Morning Oregonian., August 12, 1907, Page 13, Image 13

13
THE MORNING OREGONIAN. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1907.
SOME PHASES OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
CHANGE FOR FRUIT
E BIG YIELDS
Clatsop County Should Plant
More Orchards.
Average in Linn County Larger
Than Usual.
1
RAIN IS A GREAT HELP
CONDITIONS ARE SUITABLE
y,
Delays Threshing Few Days, bat
More Than Compensates by Good
Done Threshing Season Much
Shorter Than Formerly.
ALBANY. Or., Aug. 11. (Specill.)
Threshing is now in full swing
throughout this section, and straw-piles
are towering mountain-high where but
a few days ago only scattering shocks
were to be seen. Nearly all the Fall
grain has now been cut, and threshing
of Spring grain will commence tomor
row. The rain of last week has not
resulted In anything other than benefit
to the farmer and agriculturist. A
Blight delay has been caused in the
fields where threshing was in progress,
but this is more than compensated for
by the good which the precipitation
accomplished.
While the Fall crop of grain this
year was not so great because of the
smaller acreage planted, individual
yields In wheat, rye and oats, reported
from different parts of Linn and Ben
ton Counties, Bhow that the percentage
of grain raised to the acre exceeds by
Beveral bushels that of preceding sea
sons. In the past few years farmers
in Linn and Benton Counties have con
tented themselves with yields of from
15 to 20 bushels of wheat to the acre.
This year the average is expected to
exceed 25 bushels.
Some Good Yields.
Among the best wheat yields In this
section so far known is that of A. Hen
shaw, who owns 25 acres of low land
in Benton County, across the Willam
ette River from Albany. When threshed
last week, an average of 50 bushels to
the acre was obtained." F. W. Holmes,
who owns a farm adjacent to that of
Mr. Henshaw, planted 140 acres in
wheat last Fall, and his average yield
was 30 bushels to the acre. Had not
the Willamette River inundated part of
his land during the freshets in April,
Mr. Holmes says his wheat would have
averaged higher than it did. One hun
dred acres in wheat and oats, planted
by F. L. Holmes, another Benton
County farmer living near Albany, will
bring 25 and 40 bushels per acre, re
spectively. Frank Tharp and A. F.
Luther, having farms In Benton County,
also report good yields in grain prod
ucts. The latter gentleman has 60
acres in oats, which he says will run
35 bushels to the acre, and 20 acres In
rye, that will average 20 bushels.
Season Growing Shorter.
The farming section east of Albany
in Linn county and the land sown in
grain adjacent to Lebanon, also show
good yields In grain products this sea
son. M. Bussard, who has just cori
'cluded threshing his Fall wheat, se
cured 25 bushels to the acre. He has
oats which he says will give the re
markable yield of 99 bushels to the acre.
Carl Middlestadt, residing near Leban
on, has 50 acres in oats on rich low
land, that he reports will equal the
expected yield of Mr. Bussard. The
average, however, will not be above 50
bushels.
A noticeable fact is that the thresh
ing season in the Willamette Valley is
now much shorter than formerly. Ten
ind 20 years ago six weeks was not
considered a long harvest, and prior
to this time when headers were in
rogue two months was a reasonable
time. Now, with the introduction of
the modern self-binder In the Valley
grain-growing sections, three weeks
- about winds up the harvest season. An
other thing contributing to the short
ening of the harvest is that farming is
becoming more diversified, and the
once large farms of half a section and
over are now divided Into small tracts.
In place of grain-growing, dairying
and fruit-raising are found to be more
profitable occupations for the farmer.
MAKE WAR OX IXSECT PEST
Experiments In Walla Walla Country
Are Successful.
PULLMAN, Wash., Aug. 11. (Special.)
The experiments in the extermination
of the codling moth, which have been
conducted by R. E. Trumble In the Walla
Walla country, have resulted satisfactor
ily so far as early apples are concerned.
On the ranch of C. L. Whitney, County
Fruit Inspector, the third spraying has
been completed. On one tree a, count of
the apples was made and it was found
that out of 590 apples, only one was
wormy. A neighboring orchard which
had not been attended with such care,
was found to contain 95 per cent wormy
pples. The variety of apple as the
'yellow transparent."
Late apples are now in the same good
condition as the earlier types In the or
chards where consistent spraying has
been done. The final test of the ef
ficiency of spraying as a means of ex
terminating the codling moth will be
found In the condition of the late var
ieties when they ripen In the Fall.
