Willamette farmer., January 14, 1881, Image 1

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VOL. XII.
TO OUR READERS.
Me lift c leal tnuiiy llinuaiitiil tlnllnr Ii)
llir rrulll a) (arm, autl tonal ilii limine
kerrnflrr mi n null Inula.
Mr wrro InirncU mil lnt HprliiBiiml alnrr
thru Imvr piiaaril (lirouuli very linnl llnira,
Thr niiijiirll) ufniir aiiliarrlptlnii expire
durliiic llir lull nml In .Intiiiurj, mill ucnk
our Olrnila in Im in prompt ns inallilr In
inking renewals,
Bf lire smiling out iiiillrra.il rxplrulliina,
ami If nil) mistake Inn nrrnrril ptriiar In
form ua no Hint r ran mnlte nrrraaur) rur
rt.llon,
SHEEP ANI WOOL.
Sheep Husbandry In (ho Col
tiniltlii Uolon.
Wo publish this week tlirco sovcrnl commu
nications, fmin experienced Wool (I row cm,
tli.it cocr tliu entlro ground of sheep husband
ry nnd wool-growing in tho Columbian Valley.
Tliu editorial comments tli.it nceomiiany each
nro nil that Is needed nml tlio subject could
not Ikj left to lictter linmls. Wo liavc sought
to furnlsli practical informntlon concerning
ono of tliu great nml most productive indtis
trios wo linva mid in had secured tlieao ex
proiiions from practical men t li havu made
a success of it. Hon. Jolin Jlinto, who ii n
self-made nun, well-known ns n pioneer and
whoso ii.iiuo is familiar in our political lijitory,
resides at Salem nnd is n practical breeder of
Merino sheep; Hon. A. J, Dufci represented
Oregon ns Commissioner for Oregon at the
Centennial; while ho resides nt present nt
Kist Portland, enjoying well-earned ivpotv,
his sons have largo Hocks in Wasco county
ml make a mire success as wool-grow erst tlio
I.1S l""!" n runilMint 1rrtlmnmr-liMv
jwucticnt knowledge of sheep and wool covers
tliu outltu ground of discussion.
SHEEP AND WOOL IN OREGON.
History of Importing and Drooiilne Sheop, and
Wool Crowing In Oregon, With
Its Prosjnt Status.
nv iiov, jiiiix iitvro.
aVOlE Oil account of wsti) Kroaarrrurs illacoierril
to Itr. Mlnlo'a artltlo, imiatil Uy our coinajaltors, we
Ictl obllznl to npiil.ll.li t r .u.
Tho first sheep brought to Oregon, were
dricn from California by an'Amcricnu named
Lease, m I8.1S, and there is soma reason to
bclievo that ho mailo n second drive in ISIU.
They wcro light bodied, dry fltcccil, kempy,
Mid inferior sheep. In 1811, .Mr. Joshua
Shaw, nnd his son A. C. It. Shaw, brought
tho first few across thu plains from Missouri.
In 18." a Mr. Held brought n lot of good
sneep across the plains, in IMS, .Mr. Joseph
II Wutt, of Amity, brought ,1.10 head, consider
1 ably infiitcd with Saxony merino blood, and
among them weiu 5 lams and 'J ewe that were
puro Saxony and six high grade Spanish
merino uwes. In ISM Hiram Smith brought
some full blooded Spanish merinos, I nevtrwns
informed ua to tho number. In 18.11 Dr.
Toluiic, of tho Puget Sound Agricultural
Company drovu into the Willamette valley,
somo J...O0 head, lUsecndaut of I.easo's Call
firnia sheep that caino in lSItS. amoni! wliidi
Uwcro somo pure, or nearly pine. Smith Doh in,
Tjli i.atf m nml t.t(ii.d In K'.w Mn.t.
lesno In ought ill 2(1 head of Mae.ither Austrn
liin Merinos that wero imported into
San I'runciscii by .1. II. Willums. L'. S.
Consulut Sidney in I SI". In IS-Vl It. C. (leer,
of Waldo lulls uuiioited Suuthdowiis of tho
famous Joiuu Webli lirtcilin '. In IbliOIEock.
.n .i. l. .,...1 i.'....i. ..'...i ..' i.
