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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1901)
10 THE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1901. REGON offers greater advan tages to successful dairying than any other state In the Union, and greater than any country ' In the world, the Channel Islands, the hdme. of the Jersey and the 0 Guernsey, not excepted. Its equable cll nlato not only meets the temperature requirements of butter and cheesemak Ing, hut favors the growth of green food almost the year round, as well as saves much food required to sustain animal heat East of the Rocky Mountains. Until recently it was thought that there were few localities east of the Cascades that were adapted to dairying on a large scale.' But dairying is doing well there ' t and some parts of Eastern Oregon have butter for export, whereas only a few years ago they imported the bulk of their dairy products. . Dairying has long been established west of the Cascades and this division of : &. t IS f Tnrreasinrits the state is capable of increasing Its. output many times over. The most lm portant districts aro along the Columbia River, on both the Oregon and Wash ington shores, and on the islands, from the Cascades to the mouth of the river, a distance of 120 miles. This district in cludes hundreds of thousands of acres of native grass lands, and lands that grow the most nutritious hay and pasture grasses as well as clover, peas. Winter oats, vetch, corn and roots. The counties bordering on the Pacific Ocean Curry, Coos, Douglas, Lane, Lin coln, Tillamook and Clatsop extending from the California line to the Columbia River, a distance of 260 miles, are a dairy empire unexcelled anywhere in the world. J Their dairy acreage extends inland from the coast from one to 30 miles. Along this strip the climate, as in the Willam ette "Valley, lb governed by the Japanese current and is so invigorating to plant Ufa that the ground is matted with green grass all the year. Food supply is the least consideration of the dairyman in this belt All that Is required of him Is that intelligent management of the herd which shall produce the greatest flow of the richest milk. While the Willamette Valley counties are not so richly favored with native grasses as the ocean counties, they are nope the less a dairying country. They have the domestic grasses, clover, corn for fodder, peas, rape, vetch, cabbage, Winter oats and the roots. Farming land is more valuable in the Willamette Valley than elsewhere In Oregon and for this reason dairymen are compelled to economize their resources. The silo Is in high favor and there Is perhaps not a dairyman in the business who has made experiments looking to the production of sufficient food on an acr to support a cow for a year. Recent Dairy Development. Manufacture of butter and cheese has been carried on in Oregon ever since the state wais settled, but the product was principally for home -use. Only In recent years has thee been manufacture for export Dairying has found favor in the Willamette Valley partly because of the profit there is in it and partly because the exhaustion of the soil by continuous wheatplantlrig has made general farm ing less remunerative than formerly. The first settlers, surprised by the large crops that resulted from successive culti vation, and even without cultivation, readily believed that there was no limit to the productive capacity of the soil. Farmers who came In comparatively re cent times, even men whose experience had taught them that no soil was Inex , haustible, followed In the errors of the pioneers until it was accepted as an artl- cle of faith in Oregon that no matter what crops were raised, nor how many times the same crop was raised on the same area, th vitality of the soil could not be Impaired. Thirty years ago the average yield of wheat to the acre in tho Willamette Valley was close to 25 bush els. Yields of 50 hushels to the acre were not uncommon, just as reports are now and then made of yields of 70 bushels per acre on virgin soil In Eastern Oregon that has been Irrigated for the first time. Tnlrty years ago volunteer wheat not Infrequently went 30 and 40 bushels to the acre. Continuous crops of any kind will drain any soil, and continuous crops of