Trumble alse said that the peach "twig
borer" is becoming prevalent In the Wen
a tehee district, where the Experiment
Station is conducting similar experiments
to those carried on at Walla Walla, and
that steps looking towards Its extermi
nation will -have to be taken in a very
short time. This is a pest that bores
Into the twig and kills the peach before
it has time to develop. It Is very likely
that the Department of Entomology at
the State College, will take up the study
and determine the best method of treat
ing this pest during the coining season.
Fine Harvest in Gilliam.
CONDON. Or., Aug. 11. (Special.)
Harvesting is now in full blast. The
crop Is the heaviest ever raised In Gilliam
County. The only returns so far are
from the harvesters, of which several are
at work. Charles 'wilklns. of Cleur, re
ports one flelu of 27 acres making 553
sacks. Another field made ro bushels
per acre. No yields of less than ten sacks
per acre are reported and 15 sacks of
wheat and 20 to 25 sacks of barley seem
to be the common report. This wheat
all grades No. 1. and the sacks will weigh
about 135 pounds each. The weather is
ideal for harvesting and threshing from
stacks will begin this week.
Fatal Accident in Mill.
TILLAMOOK, Or., Aug. 11. (Spe
cial.) E. S. Porter, employed by the
Miami Lumber Company.at Hobslnville,
was caught in the machinery yesterday
afternoon and whirled around by a
shaft, suffering painful injuries, from
which he died this morning.
X-v A
I"?
The city of Gresham Is situated 14 miles east of Portland, on the line
of the Oregon Water Power & Railway Company's road to Estaeada. Gres
ham is where the Multnomah County Fair and Carnival will be held in Oc
tober under direction of the ten Granges of the county. It is the indus
trial center of Eastern Multnomah County and has a population of about
500. Five rural free delivery routes center there and the business transac
tions represent many thousands of dollars each year. The surrounding
country is devoted principally to dairying and potato farming, with a large
aceragc in hay and grain.
GRAIN CROP FALLS DOWN
CLACKAMAS COUNTY YIELD NOT
VP TO LAST YEAR.
Rain Does Some Damage Fruit
Crop Also Small Labor Prob
lem Proving Very Serious.
OREGON CITY, Or., Aug. 11. (Special.)
Heavy rains throughout Clackamas
County during the past week were of no
benefit to the farmers, many of whom
had not finished threshing their grain.
The weather was ideal up to Wednesday,
but the damage was slight on the whole.
The yield of wheat is not so generous as
last year, and though the kernels are
well filled, the average Is not more than
35 bushels to the acre, against 60 bushels
last year. Oats will run as high as 45
bushels to the acre.
The rain has ' materially assisted the
growth of late, sown grain and. the gar
dens. In general the grain crop in Clacka
mas was not nearly so heavy as expected.
This is also true of fruit, with the ex
ception of the egg plum and the Damas
cus and Bradshaw plums, and the pear
and grape crops. The grape vines In
the vicinity of Mllwaukle are doing well
and tlie pear trees are heavily laden.
The peach crop, will be fair, but the
prunes and apples will be very short.
Peach plums are already out of market
but brought good figures. The early
varieties of apples are exceedingly scarce,
and Red Astrachan and Gravensteins are
bringing a wholesale price of 11.25 per
box. The prune crop will be curtailed
throughout the county.
Every succeeding year sees more
acreage in gardens, and the supply of
vegetables for the local and Portland
markets is increasing annually. Thomas
Eaden residing ten miles up the Clacka
mas, has over 15 acres In vegetables, and
will supply the Portland markets with
more than 600 sacks of potatoes this year.
His potatoes last year sold for l.lfl per
sack. All kinds of fresh vegetables are
now in great demand and it is freely pre
dicted that a portion of Clackamas County
will be Portland's back door for a fresh
vegetable supply, as well as for dairy
products.
Help Hard to Get. -
The old problem of hired help on the
farm again faces the ranchers this year
and is becoming more and more serious.
In some localities the farmers were forced
to go out and work for their neighbors,
receiving assistance in return. Only in
this manner were the crops harvested.