Q-j ".l ,v ,.i ,,,.- llllni, ivl 4 IVIIVII li iaill.U
rfi Mirinoa from iimont. Later In tho same
f year Jew ctt li Imm brought in somo pure
nun .oiuu graueii i reucu merinos, in imii
Donald .Mi.Un.1 brought ISO thorouihhred
Snanlah merinos fnuu Vtrmont oci-om tlit
plalus. In lMil.lolm D. l'attersnu liiiKrtel
; nun sum in uro'oii, rreiivll ami .lkim.li inuil
j nos. Mr. JohiiCogswelliuiportul.VewOxforil-
011,19 411,11 41rtlllllll'.llll . JIIKltll 1CHII, mill
out tlio 84iiid data lion. lien burk imported
niuL'lo CoUmoM ram. Siuto that date the
.to Jonl, ilolmau. Mr. Wilkin of Ohio.
'nomas Cross, Mr. Wilkius, S. (!. Hied, and
ithershaoiuiMirteil Cotiwoldsand Uiccters
from tho Atlautio side, and James Cameron
I otiitni lave imported from iew Cualand
Australia. Of later ilatu there liavu luu
iuiportations and sales of merinos by Juwett
and Munson, l'eter Suxo & Sous, Severance
.t IVtt, and Mrs. Illacow. Xiarly all tho
sheep imported to Oiegoit of lato wcro Span
ish or American imported merinos, except
thoaeteut here by Mrs. lilacow, which wero
of th largest anil highest keptstlo of Freuth
Sous of Dufur. samo count v. who liavo stock
of my brt-edins, and thoso from the firm of
U'he resident lueeders of merino sheep in
Oln at present are, Thompson & Sons
ajp Dr. mldwin, of Wasco county, wlioiiu.
iiirted their own sheen: A. J. Dufur and
JUlls duelling, or J. I). Tattersoii's iniporU
tiou crossed with rams imported by II. Ham
mond, of Vermont. In tho same county are
leis brothers, who have Australian and
French men nos, I am informed. In Umatilla
r country nru Has Sutherland. at
Wot Jtock, whoe flock is crossed with
Jjseverauco it Pcet'w stock of Spanish merinos,
t -re iniiMjrieu uy i-ut smitli, ol Walla Walla
' ijtort of free rover m the sheep line. Near
.Walla Walla is located "Ilv.'' fiter. a. live
.Qjeuouian though ho lives acrews the line.
lis stock is from the flock of the late T. 0.
i
Naylor, (.fewett t Patterson's Importation)
ami from my neighbor T. I.. Davidson's stock,
(Koukwell) Jones, McLvod, Patterson nnd in
self contriliutcd towards Davidson'sstock.
In Western Oregon, in Douglas county,
l'enilel Southcrliu lias lately commenced
with l'rencli merinos from Airs. lll.icow's stock;
.hid jo Tlioiuas Smith i also there, whom stock
was tho McLcod drovu from Vermont, nml I
think Sonntor Steams has some of tho snmu
stock crossed hy Jowctt A: Mtinsou sheep,
In l'olk county I), M. (luthrio breeds
largely with l'rcnch nml Spanish merinos,
tlieio nro a few thoroughhicil merinos kept in
l.inu county by Mr. Knox, of Knox's liutte,
and hyMr. Thomas Froinau. near Albany. In
.Marion country T W. Davenport has a llock
founded ou tliu No lor stock and somo of
mine, crossed with Mood of Severance f-
lVct imiiiiitatiou. Tlioiuas Cross. J. L.
l'arrisli. lion. I', It. Si.sltli mid invsclf hao
stock began w ith tliu earliest importation from
Vermont and Australia and added to by such
later impoitntious ns weru thought to bu n
gain.
Tho breeders of long woolcd sheep nrci
Mr. Wilkius Si Sous of I.ano county, who
h.ivo tliu Xow Oxfordshires. Mr. .(nines
llichanls, of ahlo hills, this(Maiion) county,
keeps Cotsuoldsi sodo, 1 liclieu', Mr. Withy
coiulie, S. 0, Itenl, and Itoliert Imbiie, of
Washington county. Tliu Soutlidowm and
Ilaiupahitedowiis am no longer kept hcto of
my knowledge, mid of lato jeais there has
been less and less intcrc't maiiifesiid heie
in tho liest lorn; woolcd families, ns (locks of
them 011111 heht by Coiuelius of Wushiiiuton,
Hiker of Yamhill, and Keys of Ileiituu, liavo
disiiipeared, It is not that thesu I needs can
not lie kept in Western Oregon nnd made to
produce combing wool of tliu very bestiiualitv.
