PI Tfi-'--f
JONIAN, PORTLAND, APRIL 1, 1900.
FARMING IN OREGON
Agricultural Conditions Dis
cussed by Practical Men.
COST OF GROWING WHEAT VARIES
Palrylnc; Finding Favor In tbe 'Wil
lamette Valley Where the Soil
Has Been Impoverished.
Oregon farmers are still discussing tbe
question of tbe price they ought to get
for wheat to make cultivation of that
crop profitable. Estimates vary In the
different counties, local conditions enter
ing Into the situation. Much thought U
being given to diversified farming. In
somo sections, notably Umatilla County,
wheat does not appear to be in any
danger of losing the position as the staple
crop which It has so long held. In the
AVlllamette Valley the case Is different.
The convention of the Oregon Dairymen's
Association at Albany in February opened
the eyes of farmers to the fact that the
soil has become Impoverished by contin
uous planting of wheat and that dairying
Is Jin effective and profitable remedy.
Dairying Is taking hold and bids fair soon
to become one of Oregon's leading indus
tries. The Oregonlan publishes this morning
a. number of letters bearing on the agri
cultural situation. The writers are prac
tical farmers living In different parts of
tbe 6tate.
Making due allowanco for the conditions
which prevail throughout Umatilla Coun
ty, A. Kuppe. of Pleasant View, puts the
cost of producing a bushel of wheat
ot 314 cents. Farmers, he says, make
proflt out of wheat when It Is at 40 and
CO cents a bushel and If any one doubts
this let him attempt to buy a productive
Umatilla County wheat farm and the price
asked will astonish him. Mr. Kuppe takes
no stock In diversified farming. lYheat,
he says, finds sale in the market of the
world. Is not dependent upon local con
ditions, and Is therefore the staple prod
uct. The farmer who sells soon after
harvest is as well off as the one that
holds for a higher market. Mr. Ruppe
does not favor universal early selling as
that would result In generally "low
prices for the opening. "Wheat of the
1SS8 crop still held Is worth to the farmers
about 61 cents a bushel. v
J. R. King, of 'Weston, another Uma
tilla County farmer, puts the cost of pro
ducing an acre of wheat at 34 SO. Mr.
King disagrees with Mr. Ruppe on the
Issue of profit In wheat production at 40
cents a bushel. He thinks farmers should
get that price to protect them from Joss
and DO cents a bushel to Insure them profit.
Prices received for last year's crop barely
paid cost of production. Mr. King con
curs In Mr. Ruppe's opinion that diversi
fied farming Is not profitable on the bench
grass" lands of Eartern Oregon and that
wheat must be considered the staple crop
of Umatilla County.
J. K. Fisher, of Haines, estimates that
the cost of raising an acre of wheat
In Baker County Is $9 20. In Baker Coun
ty farmers, ocaordlng to Mr. Fisher,
should have SO cents a bushel for their
wheat In order to live comfortably. Last
year they made little out of their crops.
There Is a raj' of sunshine In Mr. Fisher's
assertion that diversified fanning Is the
rule In Baker County, and that the pros
perity of the farmers Is not affected by
the ups and downs of wheat. It is also
gratifying to note that the farmers of
Baker County have good markets for oil
they raise.
N. F Gregg, of Ballston, says that Polk
County farmers, to be safe, should get
to cents a bushel for their wheat at ware
house. He estimates cost at 45 1-16 cents
a bushel.
According to Cyrus H. Walker, of Al
bany, the price which Willamette Valley
farmers1 should receive for wheat to In
sure profit ranges all the way from 49
to E2 cents a bushel. He estimates cost,
on the basis of 18 bushels per acre," at 43
cents a bushel. This docs not take Into
account wear and tear of machinery or
storage when the crop is held. Wheat Is
profitable when fed to hogs. One bushel
of wheat Is estimated to Tnake 13 pounds
of pork, which, at 5 cents a pound, makes
the wheat worth (3 cents a bushel. Dairy
ing also offers relief from excessive wheat
production. Linn County farmers are
beginning to think that there Is more
money In butter-fat at 27 cents a pound
than In wheat at 40 cents a bushel.
UMATILLA COUNTT.
Wheat Is Profitable nt 40 and CO
Cents a Bnsbel.
PLEASANT VIEW. Or.. March 29.
Umatilla County Is In the northeastern
part of the state, and is about TO miles
wide at its greatest length and breadth.
and something like 23 or 40 at the nar
rowest point. Its soil ranges from the
almost worthleea sand and sagebrush
lands of Columbia and Umatilla River
lowlands, gradually Increasing In fertility
till the great wheat-growing belt of the
county Is reached, which extends n dis
tance of about tZ miles from a northeast
to a southwest direction, and -Is, -perhaps,
30 miles wide, beginning at the base of
and keeping line with the Blue Mountains.
While there are other Interests here,
wheat Is the one great farm product, and.
In ordinary years, the yield Is from 40
to DO bushels within a few miles of the
Blue Mountains decreasing at the rate
of about a bushel to the acre for each
mile ns the foothills are reached till the
cond-drlye and sagebrush lands aro
reached, where no paying crop has been
raised more than three br four seasons
In 16 years. Hon ever, up to a year or
two ago that part of the county was prac
tically abandoned, at least so far as
wheat-raising Is conccrrcd.
