Willamette farmer., December 17, 1880, Page 5, Image 5

mjruaKnKS
UHsmmJI.
WILLAMETTE FARMER: PORTLAND, OREGON, DECEMBER if, 1886.
'developed tlie city mado equal growth. For
many years tin Willamette valley was sub
stantially Oregon, and even to-day about
three-fifths of tlio population o( the Stato re
side on tlio waters of tlio Willamette river anil
its tributaries, anil four-fifths of the surplus
wheat of Oregon is shipped from this valloy.
It was also found that vessels could go there
for cargoes, so wo see tlio merchants of Port
land beckoning to the Icommcrce of the world
and steamers, ships and vessels of all degrees
come from every nation and nil the seas to tlio
Columbia, and climb its How and at our
, wharves load produce to feed tlio old world.
Back of the citv. about a milo from tlio river.
is n rango of abrupt hills, and for two miles
anil a hall, between tlio mils ana mo river,
lio tho streets of tlio city and all its merchan
dise and industries. Hero are machino shops,
manufactories of manv kinds, great stores and
warehouses that accommodato a wholesale
trade, and tho manv grades of retail stores,
Tlio residence streets of tho city aro many of
them elegantly built up, and tho luxury of
wealth surrounds those who nave liccn lortu
tiatc. Wo linvo all the modern appliances to in
euro luxury or comfort, and probably the
workman hero secures better wages anil can
live at less cost than in older cities at the
Knst. For two miles tho river front Is lined
with wharves anil warehouses and a fleet of
river steamers como and go continually. It is
truo that our commcrco is subject to soma
difficulties, but 1'rcsidcnt Hayes shows in his
last messago that ho appreciates our situation
Mid urges that tho Columbia needs and de
serves money expended on it as much as tho
Mississippi. Tho fiituri)f Portland is assured
by tho fact that great railroad corporations
center their lines here, nnd it Is positively
decided that tho whole railway system will
focus at this point. Tlicro is already great
wealth hero and it is being rapidly increased
by addition of foreign capital. The city has
now over '.'O.OOO population, n well perfected
and liberally supported free school system, a
score of churches, a good class of private edu
cational institutions, all tho social and com
mercial elements necessary to a well ordered
community, and its growth nnd power must
henceforth correspond with tho status of tho
.whole Columbian region. It is doubtful If
any city in tlio world with tho samo popula
tion Ims ns much actual wealth mid so cxtcn
sivo a commcrco.
W'AMIIINOTON COUNTY.
This county lies West of Multnomah and
South of Columbia, and consists in great part
of tho Tualatin l'laius, a prairio stretch of
country diversified by belting fonsts nnd
running streams, framed in by hills on all
rides, forming ono of tho most attractive sec
tions of tho State, nnd one that wns settled at
n very early day, Such thriving places ns
Hillilioro, Forest Clrovc, Ifcavcrton, Gaston
and Cornelius nio found in this county. It
has many wealthy citizens and fine farms. At
T'orcst Orovo tbo 1'acifio University offers a
- collegiate education to scholars. It is well
endowed and a very successful institution,
connected with which Is an Indian school,
.lately established by tho U, 8. Government
lor tlio education of Indian youth selected
from dillVicut tribes. The laud table 'shows
that 1)0,000 acres of surveyed lauds in this
county aro yet unoccupied. It is no doubt
truo that these aro situated in tho foot hills
and wooded country, but time will make them
valuable. This county has s just prido In
stock matters, and especially in horses, though
it oxccls in all.
CI.M-K.AM.t4 COUNTY
Is situated South of Multnomah, and chiefly
, on tlio Kast sido of tho Willametto river. The
. .surface of tho country is varied and tbo hills
reach clear down to tho Willamette river in
somo places, so tlicro Is only nu occasional
prnirie, but Clackamas has an outcome that
will bo permanent and every year shows its
increased value. One hundred and fifteen
thousand acres of surveyed lauds remain un
occupied nnd much that is unsurvcyed will
-eventually como into demand. Nearness to
market gives especial value to lauds in this
county, nnd transportation by river or rail
road costs but little. The foot hill region,
where tho land hunter would havo to look for
a homo, is moro remote from transportation,
but it is tho most healthy of all, and when
-tho land is reduced to cultivation is of the
best quality. Clackamas, Molalla nnd Pud
ding rivers como down from tho mountains,
and tho ridges between their valleys are popu
lated and fast being reduced to cultivation.
Tlio census shows the possession of a valuahlo
amount of live stock and dairying is extensive
ly carried onj they 1-avo n good proportion of
swine, raise somo corn and a great many pota
toes in tho North end and ou Sandy river bot
tom for tho Portland market. It also stands
second in orchards ami is well calculated for
fruit. Clackamas figures largely in manufac
tured goods because of tho various mills nnd
great woolen factor' located at Oregon City,
at tho Falls of tho Willamette. Tho woolen
mills tlicro turn out an immense- quantity of
cloth, cassimcre, blankets and flannels that
cannot well Ih excelled in quality, and supply
our homo demand as well as are sent to Cali
fornia. Oregon City, which is tho oldest town
in tlio State, is in this county and is its chief
town. Hero is a water power that can utilize,
if required, all tho Summer (low of the Wil
lametto river. The abrupt fall is alwut thirty
feet, and is a very picturcsquo view. The
State lias aided privato capital to construct a
steamboat canal, with permanent locus,
around these falls, at n cost of aliout 8.100,000,
by means of which steamlioat navigation is
continued around tho falls and free competi
tion in transportation insured to tho producers
of the Willametto valley.