wheat have Impoverished the soil of the Wil lamette Valley. Instead of the 25 busheis to the acre of 30 years ago, the average ha3 fallen to less than 16 bushels. Few VHHHM(M4MMHtMMmtMHMM(HMHtMUHHtHtMHt estimates go above that figure, but many are below it Some say 15 bushels, anu others estimate 12. At 12 bushels to the acre there is no profit in exclusive wheat farming with wheat at 50 cents a bushel. One acre nets the producer $6, gross. One hundred acres, $600, gross. Out of this maximum return the farmer must pay allhe expenses of the farm, includ ing cost of .seed, planting, harvesting, household expenses and interest on any debt he may have. The logical result of the unshakable faith in the fertility of the soil has been wheatplantlng year in and year out. Nearly 75 per cent of Willamette Valle .soils are of the red acid variety. Tht soils, whether of red or black loam, are deficient In potash. They never were very strong in this ingredient, because the par ent roclc-lrom which they were formea is deficient in it Besides, the heavy rains wash away 25 per cent of the potash. This loss is constantly going on. whether the land is growing crops or not Un der draining would prevent much ot the wast cf potash. No section nw&s under draining so badly as Western- Oregon. Vitality thus run to waste can be -restored only with commercial fertilizers. Leguminous crops are but a temporary relief. They cannot keep up the fertility on the side of potash. Managing a Dairy. The Impoverished condition of the soil and the consequent unprofitableness of ex clusive wheat production have at last di rected attention to diversified farming in general and to dairying as the branch which promises the best returns for the most Intelligent management and the least tax on the soil. Tears ago an effort was made in behalf of dairying, but it failed because wheat-growing was still a profitable and easy method of making a. living. Then the Dairymen's Association grappled with the problem and all buv failed for lack of interest in its organ z11 rk- Change of agricultural ,,,. . . f?, y, x, conditions has been followed by a change Luuuiuuua lieu uccu iuuuwcu uy CV tUOUKC ! of sentiment in regard to dairying, and j me maustry may now De saia to De per- ; manently established and Its proportions to be enlarging. The disposition among men who have taken up dairying as a special pursuit and those who have adopted it as an adjunct to the farm, is to learn all there Is to bo learned about the dairy cow and to apply the knowledge where It will do the most good. Success in dairying depends upon three essential factors which are Inseparably linked. These are: First, cows that will glvo the highest per cent of butter fat, -uPled XUntnU. Second, careful, one might almost say scientific management of the herd every day in the year. Third, production at a cost which will Insure profitable market ing. The selection of the herd Is all Impor tant. There are those who maintain that the ordinary cow, under proper condi tions. Is the most profitable for the bo nner' but this theory Is not borne out I by experience. It costs just as much to feed a poor cow as a good one, ana there Is no getting away from the tact that a good cow brings in more money tnan a poor one. Tne mam idea is to make a good beginning, and this cannot be done with scrub stock. No carefu farmer will stock up with cows which he knows the first weighing and Babcock tests will show to be unprofitable. Tho object of. the dairyman should be to build up the herd with cattle that are considered thoroughbreds, and havlna once selected a breed to adhere to It. Scrub cows are not given consideration in communities where dairying is a busi ness. Principal of the details of management is the utmost cleanliness about the cat tle, their attendants, the stable, the dairy and all utensils. A cow should be milked at the same time every day and by the came person. Food should be carefully compounded and fed at the same hour dally and In abundant quantity. Cows should be fed all they will eat up clean, but such generous feeding should never be inaugurated unt ifter they have ad vanced far in the i ad of lactation, be cause otherwise the animal will not in crease In flow ,of , milk, but will begin laying on fat. The reason