Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, January 01, 1901, ANNUAL NUMBER 1901, FIRST SECTION, Image 9

Morning Oregonian., January 01, 1901, ANNUAL NUMBER 1901, FIRST SECTION, Page 9, Image 9

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1901)

Prev Page of 36 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (7.0 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 36 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextTHE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1901. I the formation of the country ls suited to the construction of large reservoirs. Art article on agriculture would not be complete without a congratulation to tha O. R. & N. Co. for Its work in reclaiming the "sands along its line. In the hope of providing farmers and stockmen with grasses and forage plants that will fur nish food under conditions of light rain fall, the company has been conducting experiments at several places along its line for over two years. As a result; there are six varieties of grass which, tests have -proved will thrive on the sandy soils of the Inland Empire. These are brome grass, bunch grass, blue grama grass, Turkestan alfalfa, Australian salt bush and rrhlte sage. These will take the place of the native bunch grass, which has been eaten down and tramped out by cattle, and much country now considered worthless will be reclaimed. Areas windswept at all jseasons of the 5 ear and as hot as a desert in Summer, will again be carpeted with green, and under the new conditions stockralslng for market will Increase and an Impetus will be given to dairying. This work has been conducted under the supervision of Colonel R. C. Judson. The Climate of Oregon. The climate or weather conditions of u single city or town are often difficult to describe for readers living in an entirely different climate to understand and thor oughly realize the attractiveness of the climate written about. As a rule only the pleasant things are told, the disa greeable being forgotten or passed over. The" following brief resume of Oregon's ollmate is based on the official Govern ment records. The reader should thor oughly understand the geographical and physical conditions of the state before a study of the climate is undertaken. ' Oregon Is In almost the extreme north western corner of the United States. The northern portion of the state is as far north as St. Paul, Toronto and Portlana, Me. It has a coast line of nearly 400 miles. It extends between 4 degrees ot latitude, the 42d and 46th, and between i degrees of longitude, the 117th and 124 th. It has an area of 96,000 square miles, or about El, 000,000 acres. If each acre were -H VALUE OF OREGON'S AGRICULTURAL PROD UCTS IN 1900. Product 'Wheat, bushels Corn, bushels - Oats, bushels ...,...;.... Hay, tons Potatoes, bushels , Wool, pounds Hops, pounds Barley and. rye, centals. Mohair, pounds Vegetables, hemp, etc. . Total capable of supporting one-tenth the pop ulation that some European countries do, the population would be several millions. As it is, the population Is less than half a million The state has an area equal to the combined area, of the six New Eng land States and New York included. The Immensity of the state in area, should, be kept in mind. Physical Features. The state possesses many of the phys ical features found in Pennsylvania. It has three well-defined ranges of moun tains, the most western being the Coast Range, the second the Cascade Range, ana the third the Blue Mountains. The two former extend from north to south, the latter from, southwest to northeast Tha . Coast Range Is a continuation of theOlym. pic Mountains of Washington The range Is from 10 to 50 miles from the ocean, with a height of from 1000 to 3000 feet East of the Coast Range from 0 to ICO miles Is the Cascade Range. It has an elevation of from 1400 feet upward, ob taining its maximum height on Mount Hood, 11,225 feel high. About 165 miles ZHkSsBbibHIhHIBIbSk 'sSsSk pS-''ftSJ te ?'fi,4SzSP.tSi4SSSsS SfisSssSnSfSfSiSSEKsSEt, ,Sci''&jttMfiHSKMKBHBjlHKjSS5 "SffjPlHiBwBffisnpTTffiEBiiM frA J gMsp 5 3 4 Jl? tJ f" $"' ( i GEMSRAXi VIEW OF A WILLAMETTE VALLEY STOCK FARM. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST TARMS ON MHMtMMHMtMMIMMMMMMMMMMM - II- -islsHWflislsisllHr9tatt' Hfci, "srMfii&Bis3 jBBBBimBBBBBiSSm' jl& HR life-aHfefltim. -'"- if - KaJflHBlHHki pppw-ww- && TAfc, isv. .,... WyimmBHmf mKBBBBBKmwmMBBr south of the Columbia River are the Cal apoolas, connecting the Coast and Cas cade Ranges. South of the Callpoola are numerous mountain ranges, connecting with the two main chains. The BlueMoun talns, really spurs of the Cascades, are in the northeastern part of the state They extend into and form a portion of the mountain chains of Idaho. East ot the Cascades and south of the Columbia River Valley is an undulating plateau, having an elevation of from 1600 to 4000 feet. Between the Cascade and Coast Ranges the country has an elevation lees than 1000 feet in the largest alley, the "Willamette, and also in the valley on the south, the Umpqua. South of this latter valley Is the Rogue River Valley, with an elevation of from 1000 to 2000 feet. West of the Coast range are many small "val- Quantity. Value 15,000.000 2S2.547 3,583 0)32 1,506 316 1,545,069 20,000,000 16,000,000 1,100 000 187.500 5 8,640.000 141,273 1,361,663 10.544,212 494,614 2.600 000 2,140,000 825 000 51362 600,000 $27,198,024 leys and "pockets" of from 100 to 5000 acres. Great Variety of Climate. "Within the State of Oregon one may find a cold region, where frost occurs al most every month of the year, or a mlla region, where frost In midwinter seldom occurs. Tho lofty mountain peaks have perpetual snow, while the country west of the Cascades rarely enjoys a sleigh ride, and snowballs for the joupgsterb are rare. The section west of the Coast Range has rainfall enough to make moss grow on trees In this region the rainfall amounts to from live to eight feet a year, yet fruit, grain ard grass can no where be found to be more luxuriant Between the Coast and Cascade Moun tains the rainfall amounts to from 25 to A HERD OF ANGORA GOATS. WILLAMETTE VAIiLEY EO inches, Increasing from the California line northward. East of the Cascades the rainfall amounts to from 9 to 24 inches, the average for the section being about 14 inches. The year is divided Into two seasons. Summer and Winter. Sum mer begins about June 1 and extends to September 1. During this time little, or no rain falls. The first rains of Winter. THE FARMS NEAR NORTH as a rule, begin In September, but up to the middle of November fair weather la more common than rain From this tlm. to the middle of March the rear rainy season prevails. Rain falls west of the Cascades and rain or snow east of them From March the rainfall rapidly decreases until June, when the dry season again prevails. Dur ing the rainy season there is considerable fair weather, and it is unusual if outdoot work Is suspended for over five consecu tive days at a time The crops of Ore gon, the low death rate, the lowest In tho United States, the rich, highly colored, perfect and great fruit yields, demon strate the desirable climate that 13 to be found In Oregon Snow falls east of thtr Cascades In amount from a few Inches to several feet, but It does not remain on the ground for any great length of time, owing to the warm southerly winds which almost Invariably follow a cold or snow period. These warm winds are known by the name of "chlnook winds," and are produced by what Is scientifically called dynamic heating. They will cause a rlso In temperature of from 20 to 40 degrees, and owing to their dryness, quickly melt the snow and dry the earth. If It weru not for these Chinook winds, a large part of the northwestern portion of the United state would be unfit for agricultural pur poses They so Influence the climatic conditions that a large portion of the otherwise bleak and barren country Is made. Into an Ideal farming and stock country. It Is due. In a very great ex tent to these chlnook winds, that the temperature of this section Is as mlla as It Is, and also It Is the reason that this Is an Ideal stock country. There are no blizzards, no severe snow storms and when Bnow does fall, It remains but a comparatively short time on the ground. Snowfall is always welcome to the stock man, for the balmy breeze soon follows, the snow Is melted and green food on the ranges Is more plentiful and nutritious than before the snow fell The rigorous climate of Idaho, "Wyoming, Montana and adjoining states Is not experienced In Oregon, hence the superior advantages that this state offers to the stockman. The snowfall of "Winter, east of the Cas cades is as welcome to the farmer and miner as to the stockman The snow falling on the Fall-sown wheat Insures the crop