I'ho awards of llrst class uudnli by tho World's
fair of I ST I), and moiu leceutly of Paris,
and within n few weeks iMit at tho wool ox
K)itioii held nt I'hlladilphia, prnxes that
western Oregon can excel, Iioth in long comb,
ingnudin liuu clothing wools) but our ex.
ericniu proves that combing woolshtcpru.
iiiiiu constant c.-ire on the part of tlio on in is,
ilikuiu Utuua in.ilwHfwomiHiinr"riiefc
aiunlew- locations in Western Oregon, of
which this is not ti no. I hero nro it few
ranges of limited extent tint are better adapt
l to long wiMiled sheep tl nu to ntiy other
Thero nro nlo fsrmers who ki keip their
llock under condition generally not f.iorablc,
that they brim; to market n vciv ltihm! nrticlu
of combing wool. Hut such nro exception 1
nun at pi cm nt. Tho general condition of tliu
climate of Western Oregon, and tliu pasturngo
furnished either nitiiraily orby tho help of the
fanner, nro such that tlieru is u steady ditiri
oration from an uvcrngo sUindard of CoUwold,
U it enter, or New Oxford slice p. Tho llock
L'luws irailualtvinoioiiiiiliiioroletfev niuniuiir-
unce, tho wool Incomes shorter, ill lT ami Itss
liiHtrouf, nml in many castes tho sheep, w liilo
comparatively young, losu cousiderablo of
this wool beforu ordiunry Nheaiing time.
i'or thisugeiieiiil leosous, thofu who take
inten st enough in tliu sheep they keep to use
any pure blooded shtep for tho purKio of im
proemtnt, or even luaiiitaining tho mcasiiro
of profits I eceiveil fieim their llo.ks, liwik, 111
iibiigo majority of casts, touanls tho merino
This is so, to such mi extent, even in Western
Oregon, that I think t nt I am rale in asu-u
hut that at this time tho amount of merino
hlrod in the aliccp of the eoiiutry is epl.il to
that of all i.tlicr breeds together, loiumnii
stock iucludeil. That is; I Ik Huve, the sheep
oi ucuin ureson win grailo marly nriinte,
I'alM lood merino.
On ing to the rapid extension of wheat-farming,
ami nu increasing uu of sheep as gltauers
and wcedliiL' wht-at-fallows, litre thev
mo in ninny cases kept without water and ou
snort leeii iiunna tlio tollowmg teisou, evtn
the Merino blood is ieit sulileii nt to eomiter-
nca tho tendency todeterionilion and dryness
ol lltete, and llocks otratednro lutrosnul
ing. Also who.it farmers wlm thus u-e sheep
hae, as n rule, not yet adopted tho plan of
lilieral feeding in Winter, to iiiako up, in part,
for short, dry feud in Slimmer.
Wool growers in I'-aiicni Oregon nnd Wnih
iugtou, nnd, in tact, in nil the country lietwe-en
tliu Cascades ami tho Rocky Mountains, siu
aihaticing more rapidly than thoeVet'of the
Cm-ado raugo in tliu iiiipioemtut of their
woois. mis in IV ante is nvarlv all in indi
rection of tho Ainincaiflmprovcd Murino; so
ninth so that I believo them are ten merino
rniiispurclmsMl for uso thero to ono of any or
all other breeds. Tho Soutlidowm and dif
tereut families of combing-woolud heep bao
been tneil thtio siillicieutly often to prove
that the (Innate and other conditions of siep
huibamlry in that section of couutiy are still
more unfavorable, for lon-woolwl sneep than
is tho caso, ns 1 have pru.ciito.1 it, West of the
Caacade Mouiitn-nt in the Wfllamettu Valley
It is found, in practite, that in a llock of
mixed breeds tho Ion ir-woolcd kien on the
ouwiue oi iuu oiiiers in eareli oi teed, (in
nervation jirov es that w hen the short-jointed,
rouud-liodicil Merino proile, weighing ISO,
pounds live weight, lias fed to its satisfaction
and is ready to lie down, tho long-woolcd
webbing ISO pounds, has not had feed ae
cmling to the requirements of its intuie and
sue, and in e-ontiiuenco is rttks at camping
ninu. i'uiiii,- ileum;- nours sucu sueei) re
quire the constant caru of tho hciiler to prevent
them from leading tho lloek to travel fster
and farther daily than is good for it. Then,
when tho season renders it dillieult for a me
dium sized iheep to get a fair living a condi
tion suitable to growing fine wool of the bo.t
iinality tlio oombinz-wool sheen is not iret.
ting the amount of feed necesaary to keep its
wool in healthy growth, so liotli wool and
sheep are dcttnorating. On fresh ran,'u this
is not the case, and tor a while a very good
staple of long-wool can btt growu on such
range, but the causes I lave indicated very
soon begin to operate, with results that fully
justify the wool growers for breeding more
an I more towards the clothing-wool sheep.