cows should be fed all they will take Is that they must first be provided with enough fooa for bodily maintenance, and the more they will eat In excess of this quantity the more they will have for conversion into milk. An Oregon "Balanced Rntion." The profit In dairying, as in any other manufacture, is dependent upon the mar gin between the market price of the product and the cost of production. It Is therefore of primary Importance to pro vide feed at the lowest cost. When grain is relatively high it may become neces sary to discard farm grains altogether, sell them and buy mill feed. Cost of prol ductlon depends solely upon knowing how to compound a balanced ration, the dairy name for one day's food for a cow. Probably not to exceed one person in 75 knows how to do this. The balanced ra tion which experiment has proved Is best suited to Oregon Is thus compounded: En silage, DO pounds; clover hay, 6 pounds, barley meal, 4 pounds, or 2 pounds of oil meal; bran, 8 pounds. This ration con tains 23.75 pounds of dry matter, 2.11 per cent of digestible protein, 12.S1 per cent of digestible -carbo-hydrates, and .63 per Photo by E. C. Blackwood, Portland. YAQUIXA HEAD, YAQTJI1VA BAY,, NEWPORT. cent of digestible fat A day's food, no matter what Its ingredients, should not cost over 10 cents. When It exceeds that figure the cow begins to "eat her head off." G. W. Weeks, of Salem, is a firm believer in the theory that one acre can be made to produce enough food to feea one cow for a year, and has probably made more experiments along this line than any other dairyman in Oregon. He says this economy is possible only by soiling, which he practices. Ensilage, he says, will be the salvation of dairying in Oregon. It is the only thing that will successfully bridge over the dry season. By this policy he gets a large and con tinuous flow of milk from each cow for 10 months in the year. Mr. Weeks experience is that the vetch gives the best results for early Spring feeding. It is sown about October 1. All farm stock relish it A drill is used for seeding and two bushels are sown to tho acre, with three quarts of rye thrown in for a prop. Rye is the only grain -that will reach above the vetch and hold it up. The next best crop is the pea, - which Is sown with a drill early in the Spring. About 2"A bushels are planted to the acre, put in as deep as possible. Afterwards' the pea land is cross sown with a bushel of oats to the acre, which is harrowed in. Mr. Weeks has been able to get better results from this combination for Sum mer feeding than from the vetch, though the latter makes the best early Spring .feed. If a dairyman wishes to soil all Summer, it Is advisable to sow one croy in March, another in April and so on a long as the grain will grow. Mr. Week plants corn in May. He uses a two-horse planter, and the person using the drop per pulls the lever at each step of one of the horses. This makes the hills about 2 feet apart, with two or three kernels in a hill. The growing crop is carefully cultivated with a reversible harrow. Af ter the corn gets too large to harrow, the corn plow is used once a week. Corn is fed to the cows as soon as It is largo - ,,u .t . . runnS S Cn fflLfS nt mnV. - ,,-. zz. ,: ," very expensive. All kinds of vegetation can be used In the silo as well as tor i soiling. How cheaply can I produce a pound of Photo by Ernest A. Btauff, Arago, Or. A CREAMERY ON THE COQTJILLE RIVER. Small steamers and gasoline boats make dally trips along: tho rivers and sloughs of Coos County to collect -sream for tho butter and cheese factories. The farmers live along tho banks of tho waterways. One boat operates at an expense of $3 per day, and Is able to handle the products of 100 farms. The cheap transportation thus afforded Is one of the secrets of tho success of the creamery business on tho Southwestern Oregon coast. VMM)MMtMMMMMtHHMMMttMfHMMMMtMMMMMMHM4 butter fat, or 100 .pounds . of milk?" should be the first question with every dairyman. The man whose 100 pounds oi ' milk cost him 30 cents, food values, gets 1 no more for his butter than the man who j got 100 pounds of milk for 20 cents. A good cow should give, when In her prime, 6500 pounds of milk a year. In Oregon the average at present does not exceed I 5000 pounds, and In