YAMHILL COC.NTY.
This county lies W.eat of Clackamas nnd
South of Washington and claims to bo tho
Kden of Oregon. It is a magnificent farming
J region, as can be judged from the census re
turns. This county has somo hilly ranges
through it, but consists chiefly of rolling prai
rio laud that is unoxccllod for production of
wheat and other cereals, and ranks very high,
according to its area, for wheat produced.
This was a favorito region with early settler,
and many made their homes hero in tho forties.
The land office informs us tliat UO.OOO acres
of surveyed laud in Yamhill remains unsettled.
If this is the case it looks as if the immigrant
in search of a homestead could allbrd to inves
tigate its vacant lands. Yamhill county has
many thriving towns and villages, such as
McMinnville, Amity, Sheridan, Dayton, La
fayctto and North Yamhill, and with the
Yamhill nnd Willamette rivers loth naviga
ble, and two lines of railroad through it, the
transportation question has been well solved.
Yamhill stands third in respect to value of
farm products, nnd ranks "No. 1" in every
respect as to noil, productions and nil social
9 qualities. "
xuniox county.
This county is South of Clackamas and East
' of the Willamette, reaching lack in a nar
rower form to the summit of tho Cascades.
The census shows that in 1870 it took the lead
In valuo of products. Crossing Pudding river,
ita North lioundary, wo como upon French
Prairie, twcnty-fivo miles from Portland, nnd
nro in tho heart of tho Willametto valley.
This prairio section reaches from the Willam
etto river to tho foot hills, alout twenty miles
square, and Is covered with an old farming
country. Tlicro aro thriving towns along tho
railroad. After passing through fir timlier
wo como upon Salem Prairie, nnd five miles
brings us to Salem, tho Capital of Oregon, a
beautiful town of nearly fi.OOO inhabitants,
which has churches and schools and all tho
traits of society that distinguish Now England
towns. Willametto University is located here,
ono of tho licst colleges on the Pacific Coast.
A great water power goes though tho town
and d lives several milts nnd factories and will
bo valuable In tho future. To tho Kast of
Salem aro Howell Prairio ami tho thriving
town of Silvcrton, and tho Waldo Hills, a
stretch of high, rolling prairio reaching back
to the foot lulls and unexcelled for beauty ami
ns farming land in tho State. Among tho
foot hills aro ho valleys of Silver creek nnd
the North Santiam and many (Icruinns arc
buying railroad land or locating homesteads in
theso half mountain regions, wlicre tho soil is
wonderfully fertile. South of theso hills wo
come to Santiam Prairio, n splendid farming
country; and for ten miles South of Salem
along tho Willamette, nro tho famous "lied
Hills," which nro so well adapted to wheat
culture that thousands of acres havo been
lately cleared of young oak nnd fir nnd put in
cultivation. Again South of theso is the San
tiam liottom, n rich if not extensivo portion of
tho county. Marlon county possesses vacant
lands in tlio foot hills and in beautiful valleys
that penetrate tho mountains. This is a rich
county, but any person with modcrnto means
can come to this or any other county in tho
Willametto and buy improved farms nt very
reasonable nricc. Fanners of Marion county
havo excellent facilities for transportation!
tho river ns Its West lino is navigable most of
tho year; the Oregon fc California railroad
passes South its wholo length, and a narrow
gauge road is just completed that passes Kast
of all and nearer tho foot hills. So much
competition insures reasonable transportation
charges, Tho towns in tho Southern part of
this county aro Mchama, Sublimity, Auins
ville. Staytou, Marion nnd .letlcrson, and
North of Salem on tho river Is lluttevillc, and
on tho railroad (V). k C. It. H.) nro Aurora,
Hubbard, (lervais and Brooks,
roue COUNTY
Is situated opposite Marion on tho West
tide of tho Wilhmctto; is diversified with ran
ges of hills and licautiful valleys, all fertile
and thickly settled, and dillcrs materially in
character from Yamhill, its rich Northern
neighlior, for it is truo that every county in
tho Willametto valley possesses its own char
acteristics, l'olk has a smaller area of valloy
laud than others, but it is well favored and
equal to any in general prosperity. It nlso
has two railroads and tho river for transporta
tion, and pel haps tho moat valuable portions
of both this mill Yamhill counties nru to bo
found clone up to tho foot hills of tho Coast
Hnngc. In tunc a great portion of this Coast
ltango will lie occupied with settlers, for in
many parts tho rango consists of benches of
great fertility that wfll lie reduced to cultiva
tion when population licgjns to accumulate on
our hands. Along tho river front of Polk wo
find Lincoln, Kola, Independence nnd lliicna
Vista, nnd Kick from itnru Monmouth, Dallas
the County Seat, Kickrcnl, llethel, Zcna mid
other towns. A good collegiate institution is
located at Monmouth. Survoyor-OcncralTol-man
informs us that during tho present season
ho has had surveys extended into tho foot hill
ami mountain-valley region of Polk county,
and surveyors report moro good land than was
supposed to exist in that direction. Tho
truth is, even tho licst settled portions of this
valley havo ncighWiiig mountain valleys ami
bench lauds that aro ot the beat character in
many respects, of which jieople generally nro
In blissful Ignorance. Polk county has nil tho
advantages possessed by any of the Willamette
counties, which is saying a great deal. Tho
valleys of tlio Kickrcal nnd I.tickiamuto aro
favorito portions of Polk county, and much
good fanning laud lies in this county on tho
Southern branches of the Yamhill river.