The plan of doing nothing to the crop
after it is planted, and placing me
harvesting of it In the hands of people
who make a business of going from place
to place with their huge and well equipped
machines is growing to be popular be
cause of necessity. The demand for labor
several years ago commenced to cripple
the farmer and now it is spreading to
small manufacturing lines and has
reached the country sawmills, where it
is reported that laborers are very in
dependent, working when they choose and
laying off when not in the humor to
work, and if their employer does not
like the kind of treatment he is getting
he has no recourse, for the men will
simply leave and a few miles further on
they will find a manufacturer fvho is glad
to have their services. x
Made Money in .Sawmill.
W. A. Shaver, who sold his sawmill
business last week, said he never knew
how many of his crew of men would ap
pear for work on Monday mornings. Mr.
Shaver's experience in the sawmill busi
ness was profitable, however, notwith
standing the labor difficulty. He says
any man with a little capital can make
money If he is shrewd enough to hit the
right thing at the right time. Mr. Shaver
is a well-known cattle man or the Molalla
country and is probably one of the largest
producers of beef cattle in Clackamas
County. About one year ago he turned
his attention to lumbering and logging,
just because he thought there was money
to be made, and also because he found
a good buy. He accumulated 5.CO0.00O feet
of timber and sold It for just double the
amount he paid for it. ana cleared $10,000
in a year on his deal.
He sold his mill property last Wednea-
4 -tJv,
s- :. txZSci,; " '.i'JK." 1 '
ii. ' 'Sv.: Vu.5IB ii-.-t."ni':,T
day to W. C. Noon of the Noon Bay Com
pany of Portland for 110,000. The unwill
ingness of laborers to work in the wood
camps is the cause of high price of fuel,
according to Mr. Shaver. The work in
sawmill and other manufacturing lines
is not so arduous as it is in the wood
camps. KLAMATH TO SHOW CONGRESS
Irrigation District Plans Exhibit at
Sacramento Convention.
KLAMATH FALLS, Or., Aug. 11.
(Special.) There will be some effective
publicity of the Klamath irrigation
project at the National Irrigation Con
gress, at Sacramento, in which the peo
ple of this community have united with
an enthusiasm that is characteristic of
this rapidly developing section of the
?tate. Last year at Boise the Klamath
delegation was largely instrumental
in securing the session of 1897 for
Sacramento by diligent work when the
contest was waxing warm with James
town In the- lead. This year Kiamam
will be represented by a delegation of
probably not less than 50 and in . ad
dition there is a strong sentiment in
favor of raising the additional fund
that may be necessary to send the
Klamath Falls band to attract atten
tion of the visitors to the great
Klamath country.
Under the auspices of the Chamber of
Commerce, the preparations Tor the ex
hibit were placed in the hands of a
committee composed of Judge George
T. Baldwin, Alex Martin, Jr., and Frank
Ira White and upwards of J1200 has
been raised to defray the expense of
an agricultural exhibit which will be
used at Sacramento and then moved
to the Oregon State Fair- at Salem and
a portion afterwards installed at the
permanent exhibit of the Portland
Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the general exhibit,
the attractions for the visitor from
points east of the Rocky Mountains
will include relief maps of the Klamath
project, various manufactured articles
from" mills and plants of the basin,
samples of woods cut in the forests of
the Eastern slope, and a choice collec
tion of the handiwork of the Klamath
and Modoc Indians. These tribes excel
in basketry and weaving and their
work is not so abundant as to be common-
even to connoisseurs of such
articles.
Money in Growing Cabbage.
GARFIELD, Wash.. Aug. 11. (Spe
cial.) J. B. Luklns, whose farm joins
Garfield, says there is money in rais
ing cabbage. "Last rear," said Mr.
Luklns, "I planted one-third of an acre
to cabbage and after havlrg all the
family wanted to use I sold 62 worth.
I also gave several of my friends, who
did not raise cabbage, all they needed
for their Winter's use. I sold my cab
bage .at 1 cent a pound, and had I kept
them until Winter could have readily
sold the entire lot at 2 cents a pound,
but at the low rate that the cabbage
were sold for they brought me $186 an
acre, not counting what I kept and
gave away."
Apple Crop Light in Linn.
. ALBANY. Or.. . Aug. ll.-(Special.)
That the npple crop in this part of the
state will be light Is the estimate of
local growers. Many assert that in
some localities there will not be more
than half a crop. Different causes are
assigned for this condition. Though
there has been much more spraying in
this part of the state than ever before,
parasites a-e doing some damage.
This is particularly true in some places
in Benton County, just across the Wil
lamette River from Albany. The apple
crop Is the only yield of any kind In
this vicinity which is reported light.