The foregoing description will readily
explain the difficulty the would-be statis
tician labors under who undertakes the
task of furnishing for publ'eation a table
of the expenses of growing and harvesting
a crop of wheat In this countr. To fa
cilitate this task I will draw two Imagin
ary lines, one beginning ot a point c!x
miles west of Pendleton and the other as
many miles cast of Pendleton, running In
n northeasterly direction, parallel to each
other and terminating 30 miles from the
starting point. In a normal year the yield
per acre of the territory within the lines
described would be approximately 30 bush
els. The yield to the right, or next the
mountains, would average 10 bushels more,
or 40 bushels, while that portion to the
left, or that farthest from the mountains,
would be 10 or 12 bushels less, or about 18
to 20 bushels per acre. I have been farm
ing In the section within the lines above
mentioned for 16 years, and the estlmatc3
given are from my own personal observa
tion, as well as from the observations of
others. While the cost of heading and
threshing varied In other parts of the
county, that here given was uniform
throughout the section mapped out.
Plowing 31 Threhlng ji so
iuiiivaiin ..... j sacKs nna twine 103
Seed
40
Hauling, an av
Seeding ,
Heading .....
, 25
125
erage of about an
Insurance 30
Total 7 01
Total expense. Including poVonlng. vlt
riollng, etc.. approximately 23H cents per
bushel. The Item ot Insurance. 30 cents.
Is for one year, for three months about 8
cents. Properly, after three months. In
surance should not figure as an Item ot
expense, but rather enter Into a consider
ation of speculation. There are no ware
house charses the first year, other than
the regular handling charges of 1H cents,
which are always made, whether the grain
has lain In the warehouse less than a
year or Is brought direct from the field.
Handling charges cannot more properly
bo considered an Item of expense than
railroad freight charges, as, when wheat
Is auoted at 40 cents. It Is always under
stood to be free of warehouse or loading
charges. If grain Is left In the wareho
more than one year there It a charge of
itt cents maae xor storage, as the old
wheat occupies space that could be given
a new crop. If Interest on the land at the
owner's valuation Is taken into, account,
also taxes for two years, the sum total
of expense would Just about equal the
Income The rent for "land, where not
paid In cosh. Is one-third and expenses
of harvest, and Is considered to be about
equal to Interest and taxes. This looks
like a hard proposition for the renter, but
there are plenty of mea here who own
well-Improved farms now that started In
as renters a- few years ago 'with two
horses and a. wagon as their sols posses
sions. The harvesting expenses as given
were actually paid by about fire-slxthi of
the farmers last year, the other one-sixth
owning and operating their own outfits,
to whom the expenses were paid. . The
farmer who runs his own outfit can re
duce his harvesting expenses one-fourth
to one-halt, according to the ability with
which he manages his crew and runs his
machinery, and if he threshes for his
neighbors, as Is usually tbe case, be not
only generally clean the expenses ot his
own crop, but makes some money be
sides. The preparatory work can all be
hired done at the prices given, and the
farmer can sit down and take his ease.
But tbe fact 'of the matter is he does
nothing of the kind. As a general thing
he does his own work. Of course, after
he gets along pretty well financially, and
sometimes before. If he has no boys, or if
his boys axe In school, he hires a man.
While there are a few farmers In this
county whose yearly acreage runs up In
the thousands, the overwhelming major
ity form from two to six quarter sections,
a large proportion being one-half section
farms. Tbe man with 320 or 48) acres
usually has six work horses with which
he does hit own work. With this num
ber he can plow with a two-plow 14-lnch
gang from five to seven acres a day.
This, at 31 a day, would average htm
about L With a 20 or 27 foot harrow he
can get over 40 to SO acres dally. This,
at 12V4 cents, would earn him 35 to 36 a
day. Two harrowlngs would be 25 cents
an acre. With a six-horse cultivator, 20
acres Is considered a day's work; at 23
cents. 35 a day. Ordinarily, weeds are
kept down by being onco harrowed and
once cultivated. With a four-hone. six
Inch drill. 20 acres, and with a four-hOTee
eight-Inch drill, 25 acres. Is considered a
da's work; with the one 35 and the other
36 25 a day. The Item of 40 cents for seed
may look small, but It Is big enough for
this county. Formerly tbe broadcast seed
er was used by a majority, but lately It
has been superseded by the drill. Proba
bly 80 per cent of the grain planting Is
now being done by tho latter machine
Owing to Improvements, the depth of
seeding can be regulated from tbe seat
while the team is In motion. It Is seldom
that more than a bushel of eeedils used
with the drill, and not often more than
45 pounds, and some of tbe best crops
have been raised from land upon which
only one-half bushel of seed was sown.
Owing to the uniformity ot depth at
which the drill deposits the grain an
equally good, if not a better stand, can
be had with It with a third less seed
than can be had with the broadcast
seeder.
While tbe kind-hearted statistician is
sorrowfully figuring the grower out of
his profits on 40 or SO-cent wheat and
mournfully sending him to the poorhou.se
on paper said wheat grower is cheer
fully making some money. If the man
who has any doubt of this statement will
come to Umatilla County and try to buy
some of tbe 30-bushel farms, he will be
convinced after he has been asked 34500 to
36000 for a quarter section, according to
locality end improvements and nearness
to warehouse stations. He would find
scores of handsome farm residences,
commodious barns and other buildings.
He would find organs and pianos galore
and buggies and carriages by the hun
dreds owned by these "hayseeds." great
numbers of whom would be entirely tree
from debt, and many with money In the
bank, besides holding one or two crops
of wheat.