1IENT11N COUNTY.
South of Polk, on tho coast sldo of tho Wil
lamette, is Denton county, which reaches to
tho ocean, including Yoquina Day, towards
which its fanners and citizens generally look
with hopo that they aro to havo in tho future
a harbor to ship their products. A railroad is
projected from Corvullis to Yoquina, and the
mountain region it traverses is said to lio in
great part nil excellent country. Tlicro is
also much good land over on tho ocean side,
mid tho possibilities of tho future iueludo
many advantages and much progress and de
velopment, l'hu surface of tun county is
varied in even- degree. The valley lands aro
thickly settled along the Willamette and con
stitute tho best agricultural region. King's
Valley, close under the mountains, is a valua
ble ot, ami tho valleys and streams that put
into tho ocean aro to liecomo valuahlo in tho
future. Corv.tlli is tho County Seat and ono
of tho chief towns of the valley. Monroe and
Philomath aro important towns also. Corvnl-
lis is the sitoof tho.Stato Agricultural College
which is a thriving institution, and there is a
college of a sectarian character located at Phi
lomath.
LINN COUNTY.
Tho great prairio county of Western Oregon
lies South of Marion and West of tho Cascade
Mountains. Tho census report speaks for
1870, when rust struck tho Spring wheat upon
her prairies and mined a million bushels of
grain, worth a million dollars, but the present
year Old Linn came to tho front again with
enonnous acreage and iimncue yield. Albany
is the County Seat, located on tho Willamette,
and is one of the very most prosperous towns
in our State, with a wide prairio country all
around it that stretches North and South for
forty miles w ithout a break, It' reaches back
to tlio mountains almost, and beyond it is tho
region of foot dill and mountain valleys
which are unrivaled. Tho branching stream
of tho Santiam reach from the mountains
where they fonn beautiful valleys that aro
actually superior soil to tho prairie portion.
Hack of Scio, in the valleys made by the forks
of tho South Santiam, is a choico country that
will build that placo up with important trade
since it is reached by tlio narrow gaugo rail
road. Drowmville and Lebanon, also touched
by the nan-ow gaugo, have a groat country
Iwtweeu them and tho mountain, and luck of
Lelauon is the Sweet Homo alley tliat
reaches far into the Cascade ltange. There is
a prosperous woolen mill at Itrownsville, and
water power are found almost anywhere, as
they can bo easily conducted from the moun
tain streams by canals, as is tho case at Salem,
Jetfcrwm and Albany. Linn is a magnificent
couuty and possesses tho two railroads that wo
found in Marion ami the river much of the year.
Along the O. & C. It. H. we find Albany, Tan
gent, Shedd; ond HaUcy, and along tho nvcr aro
Albany, Peoria and Harrisburg. Unn is con
sidered tho great agricultural county in est-
cm Oregon, Marion and Lano will rival it,
but Linn will proliably always lead in favora
bio seasons. Wheat growing is tho specialty
here, but the census tables show that other in
terests are not neglected. Much stock is
owned in Linn, nnd ns good slock ns in most
parts of tho State Albany has an oxccllent
water power and n flax mill there utllir.es flax
fiber, grown in Linn county, for tho manufac
ture of all kinds of 1 nen twine, which is a
commencement w o may hopo to see dovclop
into n great industry. Whllo wheat is tho
product raised for export in tho Willametto
valley, wo nlso export heavily of wool, besides
growing oats, hay, vegetables nnd fruits of all
kinds.
LANK COUNTY
Is situated at tho bend of tho Willametto val
ley and reaches from tho Cascade mountains
to tho ocean, with nn area just about equal to
both Linn and Marion, which are tho next
largest of the valley counties. Lane has n
moro diversified character than any other
county. Its prairio reaches are very exten
sive nnd equally fertile. Wo have visited, in
tho Kastcni portion, the farm of our esteemed
fried Hon. M. Wilklns, president of the State
Agricultural Society, where ho and his sons
grow grain, raiso long-woolcd sheep and
Devon cattle ami havo a magnificent farm
that both lies ou the prario and climbs tlio
foot hill. We have also visited tho great
grain farm West of F.ugcnc, of Mr. George
Dclshaw, ono of the most successful of Oregon
farmcis, and whoso reliable experience wo
have often recorded. Our friend John Simp
sonlivca over tho waters of tho Sluslaw, which
enters tho ocean, and other friends of ours
live South of Kugcno where tho succession of
hills nnd valleys we glide past ns wo travel by
train allbrd charming vistas to tho delighted
oyo. Lnno county possesses every variety of
surface soil; mountain nnd foot hill; praries
nml smaller valleys; while over towards tho
coast tlicro is no doubt that much good laud
invites settlement, bum county, ns tho land
tabic shows, possesses nearly three millions of
acres in nrca, only two-fifths of which has
lwcn surveyed, while but n littlo over ono
half of the surveyed land is settled upon. No
doubt it has n great proportion of mountains
!.. a. i.'...ii. .,. :,!.. ,. it. i,i ,i. rii.