There have been abundant yields of all
other kinds of fruits and grains.
Good Yield In Horse Heaven.
NORTH YAKIMA, Wash., Aug. 11.
(Special.) S. J. Harrison, president of
the Mabton Bank, estimates the wheat
crop which will be shipped from that
point including the Horse Heaven
country at 400.000 bushels. This is the
first year that anything like general
cultivation has been attempted by the
farmt.rs and the weather has been
vers favorable to the crops; owing to
the rains. -The average yield per acre
is 20 bushels.
J- ?
- POWELL VALLEY AND
CITY OF GRESHAM.
MAY GROW ALFALFA SEED
EXPERT SAYS GROUND IN OR
CHARDS SHOULD BE USED.
Clean Cultivation Between Trees Is
Held by Profehsor Piper to
Be a Mistake.
NORTH YAKIMA, Wash., Aug. 11.
(Special.) That the clean cultivation of
orchards as practiced in this valley is a
mistake, and that this country is par
ticularly suited for the production of al
falfa seed, are two opinions . expressed
today by Professor C. V. Piper, agrostol
ogist of the United States Department of
Agriculture, who has been in the valley
for some time experimenting and investi
gating. Professor Piper says:
"In co-operation with F. Walden, the
orohadlst of Zlllah. I am conducting some
interesting experiments with various
leguminous plants as cover crops. I
have long been convinced that the clean
culture of orchards, excepting where it is
necessary to conserve moisture, is a mis
take. Careful experiments in the East,
where moisture is abundant, have clearly
shown that orchards, allowed to grow
weeds, or better, planted with some
leguminous crop, thrive better than those
which are clean cultivated.
"'The heason is two-fold. First, the
continuous culture of an orchard destroys
great numbers of the small feeding roots
of the fruit trees, and second, ti.e weeds
or other cover crops, when plowed under,
maintain the humus in the soil and keep
up the supply of nitrogen.
"While Yakima soils are wonderfully
fertile they are deficient In humus and
the need of nitrogen will be quickly felt.
In this valley there are a number of
legumes that can be utilize . and with the
abundant supply of water can be so man
aged that they will reseed themselves.
Among tne available plants that have
been tried are alfalfa, sweet, red and
crimson clovers, yellow trefoil and hairy
vetch. The plant selected should not be
of such a character as to choke the ir
rigation channels and it should perpetu
ate itself so that re-seeding is necessary
only at long intervals. From my pres
ent knowledge I am inclined to think that
red clover, mixed with yellow trefoil,
will prove most satisfactory. If desired,
these crops may be pastured, using the
proper precautions to protect the trees.
While the growing of legumes in or
chards may result in the increase of the
amount of water required, I am convinced
that the practice will be found to be so
beneficial as to be generally adopted.
"I am greatly Interested In the propo
sition to increase the crop of American
alfalfa seed. At the present time im
mense quantities are imported each year
from Europe and the importations keep
increasing. All the conditions are most
favorable in this -country for the raising
of alfalfa seed and I believe the yield
would be large and of prime quality. I
see no reason why this seed should not
be raised in large quantities in the Yak
ima Valley and at a handsome profit ta
the grower."
WHEAT YIELD IS EXCELLENT
Farmers of , Umatilla Hold Crop for
, Better Prices.
PENDLETON. Or., Aug. 11. (Spe
cial.) What is perhaps the largest
yield of wheat ever harvested in this
or any other county, is reported by T.
J. Kirk, of Athena, one of the prom
inent men of the county, who was in
Pendleton today. He says that one of
.lis large fields made an average of
more than 67 bushels to the acre.
Theio have been a number of yields
reported that made an average of 66
bushels, and at least one of these was
on a half-section field. That the aver
age for the entire section of country of
which Athena, Helix, Adams, Myrlck
and the reservation are the centers, will
equal 40 bushels, there is no doubt.
Not only is the yield throughout the
county probably the heaviest ever har
vested, but the quality is exceptionally
fine. The standard test for the first
grade is 58 and the poorest sample
shown in Pendleton this season tested
:
1.
The grounds chosen for the coming fair are situated between the Bap
tist Church and Grange Hall, both of which may be seen in the left fore
ground. The tract comprises about ten acres. Johnson Creek, a portion of
which is to be seen in the picture, runs through the grounds. Buildings and
stock sheds will be erected by the business men of Gresham and the
Grange Hall will be used for evening entertainments and institute work
during the fair.
