m THE WEST SHORE.
contour of the surface, the hill lands near the river, with their broad acres of
may bo plowed at any time during the grain, and their orchards and vineyards,
rainy Benson, na the drainage is perfect were once more densely covered with
These lands, when thoroughly cultivat- timber than these fertile hills, and yet
cd, are wonderfully productive, yielding they are living witnesses of what the
from twenty to fifty bushels of wheat hand of industry can accomplish in the
and sixty to one hundred of oats. Rye, forest If the settler have money to in.
barley and flax produce equally well, vest, he can purchase a farm already en
though not much cultivated. Winter tirely or partially cleared, and thus pay
wheat is a specially fine crop, the wheat for the labor performed by others in the
of the hills excelling that of the valley past This is, of course, far preferable,
in quality. Grass, and esj)ecially clo- since by bo doing he skips at one bound
ver, makes a good crop. Vegetables over the experiences of the pioneer. Such
produce well, jwtatoes being a specially lands are for sale at an averageof $20.00
prolific crop. The vegetables of this per acre, a price which enables an East
county took the prize at the state fair em farmer to sell his land, move his
last year. Fruit, such as apples, pears, family to this locality, purchase equally
plums, cherries and prunes, are raised as good a farm for half the money real
in abundance, and of a quality unsur- ized from the sale of his old one, and
passed. Home of the oldest orchards in have the remainder to invest in improve
tho stato are found here. Good peaches ments, for use as business capital, or for
and grapes are also raised. Berries and a provision against the proverbial rainy
small fruits grow to perffdion. A com- day. This alone, without the question of
pany is being organized, with a capital climate being considered, would seem a
stock of $o,000.00, to build a fruit and sufficient justification for the step,
vegetable cannery in Oregon City, and In the older settled portions of the
this enterprise will undoubtedly be in- county, are a number of small towns and
augurated lcforo another season. The good schools, while in the newer por
nearness of much of the county to Port- Hons, the settlers are prompt to provide
land, renders dairying and mixed farm- means for the education of their chil
ing especially profitable, as a market dren, and Uncle Sam follows closely the
can bo found in that city for all that is path of the pioneer, with the mail bag.
produced. Land can be purchased with- Oswego, a few miles north of the falls,
in fifteen miles of the metropolis, at and on the west side of the river, is the
from Sfi.OO to 0.00 per acre, while good seat of an important industry. At that
government land, but little farther away, point is a large deposit of iron ore,
may bo had for the taking. which has boen worked to a considera-
In making a farm, it is, of course, ble extent by the Oswego Iron Co. The
necensary to clear the ground of timber, works are now idle, owing to litigation
In many places, this arduous task has over the property, but when running,
already loen partially accomplished by they gave employment to about two hun
forest fires. The settler must, however, dred and fifty men about the mines and
enter upon the Usk with a full appreci- works. There is now a prospect of an
ation of its difficulty. When it is ac early termination of these difficulties,
comphshed, ho will have secured a home and the resumption of this important
of which ho may well be proud, and industry on a larger scale than former
which will reward him for all his toil at ly. Other promising towns, nearly all
each recurring harvest Tho older farms having some industry, such as a flouring