(Ill lio iiiiiiv-, mi lb iit.3 iui no iiviiivi iiiu v-w-pooia
ltango that crosses from tlio Cascido
mountains to tno uiast itaiigc, ami lorms ine
divide lictwccn tho Uiiqiqua valley unit tho
Willamette. Tho chief town is Kugciio City,
n beautiful place, n good point for trade, nnd
destined to lio nn educational centre, ns tho
State University is located there nnd is male-
I ing very successful progress, Junction, Irv
' iiij,', Springfield, Cienvcll, Goshen and other
points navo importance, improvcu tanns can
lie purchased in this county nt reasonable
prices, and n county that has so much unoc
cupied land naturally oilers opportunities for
tho stock grower ns there must bo n great ox
tcut ot out range.
tmk wiLLAJiirrrr. vallkv.
Tako tho wholo Pacific Coast from Alaska
to Mexico nnd tlicro is no equal area that
poscssco many genuine attractions nnd nd.
I vantages ns tho Willametto valley. Wo seo
nothing of its peculiar licautics ns wo come up
tho river from Portland for tho first twenty
fivo miles. Portland itself is hemmed in by n
mountain wall that separates it from the
i Klysinu fields of Washington county, to tho
1 Westward; tho Kastcni region of Multhomah
county lielongs moro to tho Columbia than to
. tho Willametto. Washington county, with
I its lovely "plains," is fenced off from the
I main Willametto valley by tho rango of
Chchalcm hills. Yamhill to tho West nnd
Marion to tho Kast, open up, tho travller tlio
I great valley with its charming variety nnd
j over changing landscapes. The valley proper
, is 12.1 miles long, North nml South, from the
hills that guard the Nehalcm ou tho North to
( the Calqwoia mountains on the South. It
saiciy averages uiriy nines in w mm wr utai
distance, ami jiossoascs unusual fertility.
Thro gh nil its length and breadth it is well
wooded nml watered, for tho mountains that
hem it in fccud down from each ravine healthful
streams to refresh it. The succession of hills
ami valleys combines ever' idea of lieauty in
landscape, and I Men itself could not oiler moro
perfect native charms. The mountains that
tramo tho valley with n mggid setting aro in
themselves licautiful, but on if to crown tho
landscape with supernal charms they aru
watched over by snowy ieak, whoso mantle
chango with tho seasons, but never fail to
jkmscis through all tho season an awe inspir
ing presence that can lio seen and felt but
never told. There i no more licautiful coun
try in tho world, uono more permanent in
character, with more fertile ami lasting soil.
As if to make its excellences complete, the
tempcrato climate that excludes vicissitudes
of heat and cold, except at long intervals ami
fur short periods, also insures certiinty of
crops by immunity from drouth. Tho legion
is healthful as well as delightful. It Is so
near tho oc-an that products lienr n fair price.
Great cities will grow to cicato a homo demand,
and ns soon as inanufactiirie can lio estab-
lifiliil lliat linmn tlem.lttil U'tlt iiicrielfti, nml
the abundant water power, that equal auy-V
thing :Scw r.nglaud can otler, will sometime
make it rival New Knglaud's manufacturing
prosperity. This may bo in tho future, but it
cannot lie doubted, Tho native wealth of
this valley lie not only in soil ami climate,
but there aru great uuduvelopcil resources.
Wo do not appreciate tho valuo of the forests
thot clothe the mountains around us; lied of
iron ore oiler untold 'wealth in year to come,
nnd the manufacture of iron has alieady com
menced at Oswego, ou tho Willamette, eight
mile aliovu Portland, where a furnace lias
lieen turning out a very superior quality of
pig iron for a nuniWr of year iat. This ore
is taid lie found in a continuous deiosit that
meets tho Columbia near tho vicinity of St,
Helens. Tho mountains have gold ami silver,
copper and lead, in different place along the
Cascade ltange, and in time thscso resource
will lie made available. Hut these are not
necessary to present prosperity, nor do wo ex
pect to realize them in our day, Tho man
who seeks n now- country naturally desires
that it sliall offer inducement to hi children
nml their children, Tho one diagreealbo fact
to bo urged against it ia that sometimes the
rainy season nro protracted, but the immi
grant from Nebraska or .Minnesota generally
prefers rain to snow and ice, ami rejoice
when Ins stock can Winter with littlo or no
care from him. Wo liclievo stock should lie
fed somo hero in Winter to keep them in
thrifty condition, but only at a trilling expense
comjiarcd with many Northern States. The
rainy seasons insure good crops and constitute
the most healthy ieaon of tho year. Wu
havo only to refer to tho census tallies for ex
plauation of tho product of this valley and
it several counties.
WAEAT CULTl'IlK IV TUB WILLAMETTK.
It has at leant ,1,000 square miles or over
3,000,000 acres of good soil and only two
fifth of this i in any sort of cultivation at the
present time, Only a littlo over ono-tenth of
the aiea of tho valley (2.10,000 acre) was in
wheat in 1S70, and when the possibilities aro
put to the U-t it will lie seen that the pro
duction of this valley can lio vastly increased.
It becomes very evident that whllo it is possi
ble to put in wheat almost tho year round,
the most satisfactory cultivation for preserva
tion of soil and actual profit comes from Summer-fallowed
and Fall-sowed land, which is
certain under favorable conditions to yield .10
to 3.1 bushels, and frequently as much as 4.1
bushels per acre. It is safe to expect thirty
bushels, and tho profit from ono good crop is
nolo than when annual cropping is followed.