for the following vear. The snow melting makes water for the miner 0er the greater portion of the country east of the Cascades 60 per cent of the annual precipitation is in the form of snow. This Is a wise provision of Nature, t- for the moisture occurring during the pe riod when little evaporation takes place, the snow, when melted, goes Into the soil, there conserving all the moisture so nec essary to the crops of the next season. The precipitation Is, as a rule, well dis tributed throughout the various months of the year. The dry season Is not so called because there Is absolutely no rain, e o YAMHILL, OREGON, ARE NOTED FOR but because In a comparative sense there Is none There Is always sufficient pre cipitation along the coast and over the mountain portions of the state to insure good crops There never has been a crop failure In any portion of the state, though in the semi-arid counties especially ti portions of Wasco, Sherman. Gilliam, Morrow and Umatilla Counties, there have been jears when the yield of grain has been materially reduced, owing to In- sufficient moisture In favorable seasons FARMERS HAVE INVESTED THOUSANDS wheat yields of from 40 to 60 bushels per acre are not uncommon, and whole sec tions will yield from 32 to 40 bushels pet acre In unfavorable years, the yield la ruduced to from 8 to 20 bushels per acre. This latter yield Is a good one for many states, but a poor one for Oregon. Rainfall Is copious along the coast, but that condition makes It an Ideal region ilium oy u j. Hicks, Portland. THE PACIFIC COAST. mMStmtm. .TffJTOST .Hit II : b ill iflfjgBliijP fin I jiriSr7rllKBiiTA TlflmwSmrtifrSfl MHMiMsbm'P iEBIBftTT'FWfyMs !?& 1 1 iHBMroiTMM11"" JMwTmMff lit r 1 ff trim' " "Tr it rn r iyffflnlfoMiTiTnrTilrMrmiT auaa3ssiigs ,?...i;..,fcjrtj&:au l? l. e t - 9 THEIR THOROUGHBRED SHEEP. for dairying- products and timber. In this section grass Is green and growing every month of the year, and with im proved communications with the markets, great development in dairying will result. The Willamette Valley, is usually spoke WHEAT AT MORO AWAITING SHIPMENT of as the "Garden Spot of the Wond," and it has well earned Its name The alley contains about 5 000,000 acres of land and In it there can be grown and 1 successfully produced anything that will I grow In the temperato zone. The soil 01 OF DOLLARS IN GOATS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. the valley, as In the greater portion of the state west of the Cascades, Is a veg etable mould, produced by the decaying vegetation of past ages. The Umpqua and Rogue River Valleys, on the south, are peculiarly fruit sections, though grain, grasses and other products grow to perfection Timber is plentiful In all sections, from the summit of the Cascades westward to tide water. The great valleys east of the Cascades are the Columbia River Valloy, the Valley of the Snake, Grand Ronde Valley, Pow der Rive?, Deschutes, John Day, Hood River and numerous smaller vallejs found along the many streams and riv ers. These valleys are Ideal In richness, only requiring sufficient water to make them bloom as the rose The great devel opment In the immediate future will be In the country east of the Cascades. Ss tems of irrigation are being extended, arid water rights, with a sure supply of water can soon be given to many thou sands acres of land, which heretofore ha produced nothing but sagebrush. Grain will grow and leld good crops with an annual precipitation of from 14 Inches and "upward, but fruit, hay, hops and a thou sand and one other products require mote moisture, and this Is gradually being supplied by means of irrigation. The va rious rivers, draining the country east or tthe Cascades contain a vast supply of -water, and a large percentage of this water, which n8W flows to the ocean, ian be utilized for irrigation with the jexpemiiture ot only a small sUm of money, .a small sum when compared with th benefits that will accrue. The temperature of Oregon 4 mild. Th country west of the Cascades seldom has .zero temperature, and even 20 degrees above zero Is rare. Winter succeeds Win rter when 10 degrees below the freezing point Is extreme cold. "In the City of Portland few j ears occur in which during 200 hours of the year the teirfperature ronrVipc nr falls tiplnw thA frpMlnr nntnt KEast of the -Cascades zero temperatures occur very" Winter, with few exceptions. The periods