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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1872)
2 ? V t'orjlho WIIUmMle.Farmer. FAMILIAR TALKB.-Xo. 10. r I well recollect, when n boy, mjr. father purchased ami moveutoi ft farm that had been occupied about thlrtv yeans. In tho ouo hundred. and thrco acres, thoro wore probably, forty acres of, clay knolls, tho day, of which w,6ildr,bo a white color when dry; ftib balance sandy streak's and patches,' and ewalo or c?cok bot tom. Tho place had been badly -"run" until tho yiold of corn was not more than (Iftccn, bushels to'tho aero. In four ycara''tlmo that, same land yielded slxty-llvo bushels, corn and twenty-two bushels wheat to tho acre, and that too without a shovel ful of manure hauled upon It. The magic wand that wrought this chango was red clover. A- given area was sown each year, u crop of hay, then seed taken tho first year a crop of hay tho second year, and tho hftormath plowed under. And such u crop of ,roots us had grown, pcnotrutlng deep down whuro tho plow had reached, which eventually rotted, and formed available plant food for tho Incoming crop. The land became dryer, without under draining; mellow with light har rowing; in a word, wrought nconi ploto chango In tho texture and pro ductive capacity of the soil. If Oregon wheat-growers woidd how twenty acres of wheat Instead of thirty, and put the ten acres In clover, and so follow up In rotation, I tlrmly believe they would get more wheat from the twenty acres than they now got from the thirty acres. The soil would not bo Impoverished so rapidly as now, as clover gathers from the ntmot-phcru with a lavish hand. And such pasture and hay, that would make the cows fairly laugh and the pigs grunt with satis? faction. It Is amazing that there has not already lieen more clover sown. One peculiarity here is that we never .see an animal slobber from tho effects of clover. As wo must house all our hay In this climate, there Is not that objection formerly urged against clover that ' we can't Muck the hay out." I have neighbors that laugh at mc for giving the calves away Instead of raising them. This question must bo nettled by each according to his surrounding. Whilo wo can get fifty cents a pound for butter, and have no extra range ami feed for stock cattle, then It will not pay to raUu the calves, unless of good or extra stock. If summer feed isabun-' dunt and winter1 feed cheap and In convenient to market, thou tho caso Is different. If a koii cannot go luto stock-raising and carry on tho dairy then he must choose between the two. No long as my cows will make a pound of huttor a day, 1 can not afford to give ouo hulf of the milk to a calf that will gain In valuo loss than ten cents a' day. Tho pork made from tho offal milk' is worth about as much as the calf, and loaves you the whole mens to skim Instead of half of It. You say, what If ev erybody was to do this, then where would we get our cows V I answer that there Is no danger of this ; that if too great numbers made tho chango then Mock-raising would be come more profitable, and more' would engage in It. Like tho gov ernor to a steam engine, this, like all other questions of -supply and de mand, Is solf-rvgulatlng. Will tho present high price of wool bo sustained for any length of time', Is a question of vital Import ant to many farmer. Wool is higher now, gold value, than at any tlmo during iho last twenty-live yean, not excepting tho time of the war, of tho rebellion. During tho rebellion, the prc of wool, reduced to coin value, was but a coat a pound, In round numbers, higher than for an average of thlrty-flvo years prior to thai date, Tho Immense Import ations, iduty free, of wool on we skin, together with tho decreased demand conaequent upon the dls- liaudmcnt of our armies, caused a reaction, until in 18(9 four million sheep wore slaughtered In tho Uni ted States for tliclKpclts and tallow. Tho world's mnrkot Is now bare of wool, but we must 'recollect that slioop nultlply very "fast, and that if c6tton(lslow and wooUiIgh,' thcro will bo a 'partial diversion of the kind of 'goods used; Still, If ourta riir remains' as now, levying duty iiiwn wool-skins as well as upon tho fleece, tho prospects of tho wool 'grower will bo good. It Is best to bo cautious, however, and not rush Into n business of which wo not fully un derstand tho drawbacks, yet if one's location Is suited to tho business, it Is best to tnnko haste slowly about selling good stock sheep now baud. on 1 would not advocate tho policy of living on n puncheon floor, or even uiK)ii undressed lumber, or to havo baro floors in tho sitting room. Still, If u person cannot havo both, then by all means first havo n smooth, tight floor in his milk house. This should never be swept or scrubbed, but simply clenned with u wet cloth. If bcruhtad, water will "scap" through and cause a musty smell ; If swept, dust will rlso to sottlo on tho milk. Wo havo just rc-lald tho flour of tho milk room, and, despito nil tho former euro, there was a perceptible musty smell. To get rid of this, first spado tho ground over deep. I then laid tho foundation tlmlwrs for tho floor, and filled in tho space (near six Inches) with charcoal clone up to tho floor. This will not only absorb and arrest any kid smell from tho ground below, but also tako up any thing that may como from above. Thcro should be precious littlo from this source if one expects to get fifty cents per pound for his butter. Tho old (Quaker fashion of building fraino barns whilo living themselves In log cabins In providing first mora stately and apparently more com fortable quarters for their stock than they did for their famllleH-occaslon- ed many an unkind remark. These men would not hesitate -to incur a debt if necessary to purchase a farm, or stock erect n barn, or In fact any thing that promised a money valuo return. They abhorred Indebted ness, and would shun expeuso for show or appearance. And right hero Is a distinction often overlooked. Because neighbor A borrowed mo ney, or went In .debt (perhaps at tho store) and lost his farm, neighbor II argues that It la unsafo to incur any debt, although hit. farm la not pay ing half tho clear profit that It would if properly stockod;:a certain. drain laid, or a barn or stock shelter built. It is the abuse of .credit, not the use, that causes failure. The Quakers woro right, as tlmo soon proved to thorn that observed closely ;ibut few yean would elapso until n handsome dwelling, would tako the place of tho humble. cabin, but ntvtr upon a mort gaged funn. In many localities, iu tho alluvial river Mtoms tho well water is. not good, being Impregnated with iron and otier substances, that causes tho water to present an ouiquo appear ance and give a luul taste. We have had trouble in this way, especially when the water got low in tho well., I took a barrel and put In charcoal, iiouuding each layer of six inches with an ax, much after the old-fos loucd way of iiouuding cabbage for sour-krout. After the Uirrcl was llllcd with this, powdered charcoal, the water Is Murcd on, and allowed to trickle on into another barrel tilled with Mono, Tho wider comes out us clear as the purest spring wutcr, and is drawn off from tho Uirrcl as need ed for" use, nice and cool. IUe'uot know that this is the best way to construct a filter. It Is so cheap, however,- that no family should be without one a week, that is now using impure wator. - If you will, get a better filter after a while, but for tho present have, one .that wUl secure you against bad health row poor water, poor butter from, the same cause, and a wry face from nn sottled coafee. Try it. WILLAMETTE FARME LETTER FROM .IfMATIlLACOUKir . men up.ok Bctti Citiwc. 40 mllei from I . ft 1'dttofflce, Umatilla Co., April t7. f Kd. PARMEitilOnly think of the many tdlfflcultlcs ' in llviiig forty miles from" a postofllcc, and In ft lh Ick ly settlcd.country. Our mall arrange ments are a kind of "perhaps" busi ness. Wo nro now compelled to de pend upon "mightbes" for our mail to bo brought from tho Umatilla Post ofllcc and Just hero Is where tho per haps comes In, for porliaps wo got our mail, and perhaps wo do not ; If wo chance to got it, wo nro rorccu to note tho fact that if Is well near worn out, being perused by a largo num ber, of anxious readers along tho routo. I havo suggested to some of theso "anxious readers," to sub scribe for a paper, but I nm in formed, "I can't got my paper, I live so far from a postofllcc ; I can't got tlmo,to read," etc. . 0 , A petition was circulated hbout ono' yearslnco; and numerously signed, asking tho" Post Master General to organize a now mall routo direct from Pendleton, the county scat of Umatilla co., direct ton certain point on John Day's river, which would pass directly through tho most wealthy part or settlement of tho county. Tho county authorities' Im mediately opened a county road to comply with tho potltlon to tho boundary lino of Umatilla county, and at that point it connects with a county road In Wasco county, but up to this time, I nm not nwnro that any notlco has been taken of tho matter by tho proper ofllclal. I havo recently been informed by tho io.st master at Umatilla that ho culled tho attention of tho Postal Agent to thoso facts, and that u notice of tho matter was promised, nnd hero tho perhaps will again como iu, nnd ho will lot the mutter "drap," to our great incon venience. Tho great " hard winter' which so many wlso persons predicted last fall, has como and gone, and wo can now sing : "One mora Iho Monarch of Hit North, Tk Ilulcr of "the etonn, Bhrlnki.bftdc Upon th trgo of Earth, And hldee hla a now? form. " i AKala the tcudcr grata pute forth II IlinlJ, apear ofcrctn, And, bluehlttg' o'er, the fecund Karth I'nnumbf red llowtre are'aecn ;" The great loss of stock by so many, reported, has been greatly .over esti mated, and it now turns out that not ono tenth part of tho stock' havo died that was at ono time supposed, much of which having left their usual range, but with tho return of spring and luxuriant grass, tho missing stock, much to tho surprise of tholr owner, have again made their ap pearance. Stock of all kinds arc now doing extremely well, and grass now pmmlsoanmagnlflcentsupply.