Powell Valley is about four miles in length and two in width. The Co
lumbia River can be seen in the distance with Mount St. Helens and Mount
Adams beyond. The photograph was taken from Gresham Butte.
5SH. while the average has been above
60 and some have gone as high as 63.
So far the farmers have not shown
much anxiety to sell, being rather in
clined to hold for 75 cents, which Is
about 6 cents better than the market
price here. Most of the buying so far
has been done by the mills which are
In a position to pay 2 or 3 cents more
per bushel than the regular grain
buyers..
COYOTE IS EXTINCT IN LINN
Farmers Wage Relentless War on
Thieving "Varmints."
ALBANY, Or., Aug. 11. (Special.) As
a result of the efforts of the Different"
coyote clubs in eastern Lynn county,
this part of the state Is now practically
free from coyotes. The "varmints" seem
to have been exterminated.
Several years ago when a state bounty
was in vogue, all of the coyotes in Linn
County were believed to have been killed.
It was very seldom that one of the ani
mals was seen. But later the coyotes
began to appear and within the past
turee years they have been numerous
enough to cause consideraole damage on
foothill ranches and seemed to be grow
ing more plentiful every year.
The abolition of the state bounty was
believed to be the cause of this condition
and the farmers In the eastern part of
Linn County began forming clubs for pro
tection. In one club each member con
tplbuted 25 cents every ..me a coyote was
killed and the bounty amounted at times
to $16 on each coyote. Another club paid
a bounty of $10 on each coyote and the
county has been paying one dollar for
each scalp. "
These bounties made it profitable to
kill the animals and a warfare has been
waged the past two years which has re
sulted in almost a practical extermina
tion of the "varmint ."
BARLEY BRINGS MUCH MONEY
Estimated $1,000,000 Will Be Put
Into Circulation Around Dayton.
DAYTON, Wash., .Aug. 11. (Spe
cial.) The farmers of this vicinity
have been taking advantage of the high
price offered for barley which has been
and is $1, and in some cases $1.25 per
100 pounds. It has been' estimated that
there will be a total yield of 800,000
sacks of barley alone. If this is true,
and with the wheat crop, there will be
nearly $1,0)0,000 in circulation in this
vicinity during the coming FaU. Fol
lowing are the names of the principal
grain buyers and the number of sacks
of barley each has bought: Corbett
Brothers, 120,000 sacks; Kerr-Glfford
Company, 120,000 sacks; Interior Ware
house Company, 80,000 sacks; C. J.
Broughton, 75,000 sacks; Portland Mill
Company, 60,000 sacks; Joe Fair, 10,000
sacks. This makes a total of 465,000
sacks.
STORM STOPS THE HARVEST
No Damage Down In Whitman Coun
ty, but More Rain Threatens.
COLFAX, Wash., Aug. 11. (Spe
cial.) AH harvest work Is suspended
around Colfax and Whitman County in
general. Seymour Manning, manager of
the Northwestern Warehouse Company,
and B. F. Owsley, manager for Kerr,
Gifford & Company, say no damage has
been done by the rain at present time.
Red Russian wheat is in the most dan
ger, and should another rain start,
which is threatening today, .damage
would be done at once by bleaching.
The drizzling downpour with no wind
saved much damage, as a driving rain
would have put many heavy fields on
the ground. Should the weather clear
at once some would commence harvest
by Sunday --afternoon using combined
machines. Threshing from the shock
would not be resumed before Monday.
The rain has been a benefit to late
wheat, alfalfa, oats and stock interests.
Potter Schedule for Beach.
The steamer Potter will sail from
Portland, Ash-street dock, Monday,
August 12, 8 A. M.; Tuesday, 8 A. M.;
Wednesday and Thursday, 9 A. M.;
Saturday 1 P. M. Get' tickets and
make reservations at city ticket of
fice Third and Washington streets. C.
W. Stinger, city ticket agent.
T; ' """." y
Photograph by I A. Taylor.
MUSTARD IS GREAT PEST
"JIM HILL" VARIETY WORRIES
PALOUSE FARMERS.
Wheat Fields Are Invaded by Weed
Brought From the Dakotas
In Seed.
FARMING-TON. Wash., Aug. 11. (Spe
cial.) There is great excitement over
"Jim Hill mustard" in the Palouse coun
try and the farmers are exercised over
the advent of the weed. There has never
been any of this mustard seen here until
this year, but In Adams and Lincoln
Counties and In Douglas County it has
been established for several years and
is a great pest to the wheat-growers of
those districts. There is a state law in
effect imposing a severe penalty on those
who fall to destroy the weed.