But I imagine I see some farmer who
has got to the end of the last para
graph Jump to his feet, throw the paper
down In disgust and say: "What a fool
the man Is- anyhow. Even If he could
prove that wheat can be raised at 40 or
CO cents he ought to know better than to
have It published. Just such admissions
as that by practical farmers Is what
keeps wheat down. Wasn't It given out
In 1898 that buyers would pay no more
than 50 cents for Eastern Oregon wheat
because If rowers admitted they could
raise It for that amount?" Let us see
about that. In 1892. when the price had
dropped to about 50 cents there was a
great deal of complaint. It was argued
that the grower should have 31 to make
any money, 75 cents to make a living and
that he merely would starve at CO cents.
If showing up the unprofitableness ot
raising wheat at these figures could have
done any good wheat ought to have ad
vanced In 1893. But 1S33 found the price
23 or 24 cents and hundreds of thousands
bushels of the best wheat ever raised
here were sold In 1SS4 at 2JH cents. Ow
ing to an Influx of laborers thrown out of
employment elsewhere and the conse
quent lowering of wages harvesting ex
penses In 1S9G. 1896 andl97 were reduced
15 to 20 per cent, while wheat advanced
to 40. GO and 85 cents in those years. In
1898 and 1899 expenses got back to the
former level, while wheat has come down
to 40 cents or less. From this It will be
seen that whether expenses are much
or little to the farmer cuts no figure
with the shipper, the price, with modifi
cations, of course, being governed by
the law .of supply and demand.
And now as to diversified farming.
There ore diversified Interests, but no
diversified farming In the common ac
ceptation of the term. The man who has.
cattle, outside of raising hay for his
stock, engages In nothing else as a gen
eral thing. It Is the same with the sheep
man and the borscralser. The horticul
turist confines himself to his fruit, the
truck gardener to his vegetables. The
last two Interests can only be carried
on successfully on creek and river bot
toms, where Irrigation or sublrrigatlon
can be had. In the lower mountain levels
quantities of potatoes and timothy are
produced. But the gralngrower confines
himself to wheat and barley. The nature
of soil, question of moisture and other
considerations prove an effectual bar to
diversified farming ever becoming a pay
ing proposition here. If our cities and
towns had populations of 10,000 to 20.0M
each It might be different. But this Is
not likely to be soon. Practically all
farmers keep a few cows and several
dozen hens with the surplus product of
which a part and frequently all of the
grocery bills ore paid.
Aside from a few hogs to supply the
family pork this Is -all. And If there
was diversified farming where would the
profits come In? Where would be the
market for the products. In 1833 when
wheat was so low and hogs were a good
price numbers of men Imported brood
sows for the purpose of 'breeding and 'the
great amount of hogs raised for two
years caused the price of 6 cents In 1S91
to drop to 2& cents In 1895. As wheat
went up to 40 and 60 cents In tbe next
two years and It has been practically
proved at different experiment stations as
well as by private Individuals that It re
quires one bushel ot wheat to .make
10 pounds, of pork It will readily be seen
that Instead of a profit there was a dead
loss. If a bushel of wheat makes 10
pounds of pork that, will be 25 cents a
bushel for the wheat, of course, and all
the talk of wheat fed to 4tt-cent pork
netting 31 or CO cents Is the veriest rot.
If every farmer In the country should
grow 40 acres of corn to each quarter
section for ope year the supply, would be
so overstocked that no market could be
had for It. and five acres ot potatoes to
each farm would havo tho same effect.
And besides a crop of corn on rummer
fallow, even though It should yield 10 to
1 15 bushels, and this Is a pretty high Otr-
effect
succeeding whesBsJPWPBnafely.
This Is no theory, flU It has been practi
cally demonstrated time and again to the
pecuniary loss and disgust of the ex
perimenter. What has been said ot corn
can be said of oats. There hv a small
section in tbe foothills near Athena and
Weston where corn can be grown suc
cessfully, but whether, profitably or not I
do not know. There Is considerable al
falfa grown on river and creek bottoms
where irrigation and sub-Irrigation can
be had.
The farmer who has been here for 1
to 25 years cropping wheat land ought to
know as well as any one else whether
there la anything in diversified farming.
And he does. He knows there is not. Tht
soil, which Is composed of disintegrated
lava deposit. Is peculiarly adopted to
wheat culture. Wheat Is comparatively
a nonperlshable product, and tbe only ex
portable one; hence does not have to de
pend on local market nor quantity pro
duced, as to price. In localities where
the soil Is ot such nature that straw
makes a greater growth proportionately
than its yield of grain. It Is frequently put
Into hay and sold to local buyers gener
ally, though there Is demand for a good,
clean article "for shipment to the Philip
pines. But after all this la a wheat
product.
Taken all In all. the man who U In the
habit of selling his wheat soon after har
vest Is as well off as be who Is In the
habit of holding for a higher market. But
there are those who have the shrewdness,
foresight, or luck. If you please, to sell
at the right time, whether prices are like
ly to rise or fall. High and low prices
usually follow each other In periods of
two or three years. In 1S94. 1895, 1896 and
1897. wfcen the market advanced from 23
to 2S cents, 35 to 40 cents. 45 to GO cents,
60 to 85 cents, from three to six months
after harvest, these "lucky" fellows held
their wheat, but after the price dropped
from 85 to 60 cents. In 1898, and from
43 to 40 cents In 1899, these men let their
grain go as soon as harvested. This
would seem to indicate that after a pe
riod of low prices is the time to hold,
and after a period of high prices Is the
time to sell with the first market. We will
all get the "hang" of these things after a
while. But It would never do for the
custom of selling at the first market to
become universal, as tbe first market
would then always be low.
