The west shore., August 01, 1883, Page 173, Image 3

August, 1883.
THE WEST SI10RE.
73
that from the Willamette valley. About 30,000
are kept, chiefly in small bands, by the ranchers.
About 10,000 beef cattle graze on the hills, and
many fine stock, including Jerseys, etc, are kept.
Horses, too, are made a specialty by some of the
farmers, and Rogue river valley has the reputation
of producing the finest horses of Oregon. In
the matter of improving the blood of their ani
mals, the stock men of this region have shown
commendable enterprise, and are reaping their
reward in the reputation and increased value of
the animals. Some 5,000 horses are assessed in
the county. Of hogs about 10,000 are kept, the
majority of them getting their own living in the
woods.
DAIRY PRODUCTS.
The butter and cheese of this region have an
enviable reputation wherever they are known.
The fine breeds of dairy cattle, the climate,
grass, water, c!c, all combine to produce a su
perior quality of butter and cheese. With the
facilities for cheap shipment of these articles of
fered by the railroad there will, beyond question,
be a great increase in dairy products and a new
source of wealth opened to the farmers. The
market in Portland for butter, cheese and eggs is
high and permanent, and the old and new farmers
of the valley will find it extremely profitable to
supply the required products.
FRUIT.
It is because of its superior fruit that we refer
to Rogue river valley as the Italy of Oregon. It
is a well known fact that the finest flavored
grapes of California are produced on the sunny
slopes of the foothills, and the conditions there
found exist in the foothill region of Jackson
county. The vines produce large clusters, and
the grapes have a most excellent flavor, being
very juicy and making a superior quality of wine.
The conditions of soil and climate are also very
favorable to peaches, the fruit being superior in
flavor, though a trifle smaller in size, to the Cali
fornia product. The slight touch of frost in win
ter, though too mild to injure the vines or trees,
gives a flavor to the fruit that is lacking in that of
the warmer regions of California. The bottom
lands are especially adapted to fruit culture, and
it is that class of soil that has been utilized the
most by fruit growers. In addition to grapes
and peaches apricots, pears, plums, apples,
cherries and the small fruits produce luxuriantly,
and are of excellent quality, especially the apples,
which have no superior snywhere. Hitherto the
foothills have lieen used chiefly as a grazing
ground for sheep, but that the flocks will seek
" pastures new " and the land be planted exten
sively in vinyards and orchards is certain. On
the whole the fruit interest of Rogue river valley
consists more in the possibilities ol the future than
in what has already been accomplished. With
no market beyond the limits of Southern Oregon,
farmers had formerly no encouragement to plant
extensive orchards or large vineyards, but enough
has been done to show the wonderful adaptability
of the soil and climate to the production of fuit.
The whole northwest offers a market it good
prices for fruit of all kinds, while certain varie
ties are largely sought afler in the east. There is
no business that can be embarked In with greater
promise of a golden reward than that of fruit
culture. It must, however, like everything else,
be managed properly to be great success.
Orchards and vineyards must I planted and
taken care of in a systematic manner and the
hminess from first to last be conducted as experi
ence in other places has shown to be best. Es
pecially must the fruit be put up in an attractive
and marketable liae, well assorted, conveniently
packed for handling by the dealer, and attractive
to the eye. Experience in California and else
where shows that the most successful fruit raisers
are those whose product reaches the market In
the best condition and presents the most Inviting
appearance. Already we hear of a number of
experienced orclmrdisti who Intend to locate In
Southern Oregon immediately. It is a great pity
that the farmers of that region have not prepared
themselves for the market n.iw being opened by
planting extensive orchards, but It is by no means
too late, though the golden harvest must lie
delayed. The men who set out at once large
orchards and vineyards and get them into liearlng
condition, will be the first to reap their reward.
The market is large, growing and permanent.