"Jim Hill mustard" is not yet estab
lished in the Palouse but the farmers say
If drastic measures are not taken to ex
terminate It as fast as It appears, there
will be a plague of mis weeu tnat will
be worse than the Canadian thistle or
the white mustard. Senator McCroskey,
of Garfield: Phill Cox. of Colfax: Edward
Byrne, of LaDow, and many other prom
inent Whitman County farmers believe
that war should be made upon the mus
tard as soon as it appears.
The farmers are of the opinion that the
county Officials should take the matter
In hand, and with the co-operation of the
wheatgrowers and farmers. the weed
would soon be driven out of the country
The mustard is exceeding difficult to
destroy, and when ripe it Is easily blown
over the fields after a heavy wind breaks
It off near the roots, and the seed is scat
tered broadcast. The seeds from . one
stalk are sufficient to thoroughly seed a
quarter section of land. Down in the
lower part of Whitman County this mus
tard is getting a foothold, having ap
peared at Lacross and the Hay Station
country at least two years ago. The
farmers say there that the plant has ap
peared not only In the hill districts, but
also In the lowlands and flats and that
the plant Is exceedingly hardy and the
pods ripen even after the stalk Is broken
down In the green stage. The seeds are
also hardy and will retain their vitality
for mony years.
The plant when broken off, rolls across
the country or wheat fields, sowing the
seeds in its path. The course of a plant
driven across the wheat field by the wind
may be traced the next season uy a row
of young plants.. The blossoms are of a
yellowishacolor and the seeds are usually
ripe when the wheat is ready to cut.
Many of the farmers here in the Pal
ouse are destroying the mustard plants
by pulling them up by the roots, but In
most cases they are allowing them to go
to seed. But to get this pest extermi
nated the farmers have a fight on tnelr
hands.
For many years "Jim Hill mustard"
has flourished in the Eastern states and
especially in the DaKotas, where thous
ands of acres of wheat is ruined by the
pest annually. It was not known In the
West until the Great Northern road was
built, and Is supposed t. have come here
mixed with seed-wheat. It derives Its
name from the president of ..u Great
Northern, as it made Its first appearance
in this state in the wheat counties trav
ersed by the Hill road.
Ready to Harvest Prune Crop.
VANCOUVER. Wash., Aug. 11. Ope
cial.) The prune growers of Clarke
County are busy repaii.ng their dryers
and getting everything In readiness for
the care of the fine crop of prunes which
they will hav-e if everything proves as
expected. Pickers are being sought for
the handling of the crop, and every one
who wants work of this kind can be as
sured that they will have all the work
they desire. Many farmers are contract
ing for their help now as it Is feared
there will be a scarcity after the harvest
is started and that perhaps they will not
be able to secure help enough to properly
take care of the crop. Prune growers
generally express themselves as being
enthusiastic over the prospects this sea
son as prices promise to be good.
"Always tired" describes a dangerous
condition. Hood's Sarsaparilla will give
0'i strencth.
W. K Newell Tells Dwellers by the
Sea That Their Soil and CI1- '
mate Will Grow Splen
did Apples.
ASTORIA. Or., Aug. 11. (Special.)
Th la no reason why Clatsop County
should not be among the leading fruit
raising counties of the state." That is
the statement of W. K. Newell, of Gas
ton. Oregon, president of the state tsoara
of Horticulture, who recently made a
visit to msDect the orchards in this vi
cinity and to advise the farmers relative
to the best methods of ridding tne trees
of fruit pests. Mr. Newell was especially
well pleased with the condition or tne
orchards in this district. considering
that practically no attention has oeen
paid to them, and says the people do not
realize the opportunity there Is here for
engaging in fruit-raising.
Mr. Newel said: "That statement may
sound strange to people who apparently
think dairying Is the only branch ot
farming that can be successfully fol
lowed here, but it is a fact. Just the
same, and one ?hich you Astorians
should not fail to impress upon the
minds of home-seekers, who are coming
from the Eastern and Middle Western
States to make their homes on this
Coast.,
I cfo not mean to say that peaches or
classes of fruit like that can be grown
here to advantage, but there Is no place
on the Pacific Coast better adapted for
the growing of apples, especially Graven
steins and Baldwins, pears and all varie
ties of small fruits than on the uplands
in Clatsop County. In the first place, you
have the most equable climate of any
section of the state, without the extremes
of heat and cold, and for that reason
you are cursed with fewer fruit pests
than are we who reside in the warmer
sections.