the majority of case!; I it is less. Cairymen receive an average 1 of about SO 'cents for 100 pounds of milk. Dairying" More Profitable Tnan Wheat. The difference between dairying and exclusive wheat farming Is shown in a ' statement prepared by George L. Rees of Albany. His first illustration Is that of a farmer who comes to Oregon to en gage In wheat-ralslng. He buys 100 acrst of wheat land at $30 an acre, and this la how he fares with his investment,- and the i first crop: 1 Cost of land $3,000,000 Seed wheat, 200 bushels 100 00 1 Three horses 220 00 Feed for horses one year 150 00 I Harness 30 w wamn w : Plow, harness and drill 100 00 Binder 340 00 Twine 25 00 Threshing 120 00 Shocking grain 15 00 Interest on investment 324 40 Cost of the first crop $4,504 40 Credit Crop of 2000 bushels of wheat sold at 50c .... $1,000 00 Deficit $3,504 40 The farmer goes Into Winter quarters" with a balance of $3504 40 on the wrong side of the ledger. His farm, machinery and horses have been paid for, but ho will have to buy both feed for his stock and seed for the next year, for he has marketed all of his first crop. He would still be safe if he could continue to har vest 20 bushels to the acre, and his horses and machinery did not wear out But ht is not sure of any such yield, and the stock and utensils wear out from natural causes and must be replaced. At 50 cents a bushel the farmer receives from 2000 bushels, $1000. Of this ho Is entitled to charge 1600 for wages, for he has to board himself. Add to this the $324 40 in terest and there is a total charge ot $924 40, which leaves the farmer, $75 6o, net, at the end of the year. This will not meet depreciation of the machinery ana buy artificial fertilizers to keep up the fertility of the soil. Mr. Rees figures that 50 acres will an swer for a dairy and that $30 per aero is. a good price. On thl3 basis he makes the following charges: Cost of land $1.500 00 Seed corn for 25 acres 10 00 Vetches, oats and clover seed for 25 acres 20 00 Two horses 150 00 Feed for horses 150 00 Harness 20 00 Wagon 80 00 Plow and harrow 30 00 Cows, 25 at $50 each . 750 00 Feed for cows per year, each $40.... 1,000 00 Amount of money paid out $3,710 00 Interest on the investment -. 295 80 Gross cost $4,006 SO Credit v Ensilage, 100 tons from 25 acres, of corn $ 600 00 Hay, 80 tons from 23 acres of clover and oats 400 00 Butter from 25 cows 1,500 00 Calves sold for veal 100 00 Gross earnings of dairy $2,500 00 Deduct for wages COO CO Net earnings $1.900 00 Exclusive wheat farming and dairying are here sharply contrasted. On an in vestment of $4504 40, the wheat farmer gets a net revenue of $75 60, and on an in vestment of $4005 SO the dairy farmer gets a net revenue of $1900. Dairying nour ishes the soil, and exclusive wheat farm ing Impoverishes it. When the wheat farmer's stock and utensils wear out he has to stand the loss. When the dairy man's cows begin to wear out he can fatten them and sell them for beef. Successful Co-operatincr Creameries. The work of a few representative cream eries In the Willamette Valley will be cited to Illustrate the measure of success which attends Intelligent dairy manage ment In Western Oregon. Figures for 1S99 will be used, as the statements for 1900 were not prepared when this article was written. In 1895 a co-operative creamery was established at Albany, with a capital of $5000. In, 1899 it re-- celved the milk of 3S3 cows, from 52 patrons, handled 1,675,580 pounds of milk, and made a product from which It real ized $18,23718. Of this amount $14,45019 was returned to the 52 patrons In pay ment" for butter fat The difference of $3786 99 represents cost of manufacture, transportation charges, Interest on stock and amount laid aside each year to be applied toward taking up shares of stock outstanding. Following is a statement showing the number of patrons, average number of pounds of butter fat to the patron per year, total amount of butter fat handled, and gross receipts of the creamery for five years: Av. lbs. Total lbs, butter butter Gross receipts. $ 4,108 82 16,963 03 14.317 74 15,534 82 18,237 18 Patrons, fat 1895 39 493 1896 92 9S5 1897 62 1021 1898 48 1230 1899 52 1294 fat 19.232 90,638 63,041 59,271 68,540 It will be seen that the average amount of butter fat per