During lato years Chinese labor has been
used largely to clear land of small timlicrand
brush to sow to wheat. Many thousands of
acres have liccn cleared by white as well as
Chinese lalior, and production Increased there
by, Mr. Delos Jefferson, about four years
ago spent $lv2 an acre to clear land, had It
well plowed in tho Fall and ngaiu in the
early Spring, and had 41! bushels to tho acre
for the first crop, which ho sold or could havo
sold at $1.0.1 n, bushel, so ho Paid for all his
clearing, and more, too. Ho lives in a tim
bored stretch fivo miles from Salem. He also
showed us a field that he slashed and burned,
sotting wheat in tho ashes nniong tho stumps,
which he brushed over only, without plowing,
and got thirty bushels to the acre, Theso in
stances aro within our knowledge and may lw
remarkable. In tho red hills South of Salem,
tw o years ago, w u cleared oak grub land at n
cost of $14 iier acre, plowed in N'ovcmlier and
sowed in March, white club wheat, and got
twenty-four bushels to tho acre, which was
sold for $1,00 a bushel, so It paid for the
clearing, for cultivation and $'-"0 nu ncro for
rent of tho land. Though this valley cultiva
tion is often indifferent nnd tho yield is ditto.
Good cultivation brings good results. Tlio
averago yield is pulled down by poor farming.
Wu havo many farmers who make wheat
growing a success. Somo years ago wo asked
for information of Mr. J. II. Foster, owner
of well known flouring mills which ho has run
for twenty years at Albany, nnd learned that
for thirteen years ho had averaged to pay Linn
county farmers "3 cents n bushel for their
grain, nnd ho said hundreds of them had
grown rich nt it. During tho past year tho
nvcrago yield of this valley was n grcnt n wo
havo ever known it in thirty years, or nearly
so, nnd while land will dcteriorntu if continu
ally cropped without rest or fertilizing, still it
is truo that lands cropiwd for 111 to 40 years
yet yield well when well treated. Tho clay
formation of this valley secures pennanenco in
tho soil, nnd when wu hear of n piece of land
on French Prario that was first cropped by a
half-breed fifty years ngo, and lias since
yielded nwrly or quite 1,000 bushels to tho
acre in a half century ot continual demand,
b ing nblo to respond with thirty live to the
aero nftcr a Summer-fallow, wu must concludo
that tho soil of the Willamette valley is to bo
depended on, For four years past, nnd until
the present year, wheat has been $1,00 n
bushel, mid with reasonable freights would
now bo 8.1 to 00 cents, but freight to Hug
land nro now GO cents n bushsl, owing to our
largo crop nnd scarcity of tonnage, ncd prices
through the valley have not averaged 7,1 cents.
Wheat farming has certainly been profitable
hero in tho past, and will lio sure to bo in tho
future
VAIllKTir.4 OK WIIKAT.
What Is known ns tho old whito winter
wheat was originally brought hero by tho
Hudson Kay Company, nml is of first quality
and hardly has any equal in Hipular favor,
Whito velvet wheat is proved to lio fully ns
good anil icrhaps more productive. Spring
varieties of whito wheat, such ns Chllo Club,
Littlo Club, Australian, nnd others, nro pop
ular and reliable. A red French wheat, intro
duced some years ago by tho Salem Mills
Vlouring Company is nu excellent variety, but
red wheats aro not generally as valuable for
export, as it is tho peculiar whiteness of Ore
gon wheat and flourthatcomnianilsn premium
in Kuglish markets. There aru many varieties
of wheat experimented with. Wo havo triitl
Golden Crown Club with good success, a small
grain but heavy whito wheat. Tho tMipular
varieties hero aro not those wo read of in
Kaatcm journals oftenest. Ninety day wheat
took a first prize at tho Centennial, and it is
claimed that White Hussiau wheat yields very
largely and is a valuable variety, Tlicro is a
dillerenco in soil in different counties and
wheat from somo sections is pronounced liet
ter quality than other. The, settler will soon
leani from his ncighlioni what their experi
ence has lieeu as to beat varieties andVst
cultivation. Ono thing is jxisitive, tho Wil
lametto Valley grows wheat that I a perfect
Iwrry in all iosH-ct nnd command a fancy
price the Inst price paid in tho world's moat
exacting market.
lllKKKIlKNT COt'RSKH TO SOLIW.
Tho emigrant who comes hero desirous of a
homo in n well organized society and good
country, blessed with great privileges, will
naturally look to tho Willametto Valley, If
ho has money this is a favorito country to lo
cate in. Land of all grade of cultivation and
Improvement i in the market and land agent
in Portland nnd all other town linvo farms
for sale. Take the licst farming lands of
Washington, Yamhill or Marion, und improv
ed farms may In priced nt $10 an acre, nnd
prolably tho improvement will havo coat half
tho sum, Take tho averago fanning laud of
tho Willametto and Prices raiiL'o from Sift to
$'J,1 an aero for good farm, eriiaps not in tho
choicest localities, A man can come Hero with
$1,000 to $10,000 and select accordingly. A
small farm well tilled will not refuse a goo. I
living to a family; timlier and brush land can
lie had, or laud that is part timlier ami part
prairie, or all prairie, nml wld for according
ly. We know of a sectiou of land in Marion
county that could bo divided into four good
fannn, and half of which could Ihi cleared nt a
cost of $.1 00 an acre to grab up the scattered
hazel ou it, and all of it is good grazing laud,
or can easily 1m made so. It ha over $.100
worth of improvement ou it and quite, nn
amount of laud is cleared or doc not need
clearing; it 1 rich valley and foothill soil,
good wooil ami water, and can bo Umght for
$3,000 Wo don't doubt that plenty of land
i for sale at from $3 .7) to ?i 00 nu acre tliat
will soon lio worth $10 to $1,1. This section
of land Is only 13 mile from a railroad depot
by level road. Wo own till laud and wish
to tell it at that price. It is situated in the
foot hill and was part of tho railroad grant.