- Stock raisers are now, exerting every hervc to provldo a good supply,of feed for the coming winter. I liayo recently noticed an article In tho Fahmeh from Mr. David New som, iu which he assumes the char acter of tho " blunt man," and I am Incliucd to believe that ho Is not well posted on Eastern Oregon if Umatil la county .Is included In his term, ''cast of. the mountains." Mr. Now som seems tu regret that " tens of thousands of cattle are driven east of tho mountains to die." Now it is ev ident that white this "blunt man" knew somo things, he Is not well post ed on others. It Is true that "all flesh is as grass," but Mr.,N. seems to en tertain the Idea that large numbers of theso cattle must starve cast of tho mountains, But' I am happy to in form persons .that more cattle die at the hand of tho, butchers, than by the slow piece-meal death of starvation. The past winter was much more se vere than common and yet thou saudsofrattlepatttcbthc winter safe ly without any assistance aside from what nature provided ; and I am quito positive that the snow did nol at any Umo cover the ground to tho depth of one ibet, and that there was net over' four day but what my cafe tie went to the hUb.to feed, and, that there wi net over aU tlaye but what we were fcvored with what la called a "Chfaook wind," and on the 14th of January, 1872, grasshopper de their appearance. From that dato tm in tho.nrcsent we havo had some cold days nnd some snow, well Inter spersed wlthwarm.growmgwcainer, and frequent showers of rain, and horo within' ai few miles of almost nr.rni.tunl SHOW ill thOtBlUO MoUH' tains our gardens are well advanced, ' -t '" u..iu.rrii..i rlwrrtps and reaches ' aro now In bloonlf and ,W .tablo' Is j well supplied with tho'delieous pjo ninnf. Mr. Nowsom also (snys lln plant. Mr. Nowsqm also say his letter that " It Is'uselcss to talk-of tamo grass cast of tho mountain?." -J Now ,1 wish to ask Mr. Nowsom if ho has traveled In that country yhlch ho styles oast of the mountains, since It has been settled by tho whites? I am of the opinion that greater Inv nnivniiiDiits hnvo"becn.inade cast of 4 the mountains during tho six or eight years last passed, than In any part of tho Wlllamctto valley, during tho same porlod in tho early history of tlial valley. Timothy meadows can now be counted In Umatilla county which contain their ten, twenty and, even a hundred acres In the tamo flold, and so level nnd unobstructed that n rabbit can be seen from ono bide of tho field to the other,' and I would suggest to Mr. Newsom that during tho coming summer he can enjoy a season of information by tak ing a trip through tho county of Umatilla, and taking a good look nt our starving cattle nnd other matters of Interest to him. J. c. f. WATERING HGK8E8. A writer In tho Country Gentleman makes somo suggestions on this sub ject well worthy serious consldcrn tlon. Thcro is much culpablo ncjtli- gonce in supplying water1 to horses while at work, asldo from, being cru el nnd Inhuman, often .results In tho loss of or pcrmnnent Injury to the an imal Itself. Tho .correspondent re ferred to says, with much truth, that since tho Introduction of mowingand reaping machines, tho work In har vest Is comparatively light; however, every farmer who has cradled heavy wheat or mown Indeed grass, In company with durable and skillful workmen, must know something about, excessive thirst, and what a dreadful punishment it was In those clrcumstauccs to work half an hour, or evon fifteen minutes, without wa ter, through whoso cooling nnd re freshing influences nlono ho would be enabled to contlnuo his work, and also that at such work ho would re quire wuter every hour, whereas at mora1 inouernio worn, no couia, uo perhaps with two drinks 'lietwcen meals. The principles that apply to tho master nro equally applicable to his horse. Their thirst Is increased in proportion te tho severity of tho work nnd the temperature of tho weatlier. ITeiice the necessity nn'd duty of the owner seolnsr well to the frequent nnd imperative wants of the uoblo (though, dumb) animal,. whoso comfort nnd future usefulness depend' so much upon tho humanity of his present master. It was stated that a horse watered but thrco times a day would not sweat so much as those watered of tener, which was therefore used ns an argument in favor of that practice. Admitting the truth of the abovo as sertion, It does not follow that his comfort