patron shows a steady increase, indicating that the farmers who are regular patrons of the creamery have been giving attention to the Improvement of their cows. A list of tho names of 20 patrons taken from the books In regular order for- the purpose of setting forth information in de tail as to the amount of milk furnished by each, average test of cows, amount of butter fat. number of cows and earnings for the year 1899, makes the following showing: I SSI 3 5 : cT1 : ? s : : : : NAME. Froman, T Proman. S Payne, L. B Freer kson. S Miller, A. C Matasce, G AIHngham. W.... Pugh. J. W Sprenger, H. B... Morgan, J. W Worklnger, G. L.. Brown. J. C....... Bateman, N. H... Porter. F. H $636 90 762 10 27015 517 SO 696 75 202 95 779 15 678 60 216 90 168 5 286 55 310 20 415 15 865 35 253 90 320 00 374 60 127 60 205 65 1S6 45 McCormlck. W. B Bither. P Forbes, B. R... Sprenger. T. B. Wilson. L. R... Davis, J. C These- 20 patrons controlled 190 cows. The average milk test was 4.25, which is good. The average amount of milk per cow was 4953 pounds, and the average amount of earnings per cow $43 61. Both of these averages are low. In connection with a statement of this kind it must be remembered that some of the creamery patrons are in the habit of retaining at home the cream used by themselves for household purposes, which often makes a 69,994 4.2 2886 10 90,430 4.2 3380 12 30.635 4.41336 7 66,024 3.6 2370 13 70.2S0 4.6 3282 15 21.240 4.2 871 5 87,274 4.13532 17 70,942 4.7 3258 16 21,154 4.6 984 6 20,258 4.1 800 5 32,311 4.11282 6 32.843 4.71462 7 55.070 3.71992 13 105,992 3.8 4076 15 35,469 4.4 1501 9 36,422 4.215S6 9 35.324 4.91715 7 14,107 4.2 599 6 28,148 3.71044 8 18,166 419 902 5 considerable difference' in the total result. It will be of Interest to note the total business of 1899 as shown in the following statement by months, wherein is con tained the total number of pounds of milk handled, number of pounds of butter fat, amount earned by patrons, number of cows and amount paid per pound for but ter fat: d BffP 35. a o2 MONTH. a 9 5? ffs i : c ? S : : " : p : : : r : : January ... 98,073 4,024 $ 1,006 001382 $0 25 February .. 90,757 3,681 920 25 383 25 March 133,154 4,780 1,242 SO 330 26 April 145,179 5,756 1,093 64 367 19 May 211,803 8,631 1,294 65 426 15 June 207,930 8,292 1,243 80 434 15 July 164,356 6,427 1,285 40 429 20 August 117,029 4,804 1,003 84 401 21 September . 123,603 5,456 1,09120 394 20 October .... 141.097 6,201 1,488 24 398 24 November . 120,816 3,439 1,414 14 335 26 December . 116,783 5,049 3.361 23 314 27 Total 1.675,580 68,540 $14.450 19 Average number of cows, 383; average price. 22 cents. TABULATED STATEMENT. Capital Invested $5,000 00 Gross receipts in 1899 18.237 18 "ost of manufacture 2,364 63 xJaid to patrons for butter fat.... 14,45019 Average receipts for butter, per lb 23 Average cost, per lb 03 Average price paid for milk, per cwt 81 Average paid for butter fat per lb 22 Earnings of average patron 278 00 Pounds of milk received 1,675.580 Butter made, lbs 78,821 Butter yield of average cow, lbs.... 206 Patrons of creamery 52 Average number of cows 3S3 Average number of cows per pa tron ; 7 Average test for butter fat 4.30 Average yield of butter, per cent 4.95 Better Than Minnesota. As compared with the average co-operative creamery in Minnesota, the receipts of the Albany creamery show an Increase of $3237 18; a decrease in the average num ber of cows of 159; Increase in earnings OREGON'S DAIRY INDUSTRY. Value ot Last Year's .Product and Equipment Approximates f 10,000,000. By W. W. Baker. It is understood that exact data as to dairy values here, or anywhere else, is not expected to be correct to the pound of butter or cheese. No time has been spared in gathering interesting figures. I am under obli gations to George L. Blckel, dealer In creamery and dairy machinery; Everding & Farrell, Page & Son, W. B. Glafke & Co., and the La Grande Creamery Company, dealer's In dairy products, for many of tho facts in this article. It is estimated that we consume annually about 26 pounds of butter per capita. In addition to this, our best informed dealers estimate that Oregon has, during the present year, shipped out of the state about 900, 000 pounds, and that we have bought from other states about 200,000. After