We rciieat that there is plenty of land for
sale hero ami tho immigrant ha his choice to
locate a homestead or preemption on govern
ment Land in timlier district; or in tho moun
tain valley or foot hill, or to pick and cIiookq
from good improved farm that will cost from
$10 to $10 an acre, according to location or
surroundings,
Tho census table shows that thousands of
farms aru rented, and this suggest that any
good practical farmer can lent a farm in the
Willametto Valley and make it ay well un
der ordinary circumstance. Wu havo know u
men who rented splendid farms to own them
in a few years time, aid for out of the earn
ing. The Northcut brothers aro now wealthy
lanner on French rralne, ami wo remcmliur
when they were renter, not very manv vear
ago. The usual mode, w hen a cash price is
not agreed on, is to rent for a share of tho
crop. Where the owner (unilabe team and
teed ho get lialf. and the renter lias two-
thirds of the crop where he owns his team
an 1 furnishes the seed. Tho man who take
a farm and manage it well ha no trouble to
find ono to rent when ho wants ono, and In
tho mean time ho may loeato a homestead of
his own if ho finds ono worth having.
Tho cost of wheat farming in averago years
is not to exceed $7 (10 an aero for nil expense
of plowing, harrowing seed, harvesting, haul
ing nml threshing, nnd wo call tho rent of the
land to pay interest on its valuo $2 fiO more.
This makes n total of $10 nn ncro at the most
liberal calculation nnd covens all the lalior
rendered and cost incurred. As tho nvcrago
prico of wheat is nearly a dollar a bushel and
tho average yiold twenty bushels nu ncro with
only ordinary cultivation, it will lio seen tlicro
has been n good business, if not a very protita
bio ono. in wheat culture. Wo havo said with
good cultivation, and wo mean it, men who
do not farm well don't succeed better hero
than elsewhere. There is much poor fanninc
done here, too much, and it doesn't pay and
never win.
IN THE TOWNS.
Tho professional man, merchant, mechanic
or lalmrcr, can select his homo in Portland,
that will soon havo a hundred thousand popu
lation, whero real estate is rapidly rising, so
that a residence lot, well situated, fiOxlOO
feet Is worth $l,(i000 to $3,000, or ho can
can chooso among a hundred country towns
that aro favorably located, or ho has tho
country to select from. To lio plain aliout it,
tho man who comes to 1 esteni Oregon or
Washington without money needs a firm will
and muscles that won't readily tiro. Tlicro is
not a dearth oi mechanical lalior hero or
mechanics aro abundant, thouiih thobuhlimr
of railroads will revolutionize tho lalior market
and give occupation to thousands in building
up new towns ami new country nouses, as
well ns in constructim: tho roads and their
equipments. Wo speak moro from tho agri
cultural standpoint than otherwise, If wo
hail manufacturing establishments well under
way. of course tho county would havo in
ducements for all kinds of lalior, All tlio
towns have shops nnd factories in n small way
nml somo of them have foundries and machine
works, finishing work, such ns doors, win
dows, mouldinc. otc.. is found even-where.
and tho nbundniica of lumber nt low prico
maud iiniiiiing inexpensive. I ho wages oi
ordinary mechanics rango from $'J to $3 n
day, masons nnd bricklayers ask more,
Tho city of Portland is full of workshops.
Here we havo a numlicr of foundries nnd iron
works, nml three establishments mnko furni
ture. Our friend Ira F. Powers has an exten
sive furniture factory ou tho river bank in
this city, where ho manufactures nil style ot
furniture to satisfy a demand that crimes from
far and near. Ho canio hero sinco 1870 and
opened a second-hand store, nnd has grown
into a iiusiui-ss mat is n credit to nunscii ns
well ns to tho city nnd State Wo instance
his success to show how live men thrive here.
New industries nru springing up constantly
nnd tho enterprising mechanic who is iiiual to
tho occasion can find openings ami mako his
way hero.
TrtANM-OllTATION 1ACII.1T1K.M.
Tho Willametto Valley is abundantly sup
plied with transportation. Tho Oregon Hall
way nnd Navigation Company has a. lino ol as
line steamer as sail the ocean, running every
fivo days lictwccn Portland ami Han Francisco,
and havo two moro now in courso of construc
tion at Chester, Pennsylvania. They are all
new iron steamers, fitted with every known
convenience nnd improvement. They havo n
largo licet of barges and elegant river steamers
running ou tho water of the Columbia and
Willametto rivers; they own tho locks at tho
fall of the illamette. and aru now construct-
ing n railway from Portland to tho Upper
Columbia. This corimratiou, with million at
their command, havo ruvolutlonlA-il tho pros
pects of the county In tho short tiino of fif
teen months and tlieircnterprise, which seems
uuliouudcil, is Kised as full confidence in tho
future of tlio country, and knowledge of its
undeveloped resource. Wo shall trace their
ojicratious hero mid in Kostehi Oregon moro
fully hereafter.