Fungi Only Foes of Fruit.
T find upon investigation that the
only pests with which orchardlsts must
contend in Clatsop County are fungus
diseases and there Is practically no trou
ble with insests. There is no codling
moth or San Jose scale here, although
these are the greatest enemies with which
fruit-raisers more remote from the Coast
are obliged to contend. What you do
have, however, are the scab "dead spot
and at times the caterpillar, but these
pests are not difficult to keep in check.
For Instance, the 'dead spot can be erad
icated by spraying trees with what is
known as the Bordeaux mixture in the
Fall, after the fruit has been picked.
The treatment for scab is spraying with
the same mixture, but in the Spring. Just
as the buds are swelling, and again im
mediately after the dropping of the blos
soms. If there is still a trace of the
disease, the trees should be sprayed the
third time about three weeks later. This
may appear expensive, but it is nothing
when you consider that in the section of
the state where I live we are compelled
to spray our tres five or six times a year
to kill the insects. For caterpillars the
best method is to look over the trees in
the early Spring when the first signs of
the nests appear, cut off the twigs on
which the nests are built and burn them.
The trees may also be sprayed with a
solution of arsenate of lead.
Pleased With Orchards.
"This is the first time I ever visited
the farming districts of this county and
I can truthfully say I was agreeably sur
prised at the showing made in the or
chards. I saw trees containing fully 25
boxes each of Gravenstein apples that
would have been worth not less than a
dollar a box. except that because of neg
lect much of the fruit Is affected with
scab. Had those trees been sprayed at
a cost of not to exceed two bits each,
the owners could have reaped a harvest
from every tree that would have brought
$25 in the markets. The apples grow as
well here as they do in what are known
as the fruit counties of the state, but
they are about one week later.
"I picked, in the Lewis and Clark sec
tion, some of the finest raspberries that
I ever saw in my life, and one advantage
which this district has over other parts
of the state in this regard is that your
raspberries are now Just in their prime,
whereas the crop in the districts further
east is at an end. The Portland market
Is bare of this fruit and it would find
a ready sale at from $1.25 to $1.50 a crate.
Huckleberries, too. grow in profusion
here, and I plucked a bunch to take home
with me. It beat anything of the kind
1 ever saw.
"As to strawberries, well, the counties
along the Coast offer opportunities which
cannot be found anywhere else for an In
dustry that is a great wealth-producer.
I refer to the raising of a ,late crop that
will ripen during the latter part of Aug
ust and September. This can be done in
the rich sandy soil along the Coast and
nowhere else. Several people In the vi
cinity of Ocean View, on the north beach,
are raising these berries, and they have
contracts in Portland for all they can
grow at $6 per crate. To raise these late
berries all that is necessary is to set the
plants out early in the Spring and then
crowd their growth by cultivation so that
they will bear fruit the first year. Of
course, new plants must be set each
year, but that Is far less labor than
keeping the weeds out of an old bed. es
pecially where weeds and grasses grow so
rapidly and rank as they do here. In
conclusion I desire to urge your people
to engage more extensively in fruit-
growing, as it is an industry that can
easily be made to return many thousands
of dollars annually to Clatsop County."
Threshing Begins at Gresham.
GRESHAM. Or.. Aug. ll.-(Special)-Threshing
began here yesterdav, the first
run being on the Stanley Brothers' farms.
From now on, for the next two rrjonths,
there will be four i ichlnos in constant
operation throughout the eastern sections
of Multnomah and Clackamas Counties.
Those in charge of the threshers say tne
grain yield will not be quite so heavy
this year as It was last, probably 15 per
cent lighter, but that tnelr two months'
work will be equally as profltaole because
of the shortness of the traw. Last year
the grain-grew very rank, necessitating
much more labor than It will this year
in handling it. The grain ; .jld this year
for Multnomah County is est mated at
300,000 bushels, mostly oats of a superior
quality.
Haying was finished a week ago. the
yield being about 20 per cent less than
last year. -uch of it has already been
sold, especially the surplus, vmch is be
ing baled from stacks in the fields. Last
year the surplus was about 20.000 tons.
T..is year it will be abo-it alf that
amount, but the higher prices will offset
the shortage.