi gestion in pigs of all ages and in checking rapid and profitable growth than sour swill. It keeps young pigs thin In flesh and ailing, and for older ones, and brood sows In particular. It commonly puts them off their feed. While everything coming from the kitchen should be made use of. Its re ceptacle should be kept clean. Take It all down to the pens while fresh and feed at once; nothing can be gained by delay, and much may be ost American Agriculturist The Uncle Cam Potato. A heavy yielding variety of more than average qality Is something growers of potatoes have long desired, and the tests of the new variety. Un cle Sam, shown In the cut. Indicate that It fill the bill. So large are the yields of this variety under ordinary culture, expert growers claim that It has no equal. The tubers are uniform in sice, with comparatively few very small specimens, and the quality Is of the very beat In season the variety Is medium to late. Unfortunately, re sults are net all that can be desired on heavy soils or clay, but on sandy or loamy soils It has no equal. In form the Uncle Sam Is oval, pure white, with russet skin and shallow eyes near the surface. . Continued tests may prove that the variety will do better on heavy soils after the first season, which Is frequently the case with aorta that have been grown from the beginning In lighter soils. At all events, the variety has too many good points to throw It aside for culture on heavy soils after a single season of testing. Profit In Early Turnip. Market gardeners who are situated se as to command a good trade direct with consumers will find the growing of turnips, and especially of the early TWO EARLY TURHirS. varieties, profitable. The Illustration shows specimens of Early Milan, one of the best turnips grown. It Is the earliest white turnip In cultivation, and of splendid quality, Just suited to housekeepers who object to the pun gent taste of most varieties of tur nips. The flesh is fine grained, tender and clear white. The skin is also white and very attractive. The top is small and the turnip grows with a single tap root, hence Is well suited to cultiva tion on ground where space must be economized. It Is well worth a trial, and should be grown by every farmer for his own table, even though not for market. Indltnnpolls News. A Place for Milk Pan. When a dairyman has a number ot cows necessitating the use of a great many cans, It Is not always easy to keep the cans clean and placed so that they will take up but little room. The device Illustrated shows a method which has the merit of being cheap and at the same time keeping the cans In a position so that they will drain thoroughly. Bet two pasts In the de sired place far enough apart so as to furnlhh the required amount of space for the cans; to these posts nail sev eral boards, and on the boards fasten at Intervals several hooks of Iron or wood to catch the handle of the can over as shown lu the cut The can la held In position by loops of rope as Indicated, The side of any building can, of course, be utilized for the pur pose when convenient, and save the cost of building a special structure. St Paul Dispatch. Churning Hint. Should you use tho old-fashioned dasher churn you are annoyed by the cream, milk and butter splashing out at the top, where the dasher handle goes through. This mny be avoided by melting the bottom off a small fruit or baking powder can and placing It over the handle of the dasher. It rests on the lid of the churn and catches all the "splash" and conducts It back Into the churn. If you only have one pound of butter per week to sell, dou't tako It to market In a shapeless mass. A mold Is cheap and pays for Itself In a short time. People like to buy attractive but ter and will pay extra for It. Midland Farmer. , How to Handle the line. Some men will use the hoe so that the top layer of soli Is cut off clean and gathered up with the weeds that mny have been the chief object of the hoeing. The surfaco remaining will be hard and smooth quite tho reverse of what It should be. Culti vation should nieun a stirring of the surface, making It line. If this he done In loamy soil shortly after a rain It will not break Into large lumps. Pumpkin KnIy Grown. Modern methods of corn growing do not permit the old plan of growing pumpkins among the corn. The vines Interfere with the constnnt une of the horse Implements. But pumpkins are worth growing and cost but little labor planted In a patch by themselves la hills six feet each way, well manured and cultivated until the vines Inter-fare.