much inquiry and very satisfactory estimates, I am satisfied that that there is an increase of at least 5 per cent in yield of butter pro duced on farms for home consumption. (This brings to mind that most people reason that all the butter and cheese consumed within our borders is the product of creameries and factories, when the fact is that as much as half of the butter and cheese consumed is made in homes that do not sell a pound), and that there is fully 35 per cent of an increase in cream ery and factory supply. This will bring the butter supply of Oregon for the year 1900 up to 13,199,101 pounds, an Increase of 2,199,850 pounds over last year. In this connection, it is not out of place to remind the reader that if we have an increase of dairy products it necessitates an increase of dairy lands, dairy stock, as well as of dairy implements and labor. I have, therefore, added this Increase to the tables of values that appear further on. Oregon Batter Product by Counties, The following table, while it is not claimed to be correct to an ounce or pound, has been made with care: County. Pound3. Benton 165,000 Baker .'....' : .' 205,000 Clackamas .. :'. 225,000 Clatsop -. 201,625 Coos .....'. 711,926 Columbia 363,000 Crook 74,249 Curry 495,000 Douglas A 378,125 Gilliam 52,500 Grant i 140,224 Harney 50,849 Jackson .' 330,300 Josephine 13,200 Klamath 198,000 Lake' , 600.000 Lincoln 76,500 Malheur .. .1 797,500 Linn ; 330,000 Marlon - 600,000 Morrow 123,000 Multnomah 412,500 Polk 300,300 Sherman : 115,500 Tillamook 1,054,440 Umatilla -. 412,500 Union j; 393,250 Wallowa 60,905 Washington 4 ;.' ;.. 990,000 Yamhill 320,000 Total pounds or butter made; ; 13,193,101 Total pounds of butter Imported 20,000 Total supply .'. , 13,399,101 Total consumed 11,700,000 Total shipped out of state '. n 900,000 12.6CO.000 Presumably now in the state........ 1. r of average patrons of $123; decrease in pa trons of 26; increase in butter yield of av erage cow of 46 pounds; Increase In aver age paid for but'er fat per pound of 6 cents; increase in price paid for milk, per hundredweight of 19 cents; Increase in average yield of butter of .45; increase .in average test for butter fat of 5 per cent; decrease in cost of making butter of .012; increase in receipts for butter, per pound, of 6 cents; decrease in pounds of buttei mado of 4779 pounds, and Increase in amount paid to patrons of $1450. The average patron kept seven cows and furnished the creamery with 32,222 pounds of milk, which brought for butter fat $273 per year. Average cow supplied 4372 pounds of milk last year, which made 206 pounds 01 butter and brought the owner $37 73 for butter fat In Freeborn County, the parent county of Minnesota's co-operative creamery in dustry, and regarded as a model cream ery county by the leading dairy authori ties of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and New York, the average patron kept between seven and eight cows, furnished to tho creamery 33.000 pounds of milk, and re ceived $220 for butter fat The average cow furnished 4450 pounds of milk, whlcn made 210 pounds of butter and brought the owner $29 40 at the creamery door. Comparing the showing made by the Al bany co-operative creamery with that of the average creamery in the best dairy county of the United States, it will be seen that the 32,222 pounds of milk from seven cows brought tho Linn County farmer for his butter fat $58 more than the Freeborn County farmer received for hl3 23,000 pounds of milk from seven and eight cows, or an increase of $3 33 per cow. Washington County Creameries. Within a radius of 10 miles In the dairy ing section of Washington County there are three creameries. Farmlngton, Schul meri'ek's and Blooming, manufacturing a product from the sale of which is realized no less than from $20,000 to $25,000 per an num. Nearly all of this amount is dis tributed among the farmers patronizing the creameries in payment of tho butter fat taken from the milk. The Farmlngton creamery is owned and operated by a joint stock company whose 28 shares of $50 each are held by nine stockholders, all of them patrons of thw creamery. This plant is dally receiving the milk from 150 cows, with an average test of 4.2 per cent butter fat The total business of 1893 Is shown In the following statement, by months, wherein is contained the total number ot pounds of milk handled, number of pounds of butter fat, number of pounds of butter made and total receipts therefor: 2 a a a tjS ioc QC o S O i o 2 " cf c? eg- 2. MONTH. b b? 3 5 5" P ?? S" ? : : January .. February . March April May June July August ... September October ... November December Total .... 