How did the growers come out In a sea
son like that of 1899? They came out in
various shapes. Those who had fair qual
ity and sold Immediately nfter harvest
came out all right: those who had a poor
quality and sold early came out fairly
well; those who had a fair quality and
sold quite recently didn't come out quite
so well; while those who are still holding
a poor quality have thus far come out
'at the little end of the horn." But those
who arc holding their 1898 crop are no
better en, as these figures will show:
Price per bushel. Oct. 1 1S9S DO c
Interest at 10 per cent on same, 1H
years . 7Hc
Storage since Oct. 1, 1899 lHc
Insurance. 1V4 years lHc
Total C0Hc
Add to this a little compound Interest
and two years taxes, as all grain In
growers' hands March 1 was taxed, and
there will be close to 61 cents for the
whole, which leaves It about like this:
Ona bushel wheat 50c
Interest, etc. Ho
Decrease In price 10c
Remainder 29c
Of course, to those who are out of debt
and pay no Interest the loss would not be
as much within about 7& cents.
A. RUPPE.
COST OF GROWING WHEAT.
Fertilisation Will Net Crops ot 30
Bushels to the Acre.
PORTLAND, March 29. During the
past few months quite a number of state
ments as to the cost of growing wheat
In Oregon have appeared in Tbe Oregon
Ian. Knowing that the Ladd & Reed
farm, situated at Reedvllle, 12 miles west
of this city, was farmed entirely with,
hired help. In August, 1889, I wrote to,
W. H. McEldowney, superintendent, ask
ing If he could give me the exact cost
of growing wheat, and received the fol
lowing reply:
"Reedvllle, Or.. Aug. 9. 1899. W. W.
Baker, Esq.: In compliance with your
request. I take pleasure In sending you
the following statement of the cost ot
growing 1E2 acres ot wheat (66 acres of
summer fallow and S6 of stubble) and
getting it ready for shipment:
Plowing 3 20171
Harrowing 40 00
Drilling 25 95
Board of hands 100 0"
Oats fed 50 CO
Hay fed t 40 00
Seed wheat ..... 109 20
Sharpening plows 12 50
Cutting and shocking 175 03
Threshing ...... .. 145 00
Help In threshing 0 0)
oCKS Dn vl
Hauling to warehouse.. a 20 00
Storage 97 00
Total expense J1.3uS 93
"Amount of first-class wheat, 4S30
bushels. By calculating. It will be found
that the net .cost falls a little below 27
cents a bushel.
"Not Within a few days I have In
quired of farmers as to the difference In
the price of labor then and now, and my
conclusions are that tbe cost would be
fully 15 per cent less now than In 1ES9.
"W. H. M-ELDOWNET."
The object of publishing statements at
to the cost Is, of course, to demonstrate
whether It will pay to grow wheat.
Those who have been writing on this
subject do not seem to understand that
much depends upon the quality as 'well
as the tillage of the soli. Good to fair
soil will yield at least 30 bushels of
wheat to the acre In Oregon, and. If the
land In Its natural condition will not do
this, the land should be Improved by arti
ficial methods. Then, again, the writers
all reckon as though every wheatgrower
paid out In money what Is charged
against the growing. The fact Is the
owners ot the land do most of the work
and do not pay out but very little.
W. W. BAKER,
FIFTY CEXTS A BUSHEL.
Weston Farmer's Estimate of a Prof,
(table Price.
WESTON, March 29. Tho cost of rais
ing an acre of wheat In Umatilla County
as near as I can estimate. It Is:
Plowing 31 CO
Harrowing and cultivating 30
scsuins jo
Seed 50
Threshing (20 bushels per acre) 1 0)
Sacks 50
Warehouse charges. Insurance, etc... &
Heading , .... 1 CO
Total 34 so
Farmers In this county should receive
44 cents a bushel for wheat In order to
bo sate, that Is, so that they will not sink
money. We should get 50 cents In order
to make proflt Revenue received from
the 1899 crop barely paid expenses.
As a rule, the best time to sell wheat
is In the fall, when the market Is active.
Sometimes the farmer Is benefited by
holding for higher prices, but as a general
rule he loses by holding. The storage
charge on wheat for four months Is 50
cents a ton.
Diversified farming is not profitable on
the bunch-grass land ot Eastern Oregon.
Near tho foothills corn can be grown on
summer fallow at a small profit but I
consider wheat the staple crop of this
county. J. R. KING.
POLK COT?(TY.
Fifty Cents a Bushel Should Be Paid
for 'Wheat at Warehouse.
BALLSTON. March 29. Diversified
farming In this section of Polk County Is
not; practiced very extensively, further
than sowing the ground to clover, which
Is raining In favor in the last
few years. Farmers have generally
fitted themselves with machinery, etc,
peclally for raising and. taking care of
wheat. To chance from wheat-raising to
mixed farming means an experiment
whleh we have tried In a small way In
raising field corn, DODCorn. Kaffir corn.
feroomcorn, etc These products do not
mature sufficiently to keep In this cli
mate; therefore, they are not a success.