PRICK OK IMI'ROVKI) I.ANI),
Farms and ranches of all kinds may Ire pur
chased in Jackson county at prices which are ex
tremely moderate when the advantages are con
sidered. Good Improved farming land can I
Irought from twenty to fifty dollars ier acre,
though a few choice places would command a
higher price. Other lands, not so well improved
but just as feitile, and in some cases more desir
able for fruit and grape culture, can be had as
low as five dollars per acre. These prices depend
upon the amount of Improvements, location,
character of soil, water facilities, etc. Two
farms, two miles apart and containing a total of
40O acres, were recently told for $S,ooo, or $20
per acre. Another of 300 acres brought $7,000,
or $23 per acre. These are choice places, wholly
arable land, with good buildings anil modern
farm improvement. Many partially covered
with timber or a portion of which Is too hilly or
rocky for easy cultivation, can Ire purchased at
much lower figures anil turned into excellent
farms. Small farms, upon which orchards could
be made the principal source of Income, can lie
bought at low prices, and there are many places
where a little work in clearing off brqsh and llm
her would reward the industrious farmer wilh
many acres of land of the best qiulily for drain,
orchards and vineyard. Much of the hill land
will produce good crops of grain, and its ca
bilitics for grapes have lieen pointed out. It has
been used chiefly for grating and is nearly all
owned in large tracts, which will ol necessity I
cut up Into smaller divisions for farming purKises
and sold. The land Is so well adapted to mlsed
farming that It Is especially valuable, for wilh
grain, fruit, hay, cattle, sheep, horses ami hogs to
depend upon suoh a thing as an entire failure
would be Impossible. We advise parties Desiring
10 father mure particular Information aUiut
special trarts of land for sale to viit the valley or
address a letter to the dealers in real estale whoa
advertisement may be found In this Issue rt TllR
Wmt Show;. There i rout h government land
in the foothill and nmunlsin.. as well as Urge
tracts reierved to the 0. C. R. R. Co. In
formation in regard to the Uter can b hail at
the Rmcburg land office, and of the later at the
comjany's oltk in Portland. A great Increase
In the value of real estate la Ilie nst four
y.-ars U beyond question.-
VALUATION AND PRODUCT.
The assessment roll of 1SS1 shows a total val-
allon of $1,464,831 in Jackson county, which Is
alwut fifty per cent, of the actual cash value of
assessable pmrty. This was divided aa foliuwsi
Value of improved lands, $(158,0)151 unimproved
amis, $144,531 1 town lots, $61,981 1 Improve
ments, $164,5091 merchandise and implements,
$J'X.435 1 money, notes and accounts, $594,1771
household furniture, etc, $68,7351 horse and
mules, $149,005 1 cattle, $71,335 sheep, $31,
361 1 swine, $11,677. These figures will be in-
creased at least 15 per cent, by the assessment of
the present year. According to the census of
1880 the population was 8, 1 16, but it has since
advanced to fully 10,000, and a still more rapid
increase during the neil few years Is certain. Tin
annual product of the county can be given ap
proximately as follows 1 Wheal, 300,000 bush
els 1 barley, 100,000 bushels rye, 3,000 bushels
oats, 350,000 bushels corn, 40,000 bushels
potatoes, 60,000 bushels apples, 100,000 bush
els 1 pearlies, 15,000 bushels pears and plums,
15,000 bushels 1 hay, 30,000 tnnst, wool, 150,-
000 pounds 1 grajies, 150,000 pounds butler,
26,000 pounds 1 cheese, 1 5,000 pounds veget
ables, 150,000 pounds 1 bacon, 400,000 pounds
lard, 80,000 pounds. Now that an outside mar
ket is opened there will In t great Increase In the
above figures, eseclally In dull, grain and dairy
products.
MININO.
Since the discovery of gold led to I lie first settle
ment of Jackson county In 1851, the mines have
lieen the main slay ami prop of this whole region.
Without them there would have been no market
for the farmer's produce, though of Isle years I he
grating regions of Modoc, Klamath and jik
counties have drawn heavily from the valley lot
their supplies, l'lacer mines are the must numer
nus. Hydraulic power Is used on quite an t-
tensive scale by several companies, while tinkers
sluces and wing-dam are utilized where the loca
tion require them. The Sterling Hydraulic
mine is situated on Sterling creek, about eight
miles south of Jacksonville, and was njiencil sev
eral years ago at an outlay of $100,000, The
company owns ground enmigh for fifty year of
conllnou work, the whole property being valued
at sImuI $100,000. Other large hydraulic mine
are yielding handsomely. It Is estimated that
the yield of gold dust during the ust thirty year
his lieen over $ n,ouo,ooo, and there Is no tea-
son to anticipate falling off in the Industry fur
many year to come. Iron, coal, eoptwr and
cinnabar eslsl In varying quantities, though the
lack of cheap Iramportallnn has retarded lllr
levelopment. The iron ore along Kngue rivet la
being prospected aud tested by expert with the
view of using It at the great Iron works at Os
wego, near l'oilland, and If It ptove lo be In
sufficient quantity and of lire quality required the
mine will be worked on an estentiv vale, The
opinions es pressed ate very lavorable, end there
is but lllll' doubt ' ul the development of I lie ft
mine al an early dy. Marble of an etcllnl
quality abounds, and wilh IV ferliie offered by
the tailrnad ll ean no doubt be qusirltd lo ad
vantage. The same may slur I ssld of coal, a
good quality of whith has heren discovered In
various localities, ClnnaUr end copper have
both been worked lo ennablmhle tslent, but
owing to the esprnsa of transporting the re-