'1 lio Oregon and California llallroad has
liccn iii operation (longest of all nml has a
direct linu '.HIO miles in length on tho Fast
sldo of the Willamette. Past Salem. Albany
nml Kugcno, und across tho Caliooia range to
Koschurg, in Douglas county, and has alwayi
contemplated the continuation of thu road to
connect with tho Central Pacific at tho Ore
gon linu. It has also a road loading weat from
Portland through Washington county to
Forest Grove, then turning south through
Yamhill, Polk and lteiiton counties to Cor
valll. Tho map shows thu road completed
to Junction, which i not ths case, but n Junc
tion with the east line, in tho upier part of
tho valley, will ho in idu in tlio near future.
These roads nro owned by German capitalist
who have id way treated tho public well ami
have done much to advance thu material inter
ests of Western Oregon,
The Oregoniau Hallway Company, limited,
has niacin an energetic coiiiuimiceiucut fur a
system of narrow 'gauge roads in this valley.
'1 hi coiiquny has it origin in Dundee, Scot
land, and Scotch moiiuy ha built it road
and stand ready to extend them another
year, I-ast year saw tho commencement of
tho narrow gauge system on the Vt est sldo oi
the river, in Yamhill county, and thi year
has seen it extension from tho point of junc
tion ou tho Willametto to Silveitou, Scio,
Ic1iauoii and llrowuvillo. and surveyors aru
now looking out thu licst mss over thu Cas
cade to carry it another your in a direction to
cross the mountains and maku a connection
with thu Nevada Northern at tho Statu line,
near Goose Lake. Tho company's lino to
Portland, ou thu Weat side of the Willamette,
is ou thu map, but not yet constructed. At
present it commerce with thu metroioli is
by mean of a line of steamers on tho Wil
lametto to where the river ia to bo bridged, at
the junction, and thu stem lino to Portland
will Ihi pushed through to a sjieedy comple
tion another year.
Thu Willametto river is naviuablo at hlu-h
water a far up a Kugcue, and generally
through thu whiter to Harrisburg, und ollei
a cheap way of transportation by steamboat.
It win no seen mat una vauey, lony mnea
wide, ha four railroad and a navigable river
through its lieat counties, and couqictitiou in
transportation seem to Ihi (icriuaiieuiiy cer
tain. The river was olwtnictod by abrupt
fall, at Oregon City, twclvo mile aliove
Portland, where thu hill closu in and tho
river worked it wuy through a narrow gorge,
'fills dbatnictioii ha been obviated by tho
contraction of n ship canal and locks, madu
nt gnat cost with masonry, or cut through
solid rock. Ily thi mean steamboat can
pay reasonable till for freight actually cniried,
and comKjtitioii I insured. Thi gient work
lias saved tlio farmer of the Willamette Val
ley alieady, during ten years, an imincuaosuiii
in cheapening transportation.
IKIl'OLAH COUNTY,
South of tho Willametto Valley, after pass
ing by cay grade over the Calipooia rango
that forms its southern lioundary, which is
covered with magnificent fir forest und con
tain much land that will eventually be valu
able, tho Oregon and California Huiliood
wind down into the great Umjiqiia Valley,
which is a region distinct from all other und
posiiig especial valuo for tho production of
sheep and wool. Thi county contain 3,700,
000 acres of area, and has half that quantity
of sun-eyed land. It covers the region drain
ed by tho Umpqua river and its tributaries,
and extends to tho ocean, but its availablo
lands aro found back from tho ocean chiefly,
m tho Umpqua reaches the sea by passing n
fearful canyon, whoro it cuts Its way through
tho coast rango. For Its full width of 75
miles tho railroad and stage road pass nniong
beautiful hills nnd romantic valloys. Coming
down from tho Calipooia rango wo ontor tho
Ynncolla Vnlley, which Is ono of tho most
beautiful nnd fertilo spots in tho State. Tho
valleys aro numerous, though not extensivo,
and are well cultivated, nnd tho hills nro cov
ered wit'i scattering oak groves that stnick
us in 'SI, when wo wcro lresh from Kastoni
States, with their rcscmhlanco to many old
New Kngland npplo orchards. Kvcn then tho
especial beauty and fertility of Yoncnlla valo
had caused tho Applegato brothers, so well
known ns Oregon pioneers, to mako their
homes tlicro to cngago in stock raising. To
day the Umpqua Vnlley has hot ten thousand
inhabitants, whllo it Is larger than nt least
two Kastcrn States nnd has resources to sup
port n heavy population. Tho region may lio
ilcscrib d ns hilly, but tho hill soil is rich nnd
lasting, while tho valleys that nestle, contin
ually among theso hills possess every beauty
nature can give and nro adapted to thogrowth
of all the cereals, including corn, which ripens
with moro certainty than in thu Willamette.
Sinco tho railroad has been completed wheat
farming has grown in importance nnd it will
be seen that Douglas county harvests n largo
crop of oats. It nlso stands third in produc
tion of hay. Tlio stock interests nro para
mount. Sheep husbandry is especially ndapt
cd to this reeion. After his vico-PresIdcntial
campaign in 1800 General Jo Initio retired to
his ranch In tho hills of tlio umpqua and de
voted himself to sheep raising, Tho ex
cellence achieved by Umpqua breeders is
shown by the fact that Umtiqua wool rates
nt tho highest prico paid for wool on this
coast. It commands 'J to 3 cents n pound
moro than Willametto Vnlley wool, nml ft to
7 cents n munil mora than wool grown in
Rastrin Oregnuc Probably this exccllcnco Is
duo Imth to good breeding of sheen nnd ex
cellence of tho tiativo pastures. Thero nro
many quite wealthy men in Douglas county,
made so by farming nml stock raising. Ijnnda
cnu Ik) purchased In favorably locations for a
very reasonable price, and stock ranges can bo
secured for thoso who prefer that business.
