September, 1881.
THE WEST SHORE.
239
named at this time. We might show
that our fruits, vegetables, wheat, wool,
flax, oats and hops, all stand in the fir
rank, but it is enough in this paper to
how that in quality and productiveness
our wheat lends the known world.
Looking to the future, we seem to
see the day close by when development
and progress must cull out, into active
operation, untold, unknown and won
derful resources of this favored region.
Immigration cannot fill our productive
districts for many years, but they must
fill up rapidly and the world's apprecia
tion will develop and increase just in
proportion as we succeed in placing our
vast resources before the world, and in
making our products known.
FLAX CROP.
Such a favorable year for the culture
of lint flax has never been known in
Oregon. Lint or fiber flax from the
Willamette valley carried off the prize
at the centcninl exposition in 1 S76,
where it was in competition with sum
pies from Ireland, Holland, Russia and
Austria. If we remember right the
specimen shown there was three feet
long, and this season we can show over
150 acres in Linn county that will beat
that measurement six inches. Besides
that we can show fifteen or twenty
acres that already measures four feet
nine inches in length, and by the time
it is ready to he taken from the groum
it will in alt probability he fully five
feet long. This latter is an expert
mental crop raised by S. Robinson, and
is from some of the celebrated Riga
seed imported by him from the old
country last winter at a cost of about
$10 per bushel. Mr. James Thomp
son, the gentleman who put this flax
in, is an old Belfast Irishman, and the
remarkable success of the crop shows
that he understands its cidture thor
oughly. We now have a twine mil! in
Albany which will do a large business
this year, but we arc confident that in a
few years linen factories will be more
plentiful in Oregon than woolen mills.
In Ireland the lint flax is alwut 38
inchea long, and their soil has run
down to such an extent that at the late
annual meeting of the Belfast Flax As
sociation the secretary was ordered to
correspond and ascertain where the
culture of flax was most successful, so
that the manufacturers would know
material from in the future. It seems
to us that flax four or five foot long is
nluMit what thry ir (onni fr f,vl if
they should import a few loads from
this country, we will soon have some
of their mills over here. Already this
season some two or three factories have
been brought over from Ireland to the
Eastern States, and thry, of course,
think it profitable to make the change
or they would not come. If it is profit
able to work up flax in New York and
New Jersey, and to import consider
able of the raw mntcriul, paying a
duty, as they do, of $ er ton, how
very much more profitable would it le
to do the manufacturing here, where
the best flax in the world is raised, and
where the din. ale is piiuliurly adapted
to the working of flux fiber. Albany
Dtmotral.
A LOOK AT IMATII.I.A COl'NTV.
A correspondent of the Ohio Viwvr,
who lately made a journey through
Wasco and Umatilla counties, wtites
enthusiastically as lollows i
Now comes Umatilla county, and 1
think the definition in our language
would mean M The laud that can pro
duce more wheat, barley, com and
tomatoes than any other country on the
earth, according to its average." Uma
tilla has also lecn u glorious country
for slink of all kinds ; but the tens of
thousands of heads thut have leen
roaming at large over it have finally
made it yield to the inevitable, and the
grasses which once covered its surface
are fast disnpieariiig, and weeds and
thistles arc taking their place but one
consolation remains with us, -the lam!
can be made to produce fields of grain
that no other part of Ood's earth has
ever before equaled.
I must retrograde a little, and say
that I have traveled over all the grain
growing counties of Western Oregon
and have seen their largest acreage
heaviest crops and greatest average
and never at one sight, nor in one day
nor one month have I seen the amount
of grain that I saw from the top of the
hill between Butter crrck and Birch
creek, the hill country which lies from
Pendleton down the Umatilla river and
up Wild Horse creek to its head ami
over the hills to the summit thai slopes
alone breaking the monotony of wheat,
arley and oat fields. But thank God
for the monotony, when it h occr.ior.cd.
by ficldsof waving grain, giving promise
of greater yields than blessed the bud
of Egypt when preparing for the seven
years' famine.
THE 8IDKANE CLIMATE.
ITS INri I'INl I VfOH THROAT tVNO
iMsassss.
It is a noticeable fact that residents of
all parts of this coast are watching
closely the effect of the Spokane climate
upon persons who have been stillchng
with throat and lung 01 scaurs in their
various stages. The dry, light, Invig
orating atmosphere pure and healthy
has been the delight of all who have
had occasion to test our climate. It has
been recommended to those blessed
with perfect health, aa well as those
suffering with climatic or other dis
eases of the IhnIv. Many person have
come to test the health' giving influ
ence of our climate. Some have gone
away, and others are coming every
day. It cannot he expected that every
sufferer can find Immediate relief in
this or any other climate. Some per.
sons make no ertort 10 stay me
ravages of disease till It Is deep-rooted,
and then hope to eradicate it in tin
course of a fortnight. Such case are
almost hoitclcs under any circum
stances, Other watch the first syinp-
tmns or declining Health with com
mendable Interest, and take early steps
to slay the attack which disease I
making uiMtn the very citadel of lift
Itself. The altitude of thfl StHikane
country averages alwut ,J)fc-t above
the level or the sea. .hi is a good
altitude for a dry, light ami healthy ai.
mospnere. v mini si muei ui njKmiww
Falls one can ride up into the moun.
tains 800 feet higher, where there are
springs, shade trees and luxuriant grass.
Health-seekers here can find altitudes to
suit their conditions. Our atmosphere
under all ordinary circumstances I
light and purr It U almost Impossible
for a healthy person In this country lo
have poor lungs, or to sutler with any
kind of disease of the throat. Sickness
in the families of our oldest residents
is quite an uncommon occurrence.
Taken all in all, the Spokane climate U
exceedingly healthy, and ha good
Influence upon person suffering from
ill-health. It Is especially beneficial to
those alljictcd with throat ami lung
diseases. If tlkty come lure before
it is too late, they can generally get re
lief; but hopctesa rases cannot be let
tared anywhere. limit.
Tnca 1 flattering future ahead
f..p H.. a... I nal In Walla Watt it
off to the Walla Walla valley. Tlmi (n eoun ut ,,, ,j,f
.. l. i .......!.. ...r. 1 t-i.l ;.i. 1:..-. . i i... . sir...
whole
where to dnw their attppliea of raw of fenct
country is a solid field, with lints! pf
rt and roads and email pastures' in
rtrospcrout to wo
1J10T1.
In Eastern Wash.