73.258 3.012.9 3.518 $957 96 73,155 3,044.7 3,246 3,688 3.9S0 924 56 849 60 813 40 720 22 643 75 593 93 6S5 9S 765 00 868 90 850 20 825 75 60,600 74,983 80,693 S0.787 2,762.2 3,134.6 3.303.4 3.S73 3.272 3.274.3 71,566 2.805.6 3,096 66,347 66.947 2,633.7 3.705.4 3,344 3,533 3.367 3.174 71.510 2,899.0 68.244 2.763.3 62,635 2,595.6 3,458 855.745 34.942.6j 41.499! $8612 66 Average test, 4.2 per cent Average num ber of cows, 150. Average price of butter during the year, 21 cents per pound. Av erage earnings per cow, $57 42. The results obtained by the Schulinerlck creamery are just as good 6195 pounds of butter were manufactured, from the sale of which was realized $8000. The record of Just one patron, thai of Mr. Schul merlck In 1899 shows that he furnished a total of 120,340 pounds of milk, testing 4 per cent butter fat, from which 6568 pounds of butter were made. There are no creameries in the East, or in other sections of the Willamette Valley, which, generally speaking, show better re. suits than those obtained by the Wash ington County companies, and with these .O 799,161 I o a 4 figures it cextaly ttat"" Ho one can question tbeprofita51e1fe5 of this branch of farming. It must be remem bered that besides the direct returns from the sale of butter fat there is a con siderable saving on the farm through util izing the skimmed milk for hog feed, and also feed for raising calves. Oreicon's Wealth ot Forase Plants. Grass Is the basis of all successful ag ricultural operations. Where grass has never grown, or where it falls to grow, there is no hope of securing any crop of value. In Oregon there are many va rieties of climate, soil, geological forma tion and widely varying conditions, due to precipitation, elevation,- proximity to mountains, coast, etc All these have marked influence upon vegetation. In tb& eastern and southern parts ot the state are found the more hardy bunch grasses, which havo maintained themselves in these localities for ages, furnishing an almost unlimited source of luxuriant pas turage of high nutritive value. The pas turage of these regions Is made up largely of a class of grasses noted for their ability to withstand extremes of drought, and when In a dry state furnish a source of pasturage for stock which Is second to none so far as nutrition is concerned. This peculiar quality of the bunch grass Is not present in the grasses of tho WIl lametto Valley, which grow mora luxu riantly. It is said that grass attains this pe culiar nutritive quality only when grown 3000 feet or more above the level of tho sea. This elevation includes a large por tion of the eastern part of the state, where these grasses furnish such an abundance of pasturage. While this range, which was once a vast public do main, open to any one who wished to use it, is now taken up, to a large extent, and controlled by private landholders, it 13 none the less important as a grazing country. It Is true In many places that the once-flourlshlng bunch grass has been largely exterminated by the great flocks of close-nibbling sheep, yet it is still the principal source of food for thousands ot cattle, sheep and horses. The most Important species under tha head of "bunch grass" are found in tho genera botanically known as stlpa, ory zopsls, deschampsla, festuca and poo. These grasses cover the finer sorts, those which furnish a short, sweet and very nu tritive pasturage. Of the coarser grasses, the blue Joint furnishes several species. These are tal, stiff grasses, readily eaten by stock, and are very nutritious. Cer tain species of this grass are found la mountains, valleys and open prairies. Wherever found, it furnishes an excellent pasture grass, and when well cured makes good hay. When the smaller grasses on the range are' covered with snow, these grasses furnish sustenance which can ba more easily obtained. Hay and Pasturage Grasses. In the larger valleys there Is found a great