The area of unsottled -ovonimcnt land that
has liccn surveyed Is quite largo. This valloy
hai especial attractions 1 1 thu farmer, and tho
fruit grower cannot but like it ICarly vegeta
bles como to tho Portland market from there
nnd command a good pilco. Tho railroad is
completed to lloseburg, which is tlio county
scat and n very thriving place, with oxtentivo
tmdo. Along tlin railroad nro Drain's, Yon
cnlla, Oakland, Wilbur, Koschurg, and on tlio,
stage, road south nro Myrtlo Creek nml Can
youvillo. Scottsburg is nt tho head of navi
gation ou thu Umpqua river nnd tho town of
Gardner is nt its mouth. There nro other
thriving towns in tho county. Wo cannot
givo in a brief sketch anything llko n comptntn
idea of tho iinMirtauco of this groat valley or
depict its topographical features. Wo havo
many subscribers there nnd know tlini they
aru stirring nnd thriving ix-oplu nnd linvo A
couuty possessing wonderful resources.
KOIITIIKUN OIIKIION,
Wo havo paid littlo attention to the pre
cious metals that nro found In tho Willamatto
counties nml to soma extent mined for in tho
Cnscndu range, but w aro coming to a artof
tho Statu that has turned out millions of gold
In thu past and will bo scientifically mined In
tho future Minos nru found in Douglas
county, nud gold pincers have been worked
there. Also there Is n commencement
of development thcru in thu direction
of gold quartz ledges, and wo hear of
rich prospects In tho Cinnabar mluos.
Coal is found in Douglas county, lately dis
covered, said to possess especial value. South
of tho Umpqua mountains wo comu into tho
Itoguo Itiver Valley, which Is lt!i a rich
mining nml farming region. Placer milling is
carried nu extensively in Jackson nml Joso
phliiu counties, nud Jackson county has tho
agricultural imrtion of Itoguo Klvcr Valloy
within its limit. Jackson county has n fair
share of sheep and cattle, and raises some of
the best horses to bu found on tho Pacillo
Coast. Jacksonville and Ashland aro very
thriving places, nnd at the latter a woolen
factory is in successful operation. Tho cli
mate of Itoguo Itiver Valley is wanner than
tho Umpqua, so that corn, sorghum, peaches
and graiie succeed very well, Tho counties
snitli of thu Umpqiit aru not really tributary
to the Columbia river to any great oxtent,
and do nut comu directly within thu scopoof
our puriiosu, which is to describe in a trie
of articles tho Columbian region. Tlio con
struction of tho railroad through Southern
Oregon would wako that section to life anil
prosperity, whilu as yet they are deienilent
chiefly on n homo market ami thu demand
from thu mine for sale (if their ilrodiict.
The stock Interests havo great impartaucu,
because they can bu driven to market.
I.ANh.S OITKIIKII KOIIHAI.K.
lU'sides thu Government laud which aro
offered on thu usual terms,' and constitute tho
great bulk of land unoccupied, it must lie re-
muiuiMired that the htuo oi liregou waa en
titled to two sections in each township for
support of common schools, nud also to fiOO,
000 aero granted originally for aid of publlo
Improvements. Thu Statu has also n uuiveral
tyhnd grunt, laud granted for thu Agricul
tural College) Salt Soring, swamp lands ami
tide and overflowed lands, constituting in tho
aggregate millions of acre, which havu been
selected and looatod by the Statu and aru now
oireied for sale nt price ranging from $1 il to
$' 00 per acre. We cannot givo all particu
lar in thi issue, but alludu to different
clause, of laud so that any stranger who neon
till iiiiier can have a general idea of thu sub
ject. The Oregon and California Hail road Com
pany havu ulo a largo Und grant which they
offer for salo at price averaging $'J M uu aero
for the best, Tlilr laud extend through for
two hundred mile south of Portland, to
Koioburg, covering thu mid section of a ter
ritory varying from 00 to HO mile wide. Tho
grant was made in lfslifl and a thu In-nt valley
land had been claimed before that timu by
actual settlers, thu grant took only unoccu
pied irtion, ami mostly lie in tho foot-hill
region of tho Cascade and Coast mountains.
u shall allude again to theau laud mora
particularly, Whilu thu company's laud aro
rather remote and generally havu to bu clear
ed of more or les timlier or undergrowth, wo
know by personal experience that they
posse great valuo for settlement.
Land grant covering thrcu section to ths
milu havu lieou inado to several wagou ioiuI
companies. One leads from Thu Dalle south
and through thu Kluu inimntiins towurds
lioisu City, in Idaho; another road nurt from
Ktigeuc, across the Cascade mountains by tho
Middle, park of thu Willametto, and south to
tho Klamath country, then follow Sprague
Itiver Valloy to thu east. Still another laud
grant rover a lino from Albany over thu Cas
cade rango by way ot IaiImiioii and nwect
Hume, crosses middlu Oregon and to tho
Idaho lino, a distance of over 300 miles.
These grant now belong to private individu
al or corporation and aru held purely ou
speculation. A land grant also lie on thu
wagon road constructed over tho coast range,
between Corvalli and Yoquina Day, in Den
ton county, Tlicro may bo other gr-iuU wu.
do not call to mind.
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