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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1888)
THE WE8T 8I10KE. luscious fruit produced must almost make the inani mate soil laugh at its achievement Certainly the farmers are pleased with the products, and the prep arations for greatly extending the orchard business evidences the faith they have in the industry. When one branch of labor is particularly reman, erative it does not long stand alone. The good things of life, as well as the bad, are so related that if they do not always complement each other they flourish together. If a section of country is superlatively well adapted to one thing it docs not follow that every thing else must be excluded from it 80, fruit rais ing being the chief business of the people of tho Che halem valley does not preclude the possibility of oth er lines of industry. Fruit orchards do not and nev er can utilize all the ground that can be made profit able to the farmer. A large share of the prosperity of the husbandman lies in his utilizing in some profitable way what would otherwise go to waste. In well watered regions there is always more or less land that is too wet for successful cultivation, and which makes prime pasturage for stock. The valleys of tho west, also, are edged with ground too rugged for til age, and there again may good grszing land bo found and made to furnith subsistence for cattle and sheep. In consequence of these conditions in the Chehalem valley, the dairying interests have grown to bo scarce ly secondary to its fruit, and rapid strides in advance ment are being made constantly. 13 ot when all is said and done in producing the raw materials of com merce, when the most favorable natural conditions have been improved in growing fruit, or when tho best stock and the least expensive and most profit able means for obtaining a milk product is secured, still other considerations enter into tho economy of the case. Given the raw products, tho question of utilizing them so as to obtain the greatest measure of profit and still preserve the supply is not always easy of solution. Very naturally the expediency of ojxv rating canneries and fruit drying establishments will be suggested in sn extensive fruit growing section, because the entire product of the orchards can not bo sold as green fruit, however largo the demand. On the same principle that corn sells better when con verted into bacon, other agricultural products yield the most profit the further they can bo converted into more desirable forms. Decayed fruit is seldom in great demand in well regulated markets; bat if can ned or dried in good condition, fruit is a merchant able product at all times. An establishment for pre serving his product virtually secures to tho orcbardist advantages equivalent to possessing trees of constant ly maturing fruit always seasonable; for the expense of preserving is more than made up by the extra price which it brings out of season. The dairying business may be treated in tho same relative manner. To peddle milk by tho jugful, or to sell veal, is not the highest aim of tho dairyman. Indeed, it is a rec ognized branch of tho dairy trado to manufacture from the milk of tho cow other articles of food -batter and cheeso and tho samo principles of economy apply in each case. Tho moro nearly fit for its ulU mate market a product can bo made at home, tho moro labor is employed, tho moro profit is retained at home and the more prosperity is promoted. Thero aro no special difficulties in tho Chehalem tall .7 to interfere with the oioration of these general princi ples, and tho people thero aro now looking to the es tablishment of theso complements of their industry. Ncwburg, tho principal town of tho Chehalem val ley, is only about five, years old. It was settled by Quakers, who at onco established those habit of thrift and common senso customs which characterize tho Friends. Their dependenco is on tho soil and climate of tho beautiful valley in which they havo chosen to locate. They havo acquired property, even moro than they need for present uses, and by recog nizing tho elements of a sound social fabric have laid the foundation for prosperous and healthy growth. Newberg is a town of less than firo hundred Inhabit ants, but it has among its public institutions tho Friends' Pacific Academy, which supplies an academ ic education to all who chooso to avail themselves of its advantages. It consists of nino building, and is a valuable institution, well supplied with modern means of education. Its location marks tho headquarter of tho society of Friends in tho northwest (lood pub lic schools aro maintained, and churches are well sup ported. For good order and tho exemplification of the principles of tho best citizenship, the tropic of Newburg aro justly noted. Their business Gyrations aro conducted in the same spirit that pervade their social and religious lifn. Enterprise is manifested, but divested of a grasping or niggardly ilicy. Hon esty, industry and economy aro olrvaL!o on all sides, and tho mission which theso opla eera to havo undertaken is to " scatter plenty o'er a smiling land." The embellishments which Nature has lav ishf J upon tho country bare iWo turned to adran tag in tho improvements which havo Wa wad Tho finest residences in Yamhill county are found in Newburg. A special effort to make it a pleasant re, idenco town has been made, ami with notable success. Thoso who controlled real estate were careful to sell only to eople who wanted to tnsko their home there, so that sjecalter have been prevent! from securing the finest locations an1 holding theia with, out improvement until the enterprise of other opI should make their lanla rwa in vsJua This policy is still pursued and the wUdora of it is clearly dm.