variety of grasses, mora or less valuable for pasturage and hay. In tha western portion, which receives a heavy annual rainfall, a more luxuriant but less nutritive herbage is found. In the Coast Range grasses of many kinds grow very rank, and the coarser species, those adapted to more moisture, are found in their greatest perfection. Among thosa very common in this region are the gly ceria, agropyrum and beckmanla. Theso are adapted to low, moist ground, along streams and In marshes. Wherever tha underbrush Is cleared away along tho streams sufficiently to permit the sun to send his rays to the earth, these grasses will soon make their appearance. Speci mens have been gathered from the Coast Mountains which measure more than six feet in height Several species of wild rye are found in various parts of the state; and, while not so nutritive as some of the smaller grasses, it furnishes a large amount ot pasturage, and is often cut for hay. In Eastern Oregon it grows along the dry creek bottoms, and furnishes considerable Winter pasturage when the smaller grass es are covered with snow. Cheat Is a very common grass grown for hay throughout a large portion of the Willamette Valley. It is sown in tha Fall with almost as much regularity as the wheat crop, and, when cut In season and well cured, makes a very fair quali ty of hay for horses. The average yield is from two to three tons per. acre. Tha chief advantage of growing this grass is that it will produce a crop whur other less hardy grasses would fall. Farmers aro gradually learning that clovers and other grasses make a more nutritious ra tion, and are gradually discarding tho use of cheat Festuca Is a genus which covers a large number of species and varieties which are more or less valuable for pas turage and hay. Many of these grasses are found in Oregon widely distributed. One of the species of this grass has been termed "the great bunch grass." This grass Is the most widely distributed ot any, and is one of the most vigorous, hence its name. It grows in bunches or tussocks, which are difficult to cut with a machine. The grass is too coarse lor sheep: but in Eastern Oregon it is ona of the most Important grasses for horses and cattle. Sheep's fescue, which Includes several varieties. Is a very Important pasture grass, found widely distributed through out the state. It is found at high ele vation in the mountains, and there fur nishes a short, sweet pasturage for sheep and other stock. It is said to be the most wholesome and nutritious grass for sheep and cattle known. It is found growing with considerable vigor in dry, sandy soils. It is a very valuable grass to place In mixtures for permanent pastures. Its fine, short stems and leaves make a thick and firm covering over the ground. Western Oregon Adapted to Fescue. Meadow fescue is a very strong, vigor ous grass, producing excellent pasturage, especially in Fall and Winter, and yields a very good quality of hay. It produces an abundance of seed, and on this account the seed is cheaper than that of many other desirable varieties. The soil and climate of Western Oregon are well adapted to the growth of meadow fescue. This grass occupies a very important place among the grasses used for hay and pasture In England, where a similar cli mate prevails to that ot Western Ore gon. It matures early, so that It might be sown with a mixture of orchard grass and clover. It will yield from two to four tons of hay per acre. It endures dry weather better than the smaller grasses. Tho roots run deeper Into the ground than the roots of many other species. Hard fescue, when thoroughly "estab lished, produces an excellent sod, and considerable pasturage. It Is a valuable grass for pastures in the Willamette Val ley and on the dryer hill pastures. Red fescue grows well during the dry season, producing a fine and very nutri tious pasturage. In forming pastures which will stand the tramping of ani mals, this grass should not be neglected, for It helps to form a thick, dense sod when sown with the coarser varieties. Oryzopsls cuspidata (bunch grass) This Is one of the bunch grasses found in tho eastern part of the state. It thrives In a sandy soil whe-e many ot the mora valu able grasses would not succeed. Glyceria furnishes several species found