Wheatralslng at present prices is 'not
proaiaoie. to be sate, laxmers oouum
receive 50 cents or more for wheat deliv
ered at 'the warehouse. I submit an es
timate of producing a bushel of wheat,
based on an average yield of 18 bushels
per acre, which Is perhaps a little above
tho average:
Plowing! per acre....................! CO
Harrowing . ,,. ,.... ...... ...... -0
8eed 75
Seeding 35
Harrowing 20
Rolling ZO
Twine 12
Cutting, shocking; : 1 25
Threshing .... .......,............ 1 Co
Delivery at station 36
Sacks, 6 cents each..................... 54
Total .35 83
On the basis of IS bushels to the acre,
one bushel costs 33 17-18 cents. In addition
Is the Interest on land, 8 per cent on a
valuation of 330 per acre, or 31 40. This
Increases the total cost of an acre of
wheat to 3S 33 or 46 1-6 cents a bushel.
Farmers are not benefited as a general
rule by holding grain after it Is delivered
to warehouse and ready for market.
N. F. GREOa.
WASCO OOCJSTT.
Practical Suggestions by Man Who
Understands Farming.
DTJFUR, Or.. March 29. I give some In
teresting figures in regard to summer
fallowing In contrast with results where
that method Is not. followed out.
To start with. I take two farmers,
whom I designate as A and B. They
each have a farm, equal in every way
In extent and productiveness, say ot 300
acres of land, and both are going to
farm for 20 years. A says: "I am going
to summer fallow 100 acres and plow it
three times for a crop." B say's: "I am
going to put all of my 800 acres In every
year." A plows 100 acres three times and
B plows 300 acres once, so that their
plowing expense 13 Just even. The land
Is now ready to plant, A says to his hired
man: "I will pay you 31 per day; you
drill In 10 acres per day and p'ant one
bushel per acre." B pays his man the
same and says: "Tou drill In ten acres
per day and plant one bushel to the acre,
samo as A." Now you see It took A's
man 10 days to put the crop In and 100
bushels ot grain; B's man 20 days and 300
bushels ot grain. So you see B Is out 320
more than A for work putting In the
crop, and 200 bushels more of grain than
A at 50 cents a bushel, or 3100 more than
A. Now you must remember the two men
start Just even, so B Is out 3120 more
than A for putting In the crop, for which
B will not get any return for six months,
so B must pay 10 per cent interest on
3120 for six months, which Is 36. Now
the crop Is ready to cut, A says: "I pay
31 per acre to have It put In the stack,"
and B has to pay the same; then A pays
3100 for heading and B pays 3300. Now
the crop Is ready to thresh. A threshes
30 bushels per acre off his 100 acres of
summer fallow land, while B threshes
10 bushels per acre off his 300 acres not
summer fallowed. Now you see. A and
B both threshed the same, 3000 bushels
each. But mark the difference In final
results. A's wheat Is worth from 4 to i
cents more than B's. and B Is out more
than A:
For putting in crop 3 23
For seed 1C4
For Interest 4
For cutting crop 203
For board of heading crew while cut
ting 200 acres more than A. and
boarding one man 20 days while put
ting in crop 50
Total for one year 3371
This sum. 3376, multiplied by 20. the
number of years A and B are to farm,
gives the sum cf 37320.
That Is not all. It A and B furnished
their own headers, and If A1 wore out one
header In 20 years, B w6uld wear out
three; and If B comes out even every
year, A must be 3376 ahead, and has that
amount to loan every year. The Interest
and compound Interest for 20 years on
the annual savings of A, If figured out,
would be startling, but wo will say noth
ing about Interest. The 3376 per year, A's
net gain. In 20 years, would be 37520 over
B. These facts have been fairly demon
strated by all of the best farmers In
Eastern Oregon.
When I dictated the foregoing, over
three years ago, summer fallowing In
Wasco County was yet something of an
experiment, but the results are even bet
ter than I then claimed. Close observa
tion during the past three years would
place the average at about eight bush
els per acre on spring plowing, against
about 23 bushels on summer fallow. The
cost of p'owlng would have changed also,
for Instead of A plowing 100 acres three
times, equaling B's 300 acres, he would
plow It but once and use weeding Imple
ments to keep down the weeds and culti
vate at a much less cost than the two
extra plowlngs.
Three years ago many thought my fig
ures exaggerated, but now I can refer
to a dozen or more fanners In Wasco
County who have followed my advice
and will testify as to 'the results, as 1
then claimed. L. J. KLINGER.
DIVERSIFIED KA1UIIXG.
Baker County Farmers Understand
It and Slake It Pay.
HAINES, .March 29. I estimate tho cost
of raisins an acre of wheat In Baker
County as follow:
IQvn aI
iirr it iii(j A)
Seed .-. i 75
Dril Ing 20
Urlsra In 20
Thrceh'.ng 2 49
Tnlne 45
Sacks 1 00
Cutting 8"
Interest on land 1 to
Taxes 35
Total J9 20
In this section most cf tho grain Is cut
with binders. Grain which Is headed does
not cost so much.
Farmers, to live comfortably, should
havo 50 cents a bushel for their wheat
Last year growers mado but Uttlo money
out of their crops.
The farmer loses nine times out of 10
by holding his wheat for higher prices.
Diversified farming is the rule in this
county. No farmer depends upon wheat
alone. All farmers have hogs to sell In
the fall, some mako butter, others raise,
cattle and sheep, and all raise poultry.
Our farmers grow wheat, barley and
oats. If wheat Is high they sell It and
feed barley to the hogs. If. as Is now
tho case, wheat Is low, they feed it to the
hogs. We have a good market at good
prices for all ot our produce and our farm
ers are well-to-do. J. K. FISHER.
