238
THE WEST SHORE.
September, 1881.
THE MOST PRODUCTIVE REGION.
Looking aliout the world and taking
into consideration the production of
different countries for the year past, we
are surprised to discover that more or
Ie of failure of the wheat crop, which
i the great food Maple among the en
lightened nation, had occurred every
where. The last newt we have, that in
reliable, shows that even the expecta
tion! of a few weeks ago are disap
pointcd among the countries of Europe,
and that the yield in America full
even short ol what wai stated in early
harvest. We may expect that returns
will continue to diminish the world's
supply and that the stocks of bread
stuffs will be severely tested, by actual
demand, lcforc the harvest of 1883 can
come lo recruit them.
Hut it is not our purpose to discuss
the question of supply and demand.
That ia the province of others, while
we Introduce, by the recital of these
facta, a comparison between countries
and sections that will show, what mny
seem to be a startling assumption, that
the whole world over, no other region
has equalled the production of wheat in
the Columbian region. The claim
made that the Pacific Northwest has
extraordinary producing qualities, is not
a vain one, but is Urne out fully when
uth a year occurs, and crop through
out the world come short of the average.
California last year surprised the
world by raising 17 bushels of wheat
per acre and had a surplus of more
millions than could be shipped, but this
year her w heat growers will not realiie
over 8 bushels per acre. Throughout
the atalea of the Union east of the
Rocky Mountains, production seems to
have fallen ofT one hundred million
bushels below last year. $0 far as cor
red details are to be bad, they show
that former estimates of deficiency were
below the facts. Minnesota was the
one state that held up well and was
turning out her usual harvest, but Utcr
reports from there have made the yield
grow "small by degrees and beautifully
lc,n until the reputation of that great
state, and of the northwestern territory
beyond there, for premiums in wheat
production, is seriously compromised.
A near as can be ascertained, the
total wheat yield of the eastern and
middle portions of the United States
falls short of equalling the harvest of
iSSa It la fearful thing to diminish
the crops of a countrv so tremendously,
. . . . . . 1
and in tins case the seriousness 01 me
loss is increased by the terrible drouth
that has since harvest cut oil the corn
crop one fourth, besides doing great
damage to all other growing crops.
Hut California has lost more severely in
percentage than the states to the east
ward, as her most sanguine minds do
not estimate the yield of 1881 of over
one half that of the preceding year.
While this is so, we see the Columbia
river region entering the world's mar
kets with far increased supplies, and are
receiving statements of actual produc
tions from different directions trrat are
simply wonderful.
Here in western Oregon, we know
that there is a good average yield.
Only in case of poor cultivation is there
complaint of poor crops, though it is
asserted that fall sown wheat in some
instances has produced less than wa
expected, owing to some climatic cxi
gencics that affected the growing plant
at a critical point of growth in spring,
but did not affect later sown grain.
We know many farmers who averaged
twenty bushels to 25 bushels to the
acre, and that summer-fallowed went
30 to 50 bushels to the acre, while the
average of production will not fall
much if any short ol what has been
considered more prosperous yeajs. But
the newer fields of eastern Oregon and
Washington come to the front with
enormous yields that must astonish the
older world. Dr. Malock, of Walla
Walla, farms thousands of acres and
his crop on summer-fallowed land this
year was 1,000 acres, on which the
lowest estimate we have heard has been
43 bushels per acre, some portions going
considerably over 30 bushels. Ik-sides
this, the doctor had as much land .,
on stubble, which averaged a5 bushels
o me acre. Lately . responsible
farmer living near Wall. W.11.
fied, and his employees and others en
dorsed the statement, that K.
evenly bushels per acre off a field of
m.ny acres, a test that covered enough
ground lobe considered very remarka
We. Farmers in that r;nn
ht they call -volunteer crops"
teVhra ik... . .1 ..... '
- .... ...vT Miw me stubble land with
wheat and harrow it in, without plow
mg. This slip-shod .ml shinU ,
e h-rd yhc called cultivation, and
n,ve ""vested 20 to bush.
off from land thus slight
ngly treated. Prospect Farm, in
Umatilla county, Or., that belongs to
ritipns of Portland, tiirmxt nPF -l...... .
' HlUUl '
tweaty-five bushels to the acre on two 1
thousand acres. All the reports from
Eastern Oregon and the different sec
tions of Eastern Washington from i
Walla Walla and Columbia,' Cowlitz, r
south of Snake river, Palouse and
Spokan regions, north of Snake river
.ml V !f if on, I VU:. .1
. nvm li IC '
Cascade mountains all speak of a good
yield and great surplus for export.
This, too, 'in a year when all the
world has short crops and diminished
harvests. The satisfaction one feels in
the supremacy of his own region is nat- '
ural. We have chosen our homes in
the far north-west, on the waters of the
great western sea, and having come
thus far to seek a place to remain per-
mnnpntlv. wa nafnralltr miAin. f e..
our choice and judgment vindicated by
satisfactory results. Certainly these
north-west has produced abundantly in
fl VP!ir wll(n ritrwliif-tmn plcfiwhArA 11 1 .
deficient to a very remarkable degree,
are eminently satisfactory. We do not
need or desire to rejoice over the want
of agricutural success in other countries,
when we recite their misfortunes, and
comparison with the productions in
Oregon and Washington is not in any
sense unkind, for we have a rieht to re
joice and make facts known that will
show the superior inducements these
states offer for settlement and develop
ment. Our neighbors are apt to throw
the shadow of their greatness over us
and keep us out of sight. They adopt
our products and send them to the
worlds best markets as their own.
They buy us and sell us in various ways,
and the time has fully come when we
must assert ourselves and decline to
he patronized or overlooked. From
henceforth the Columbia river will be
known unmistakably abroad for the.
excellence of its leading staples. The
salmon of this river leads the first of
all countries for its quality. Our wool
is already sought after by manufacturers
who know its value. Our breadstuff
excel in quality and value thoe of any
omer region, including our neighbor,
the Golden State, to the south of us.
Then are not all the articles we offer
the world that possess essential value
above the average, but other are only
partially developed and need not b