of cold are short, lasting rarejy over 10 days, apd usually they are followed by the balmy chlnook, changing Winter in a few hours- to delightful Spring. The Summers arc not warm. The temperature will rise to 90 degrees every year west of the Cascades and to 100 de grees east of them, but these warm pe riods are not oppressive. With the warmth of Summer the air becomes dry; the warmer It Is the smaller the percent age of relative humidity In the air. The dryness ot the air allows the moisture on the body to evaporate, which produce a cooling of the body and prevents" the debilitating effects of the heat The proximity of the ocean produces the well-known land and sea breeze, so that & Photo by I. J. Hicks, Portland. the nights are always cqoL- The same covering for the bed Is used in many pot Mans of the state for Summer as for Winter. The degree of heat In Summer and cold in Winter is mild In both cases, neither doing Injury and both assisting Photo b W. A. Raymond, Moro, Or. TO PORTLAND FOR EXPORT TO EUROPE. In their way to cause prolific production. There Is an absence of Injurious frosts from May 1 to October 1. Frosts rarely do Injury to fruit bloom in Spring, In fant mnr. ,rie Tiroillrl ha VtAnnflnlal fn it would save the expense made necessary to hand prune the fruit from tho trees. HOMES IN MORROW COUNTY. Lott Priced Lands Offered to the Set tler. Other things being equal, the homeseek er can in no other part of the world find lower-priced lands than in Morrow Coun- THnMHM4MHHMMMMHMHM THOROUGHBRED SHROPSHIRE SHEEP IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 4 ty.' Semi-arTd lands may bo bought -with perfect title as low as GO cents an acre. In the farming and stockraising region unimproved and improved places may b bought at from 12 60 to 17 an acre. A place of 1000 acres, embracing both bench uii R Br and bottom lana", with running water And right on the railroad, is offered at 1$ an acre. Homeseekers can find anything: they want free homesteads, rough ranch es, sheep camps or well-Improved farms with perfect title. Along and near the Columbia River Morrow County has a stretch of land on which tha rainfall la not very heavy. With water upon It In sufficient quantities this- land will pro duoo abundantly. Without water It fur nishes free range to considerable stock. These lands are open to homestead or desert land entry, and some day Irriga tion will make them bloom and blos som. HeRpner is this season handllne 100.000 bushels of wheat, of which tha flouring? mm nas Dougni 3u,wu Dusneis. This wheat is mostly raised in the Eight-Mile and Hardman country, West of Hepner. Tho main farming belt of Morrow lies 'clear across the county to the north of Heppnor. The county, this year has produced 900,000 bushels of wheat The land farmed is ail plateau or slope, entirely free from timber and undergrowth, making farming easier than In many other localities. The Heppner Hills country Is a fine ono for grazing. Nutritious bunchgrass grows luxuriantly, and on it all. kinds of lives f Jo 1: f-d apd fatten, eseclally th& sheep. Here U the home of tho sheep. He thrives. Iht are 300,000 sheep In Morrow County. Lt Spring 95,000 were Bold and taken East nd this Fall 30 000 changed hands locally and remain In the county. In Morrow County last Spring ewe bands raised on Increass of 100 per cent average, as it was a very favorable season. Other seasons they , .ut. ?, will average EO per cent, which shows that this Is the home of the sheep. Heppner Is a great wool center. At present the warehouses contain 2,500,000 pounds, w hlch growers are holding for an advance. Well up toward a million -Photo by I J. Hicks, Portland. pounds of woo Is brought to Heppner ev ery year from adajacent counties on tho south, and here the dealers coma to In spect, buy and snip It Coal, gold and silver have been found in tho southern part of Morrow County, but no practical development work has as yet been done. A steam or electrio line built along Upper Willow Creek woula tap a large body of fine timber. At pres ent Heppner and Morrow County depends Photo b I J. Hicks. Portland. 'i for fuel cm wagon hauling" for 18 miles, from the Blue- Mountains, or on wood brought by rail from the Cascade Moun tains, 130 miles away. J, W. REDLNGTON. Heppner. SEEDS" ..BEE AND POULTRY SUPPLIES. Morth western Agents MANN BONE CUTTERS PORTLAND SEED C. 135 Front Street, Portland, Oregon.