Grower Lost Last Tear.
GRASS VALLEY. Or.. March 29. The
stand of wheat now Is good, and the so'l
Is In good condition, wttb plenty of moist
ure for present needs.
Diversified farming would pay better
than exclusive, wheatgrowlng. We find
by experlenco that oats and barley, also
corn and potatoes, some reasons are good
crops to fill when wheat falls to pay.
Generally speaking, wheat has taken the
preference with most of Sehrman County
farmers so far.
Growers (with some exceptions) fell be
hind In 1899. On tho whole the early mar
ket all things considered. Is preferable.
Wheat should bring 60 cents or more.
Plowing, per acre 31 23
Harrowing 50
Seeding and seed 75
Harvesting 1 10
Threshing 83
Sacks and twine 50
Hauling to station CO
Storage , 20
Interest 1 CO
noi&i .(' u
Averago yield. 12 bushels 7 10
C. A. HEATH.
HE KNEW WASHINGTON
HOW
COL. TETBHCHK DESCBIsTES
HIM TO BBT. KS. 7MK.
Interes-tlnr Recollections of st Bore.
lutlonary Patriot Who Wats Oaa
of the General's Body Guard.
Ono of tho most Interesting conversa
tionists of Greencaatle, lad., says the In
dianapolis News, Is the Rev. Ezra W.
Flsk. D. D. Although only 75 years old.
he has probably seen and talked to mors
men of prominence In American history
than the majority of men 10 or 15 years
older. He la a native of New Jersey.
graduate of Princeton University and
Presbyterian seminaries. Is a minister of
high standing and well known in this state
and Ohio by the older people.
His mind seems to have been almost
abnormally developed in the matter of re
membering conversations, dates, faces and
names. This, combined with his very
numerous opportunities of talking to and
associating with interesting persons,
makes It possible for htm to relate Inci
dents connected with the early history of
the country which are ot historic value,
but which have not many of them, at
any time appeared In print
During the period he spent In Prince
ton he was accustomed to tako short va
cations, whenever possible, to tallc to
those men within reach who had inter
esting things to tell. Some of these men
bad .been associated with General Wash
ington, and Dr. Flsk, in speaking to the
writer recently about them, sold: "The
conversations I had with, them have re
mained indelibly stamped on my memory
as treasures too valuable to waste. One
of these men whom I remember with
particular distinctness was Colonel Ter
hune. I was told that he lived In the
neighborhood of the university, and In
the Summer of 1849 I found his home. In
Cherry Valley, nine miles from the uni
versity, over a rough mountain path.
Although the Colonel was 90 years' old.
he was very Imposing In appearance.
Straight and lean, his six feet two Inches
of 'heieht were seemingly more. His hair
was white. His wide forehead. Jutted out
over keen, dark-blue eyes., and ho had a
great curved beak of a nose, with a small
but determined-looking mouth. Some
times, while talking, he would leap to his
feet and stride back and' forth under the
low celling of his room. He would seem
mentally to live over again the stirring
days he saw while serving under Wash
ington. In Washington's Bodyguard.
When I asked him If he knew Wash
ington well, he replied:
"Did I know Washington? Why. I
should 'say I did. I was with him almost
constantly for six years. In what was
then known as his bodyguard."
"How did you happen to enter the serv
icer That Is not a long story." he answered.
"I was the only child of my parents, and
at the beginning of the Revolutionary War
I was living on a farm In New Jersey,
having been Just recently married. Corn
wall's obtained control of the state, cut
ting It In two diagonally by a chain of
posts. Washington went mto Pennsylva
nia and I followed him. as did most of the
patriots. I Joined the army, and almost
my first duty was to help ferry him and
the armv across the Delaware River, back
.into New Jersey, on the memorable night
of December 24. I146.
"Was I near him at that time? I was
the nearest of all who were In the boat
that carried him across the river that
night, for I handled the first oar on the
left-hand slds, between General Washing
ton and Lieutenant Brewster. Lieutenant
Brewster sat In the bow of the boat, using
an ice pole to shove away the big pieces of
Ice that hindered our progress. General
Washington. Instead of sitting on the seat
provided for him. stood with one foot on it
and the other In the bottom of the boat
In his hand was a field glass, with which
he constantly observed the shore we were
approaching, where his men were being
landed as rapidly as possible. A heavy
claymore (saber) hung at his side in Its
scabbard. It was from me that the artist
who painted "Washington Crossing the
Delaware." obtained the details which go
to make up that famous picture.
The Attack an the Hessians.
"Colonel Terhune described to me the
attack on the Hessians at Trenton that
Christmas morning, and the experiences
the army had before Comwallis reached
tho place to wrest It again from the
Americans. The Colonel and one other
man were sent by Washington up into the
country toward Princeton to raise recruits
for the army and secure as much In the
way of supplies as possible, not knowing
that Comwallis was rapidly approaching.
But they finally saw him and hurried back
to Trenton. British cavalry were in the ad
vance of the enemy's column, and they
entered the city at the same time Colonel
Terhune did, on a street which crossed
Main street in the upper part of town.
Across the lower end of Main street flowed
the Assanplnk Creek, spanned by a bridge.