Is promoted, nor yet his pow er of endurance increased thereby. No good driver would think of, speed ing his horso without first sweating him thoroughly. Nor does a man' feel comfortable In tho harvest field until his garments become moist with perspiration, which carries oft inueuriua nuui, tnus controlling tlie temperature of tho body, and to a great extent neutralizing the offects of the sun. . Men working at furnaces drink freely and perspire profusely, without which tho skin would'rlctually burn oft them, and those who do not per aire cannot endure the heat, and are obliged to seek other employment If therefore, a hone eeaaea to sweet from absence of moisture In the aye tern, it is the most positive proofhe & fjorsc. needs water; that ho Is In a suffer ing nnd dangerous condition; nnd ev ery moment It Is kept froni him is only ndding.fucl totho flame, which would in a short time of continued exertion terminate his existence. As often said, a horso may look well nnd appear to , do well with such treatment : nevcrthess his life, like that of many mon, Is shortoned and rendered miserable, by irro'srulurities. Inthonbscncoof other proof, wo think tho following fucts.siiillcicnt to prove ourj position, namely, that in tho long days of summer, farm horses ehouldhavo water nt lcastflvo times n.day. " V , - j, Wlien a'horso'has worked two or three hours, and sees water, or hoars Its peculiar sound so grateful to tho imrsiy auiinai, uc win iook, anu oi ten call for It iu a way quito as intel ligible to the human, and thoso fa- miliar, ,wlth(hitt habits, ns Ifjio'woro to express his desire in plain English. nd again, glvo.hitn lIs l.ibortyafter having worked threohours, anduho will go directly o to" 'his troughoaiid supply tho demands of- nature", "Nb'$v when his thirst is so great in moder ate weather, with thrco hours, exer tion, what, must .bohls condition,.iu six or soven hours, , ono of .thoso sul try, oppressive uay wo frequently exporienco in tho latter part of tho summer? It is truo horses aro sometimes in jured by water, but it is when they havo been too long without it, nnd When their respiration is very rapid. Nor is it strango under such circum stances ho would drink too much, when man endowed with reason will do the same. It is no uncommon thing In harvest to hear men say1Idon'l reel well,, I worked too long without water, and when I got it, drank too much. Our nractlco when travellno1 ban been to rldo or, drlvo slowly a short tlmo be Tore watering, which would do as often ns wo thought tho horse was thirsty, and in tho evening wo would go very leisurely after water ing within a mllo or two of our des tination, thus bringing tho horso into his, night's quarters in good condi tion. The Fait.Honifs of 1871. Tho' Spirit 6thcTimts gives n list of nil the horses that have trotted In 2:30 or less In 1871. Wo havo room for only a fow of thorii : Amkkican Giru SIio won more than 20 heats, varying In speed from 2:20 to 2:34 but in I860 sho won ft heat In 2:19. . , , (, Lucy. This more has beconio famous In' her races with Goldsmith Mald,but only ono' race to her credit during the year, when she beat Geo: I'almerat.'Narragahsctt, Juno 16,in o.ofti 0.95' o;o.' - ' ' J. Ji Bbadlva'. At Prospect Park, Juno 0th, mndo one' dead neat 'with Nonesuch In 2:25, , ,. ., V ,Jok, At Boston, Oct. 3, 2:261, 2:20 2:203. r . i ; j "' "WesteiVh 'dint. At Omaha, Oct. 13th, this innro beat Joo Hooker in 2:281. Goldsmith Maid. The full rec ord of this wdndorrul mnre Is of tho greatest interest. Jn fourteen' races she lost but ft slnglo heatj which ws the first of-the. third, to American Girl. In 2:20. Tliiit sho should havo trotted ono heat ln,'2:17, has been n matter of no' little, controversy, and has afforded tho whole .world a sen sation; But '.when wo consider that sho has ten heats below 2:20, five be low 2:19, and two below 2:18, there Is no ground' for legitimate astonish ment that1 she' should have placed' on,oln 2:17.' As- Ilook at!the cam paign, my nttention is not riveted upon. that. slnglo heat of unprece dented speed, but upon tho wonder ful ability to substantially repeat! it over and over again to tho very last. It is possible -IJoxtcr might havo gono through such a campaign, and might have made ten heats below 2:20 s but there is no use discussing posslbllties so long as tho record gives him only two in harnessami and three uuderjhe .saddle, while the, Maid. haSjthlrteen ha harness, - UATEnrixiiABR. It.Is, generally cgnsldered'tha intense celddestroys Insects. Franco; In' eighty , years, has not had so severe a winter as tho ono that has Just passed, and yet never were caterpillars' nests ao ubiuulautv The law has been put In S force, cpmpellhig owners. oT tree to lheiMe.very. chrysalfa.andj btnif em all to a fixed spot to bo burned! iS CtANmoiBBABflv-f.One of.the beat liqnida to ckau old brass is a solution f oxalic acid.