Hero Washington, with the creek between
himself and the British, had massed his
forces. The north bank of the creek was
very low. but the south side, on which
the Americans stood, was at least 70 feet
high In places. To use Colonel Terhune'a
words:
"My comrades and I ran down Main
street toward the bridge, followed by the
British cavalry, who were hurrying so as
to reap a victory before the Infantry rein
forcements coming up behind could reach
the place to participate. As wo neared the
bridge, we saw the summit of the south
high bank crested with a line of black
cannon muzzles, converging on- the north
entrance to the bridge, a spot where the
British must concentrate their force In
order to pass over. Between and behind
the cannon were massed the foot soldiers,
with the muskets and rifles at a ready,
and every eye and ear ready for the com
mand to fire. The gunners motioned us
two aside and we dropped Into an alley.
Just as the British horsemen, gleaming
with scarlet and gold and silver, with
sabers and buckles shining, swept out of
the street and on toward that bridge.
With a slight pause for a better grip on
reins and sabers, they broke Into a charge.
Killed the Whole Troop.
"A command was heard among the
Americans, and every piece, cannon and
musketry, as one gun. sent a terrible
storm of fead and Iron Into those splendid
horsemen. Four volleys were fired, and
tho smoke was allowed to rise. Not a
man or horso of that troop moved, unless
It was in tho death struggles.
"But behind the cavalry was the column
of British Infantry, who could be heard
coming Into the town on the run. A num
ber of yards below tho bridge was a ridge
of rock, which projected along the bed
ot the stream until It furnished a shallow
crossing, where soldiers could wade across.
Below it a spur of rock rose above the
surface of the water, reaching entirely to
the north bank, and- forcing the water
through a narrow channel, where the cur
rent was, of course, rather swift Ice
had begun to gorge here a little. Antici
pating an attack from this favorable place.
Washington moved reserve men and can
non to tbe south bank, so as to command
the crossing Just as the bridge above was
commanded.
'Comwallis brought up a body, of In
fantry to attack us at the bridge, and an
other to attack at the ford below. The
previous scene at the bridge was repeated,
and every one of that column of the enemy
was killed. The lower column was allowed
to enter the water, when the Americans
fired again, mowing down all but a few,
who turned arid escaped Into the city.
The dead men and horses floated, down
to the narrow place In the stream and
Jammed there in such numbers that a
solid bridge ot flesh was formed, on which
a man might have crossed, dry-stood. Tbe
Americans had to bulM platforms on
which' to place their cannon.-In -order that
they might fire over the bodies of the slain
soldiers. In case another attack was made.
Yet that trifling llttte history there says
that but 13 British .were killed and 39
wounded, when I know that there were 600
of them who went down. That night we
kindled lines ot fires on our side of the
creek and hurried away to meet the Brit
ish reinforcements, who were supposed to
be leaving Princeton for Trenton. The
last thing we heard as we stole away was
the call of our sentinels. "Twelve o'clock,
all's well and Comwallis Is beaten." From
a prisoner we afterward learned that ono
of Comwallis' staff entered bis tent that
night and said:
" My Lord, it seems amazing quiet over
In tho quarters of Washington and his
army. I would suggest that you send
out scouts to learn the true conditions.'
"Whether the scouts were sent or not
we never heard, but we do know that
the British General was awakened next
morning by the nolso of firing near Prince
ton, where our forces met the British re
inforcements."
Washington's Personality.
One time in response to a question
from me as to General Washington's per
sonal appearance, he said:
"He was not particularly a good
looking man; there were better-looking
men around blm all the time. You would
first notice that his eyes were wide apart
almost out upon the corners of his head.
He had a big nose, big and thick, and
In chilly, damp weather it was always red.
Notwithstanding this, he had a counte
nance that was well liked.
"He did not have what is commonly
called a fine figure. Ho was narrow
shouldered and flat-chested. But in a pro
cession, on horseback, he was an Imposing
figure, mainly on account If his benign
features and his height He commonly
weighed 213 pounds. I can't say that he
was either graceful or awkward. In his
presence you would never attribute
either of these qualities to him.
His extremities were large. His
common footwear was a number thirteen
'In size, and his hands were of corre
sponding largeness. His fingers, each ot
them, were pretty nearly large enough
for a woman's rolllng-pln. The sixe of his
hands was partly concealed by wearing a
largo coat accompanied by a ruffled
wrist band.
"From his waist down he was the most
powerful man I ever saw. He had a
strength and vigor in his lower limbs
such as I never knew another human be
ing to possess. Hence, his ability to leap
so far. If a group of us came to a
stream too wide to be crossed easily by
the rest of us. while we were hunting
around for a rail or stone to assist us. he
would deliberately and carelessly cross It
at one step. It being no effort at all,
seemingly.
"I do not believe tho human race ever
possessed his superior as a horseman.
He often ridiculed the Idea that any
horse could unseat him. He would wrap
his powerful limbs around the animal and
squeeze him until he couldn't breathe,
and no horse ever unloosed his grip.
General Washington was the most In
terested listener that a man could have,
but he never talked himself. His counte
nance wore a beaming. Inviting Inquiry
that coaxed everyone to tell him all they
knew. I have known him to spend an
evening In company after the assemblage
had broken up. Every one would say,
"What a sociable man General Washing
ton Is,' when he had really said nothing
at all during the whole evening."
Fooled the British ColoneL
Colonel's Terhune's long association
with General Washington gave him an
unsurpassed opportuunlty to study his
character, and It was his expressed opin
ion that the principal element of Wash
ington's pre-eminent ability was the ap
plication of his practical, accurate and
unfailing common sense to every question
that could be brought before It Ho
said to me one time: "General Washing
ton's mind was always fairly quick in
reaching conclusions; sometimes he was
wonderfully alert He would never do
cor could he be Induced to do, what be
thought was not the best under the cir
cumstances. It was seldom that he made
a mistake In reading character. I re
member that during the hard winter we
had at MorrlBtown. the army was alarm
ingly reduced by the expiration of tne
term of service of the men and by small
pox. One bright day a number of us were
j with General Washington on the parade.
ground, when we saw a roan crossing the
open space some distance away. The
commander-in-chief looked at him a mo
ment or two, then turning back to us,
said: 'Do you see that gentlemen yon
der? Well, he is a British colonel.'
" That Is what he Is, depend upon It
said Washington.
"Wo proposed Immediately that he be
arrested as a spy. but the General said
we could make him more useful to us In
another way. Leaving the company, he
returned to his tent and presently sent
for the Inspector-General. To the latter
Washington said: That British officer
will present himself as a gentleman tram
the country who has been prevented
from visiting camp by Blckness in his
family and by embarrassing business cir
cumstances, and he regrets that he could
not come here before this. You will
probably find htm too patriotic for com
fort and deeply interested In freeing this
country from the British. Take him at
his word. As soon as the troops can be
assembled, for we have enough for one
good regiment we will havo them marcn
In review for his benefit I will send
you an order to Inspect such and sucb a
regiment of the line. Invite him to gi
with you. It is his object in coming hero
to find out the number of men we have,
so that General Clinton may know
whether or not to attack us here in
camp.
A Remarkable Inspection.
"The 'country gentleman' repeated his
story almost verbatim with what General
Washington had said he would say. 'Ihen
the Inspector-General received his order
to Inspect a certain regiment The 'coun
try gentleman" was only too glad to ac
company him. The inspection passed off
very successfully. Then soon afterwn "1
come another order to Inspect a certain
other regiment The wondering Inspector
General went to the parade ground that
had been chosen for the Inspection of this
regiment followed all the time by the
visitor, and again went through the whole
affair. Just as he had before except that
all the colors and officers had been
changed, and to the casual viewer It was
an entirely different body of men. This
occurred Just nine times during that day,
and when the visitor left that evening he
was cordially Invited to remain over night
and be with the Inspector-General the
next forenoon, while he completed the In
spection ot the army. Before going, how
ever, he expressed himself pleased at the
ever, he expressed himself as very much
surprised and highly pleased at the disci
pline, equipment and good health of the
Arnerlanc soldiers.
"The truth was that Washington could
not possibly havo assembled two com
plete regiments In Camp Morrlstown. A
long time afterward we heard that It was
a fact that General Clinton had sent an
officer from his army to visit our camp as
a spy, who had returned to him with a
story of a fine army hidden back In the
corners of Morrtstown. Just waiting to
get Clinton out of his fortifications in or
der to whip him. The spy even reported
that tbe Americans were seriously consid
ering the feasibility of attacking Clinton
in his forts. And we knew that Clinton
did not leave New York during that whole
winter, and spent his time strengthening
his fortifications.' An attack from him
at the tlmo his officer visited us would
have almost ended the Revolution."
Dr. Flsk succeeded in finding the Lieu
tenant Brewster who was mentioned by
Colonel Terhune. but found him too feeble
minded to talk Intelligently about his as
sociations during the Revolutionary period.
There was also a Captain Thompson, who
was with General Washington at the bat
tle of Monmouth, when General Lea
1 caused so much trouble by his seeming In
difference to the fate of the '
him. Captain Thompson wa
much that was Interesting
La Fayette, but most of It
been put before the public.
or another. But what he tola
has remained as fresh in thi
mind as It was the day he first 1
THE PALATIAL
KM Bill
ots darlc office In the bulldlngf
absolutely fireproof- electric lights
and artesian, water-, perfect sanita
tion and thorough ventilation. Ele.
vators m day and night. ,
Rooms.
AITDERSOW. OTJSTAV. Attorner-at-Tji'r...6:j
ASSOCIATED PRESS: E. L. Powell, Mgr..80
BANKERS' LIFE ASSOCIATION', of Dm
Moines. Is.: C A. McCargar. State Ast.OS-3
BEHNKE. H. W.. Prln. Frnu Ehorthaad
BCAOOl - - aaUl '
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BINSWAN-GER. DR. O. 8., Phys. & Sur.410-itl
BRUERE. DR. O. E.. Physician U2-U3-IH
BUSTEED. RICHARD. A sent Wilson & 21c-
C&llar Tobacco Co. .... 6O2-G0S
CAUKIN". O. E.. District Ascot Travelers'
Insurance Co. . .-. ....... ...718
CARDWELL. DR. J. R.. ........... .60
CLARK. HAROLD. Dentist ......... ....-3H
CLEM. E. A. A CO.. Mining Propertlee. 015-018
COLUMBIA TELEPHONE COMPANY
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DAY. J. O. A L N. - 318
DAVIS. NAPOLEON, yrwiflent Columbia
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MAXWELL. DR. W. E Phys. . Surg. .701-2-3
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MILLER. DR. HERBERT C, Dentist and
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Mcelroy, dr. J. o.. Phys. & sur.701-703-703
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WILLAMETTE VALLEY TELE?
A few more elegant offhr .
had by applying to Portl
Company of Oregon, 100 i
to tho rent cleric In t