The Present wool crop of the Columbia
river valley, iiicludini; Kat and West of the
Cascade range, will very nearly grade as "me
dium clothing staple." There are, of course,
' ' .- .--. .1. .. i
TLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY
entire clips that would sort into combing,
coarto delaine nnd noils. Theionro llocks of
long-wools that have been kept under the most
faorblo condition'. Thero nro still larger
numbers of (locks of this samo kind th it liavo
been bicds towards the Meiino, thut n largo
proiiortlou of "medium to line delaine wool."
nccortllug as tlio llocK lias taken tlio lirst. f to
ouil or third cios towanls lino wimiI. These
exceptional lots of coiubinj.' and ilelalno wools
ictcno no illectiiiiin.itiou in their favor in
our local markets.. Tho custom irru U to
buy wool by tho reputation of the ilittri- ts
wheto it is grown, as "Douglas county wool,"
'Wlllamutto valley wool,' or "Cistern Ore.
gon wool." Hut tlio observing lvailcr will mo
occasionally, nsin n lato Journal of Cmnuiirco,
ipiutcJ by the American Stockman, December
Hth: "Valley, Oregon, lambs' wool (1st
place) held in Sail l'raucisco at .'II to .'I- ci uts;
Ktilciu Oieiiiin liimliH, '.') to 'J ctntsi" while
California Northern (Ilumliolilt nud .Mendo
cino counties) mo ipiotcd 'Si to '.'II cents.
'I'lioso wool, I stippoae, nro sorted nnd giadid
in Siu rianclseo, nnd tho OiTgou grower, for
tho most mrt fails, under nn sent uietliols of
market, to gel tlio lull uciicllt oi good In idl
ing. Ouo mam causa of this is that sheen ami
wool growing are but iu their bt ginning in
Oregon, nud very many who am ingaged in
it mo merely learners ill tho biiMiit-ni. While
soiiiu nru apt to learn nml soon becomo skillful
in thu iiiaiiiigemiiit of llocks. and come
iu ntly are sncccisful, many, and per
Imps mo.'t, nro merely liiakiiis' n living.
Others in u slowly failing of suices at nil, ns
they cannot adapt thcmsclws to the occupa
tion; but out of all this will como knowleilgo
With experience! tho men and the llock are
growing that will maku this Noithwest Coit
region one of tho llrst wool-growing, ami, ul
timately, one of tho first wool manufacturing
Kirtlous of the earth, (lod has given the
conditions favorable for lmtn occupations nml
nan will ii-o thoiu to tlio full of tin ir ndsptn
tiou. At the lato National Show of M.ccn
and Wool, held in I'hiladelphia, nt which
Ortuou woul. iiuitlu ,n . -foudMuciiril. W. L-
,., ,ini,i itviMtivii t,ii mull
"Couiciitluu t'l prnmotn tho
imliistiY." in width ho kaii
.A.ll.a... i1..M. i H..I .... .. .1.1 ....... ' .
Northern lionler is n teuton eiuhnicin Oir-ion
nud Wnshincton Tenitorv. warmed nnd
moistened by tho winds mid currents of the
Pacific Ocoau, presenting tho samo peculiari
ties of ilimato i.nd wijctittnu to win tli am
credited much of the vaunted excellence
of the long-wi-ulcd sheeji of Kngland." .Mr.
.Markham is right; the elimata is litie, thougl
it is not so w idii in its inlliieuce ns he states.
It lours, however, thu two counties of Cal
fornii I liavo mentioned, thu Wusteru thiiit
of Oitgou, the half of Washington nnd the
West end of Ilntisli Columbia. Hut Irom
llistof thu Cascades to Western Kiiusas and
fium Middle Texas to Alaska, is nil elotliiui:-
wool country, for which tho Improved Amer
ican .Merino it the best known breed. The
pnitiou or const moistened by the winds of
inu raciiic, now occup.eil as w licit lltlils,
nculs, as I have indicated, something ap
proaching laiglish uiotlioiUof hui.li.mery, both
us to wheat nud simp, to make it cany
combing-wooled sheep. The lauds of thu
coat tliat.iromoit favored by thesu "moist-
I v. m.la hiiaiuiir. mo it limb i fnimt
ami In uh wild grow th. A little observation
will convince any ono that tho timlier belt
along our streams, the foothills, tuirow val
leys and lieuch lauds of our mountain nuiL-en.
tli.ito.irry gnus nud clover gi con throujli the
tiitire scisoii, nru suier for the production of
such plants as thn rutakigi nud iitut '. 1 1
wurtrcl, than tho hnds of thu main WoJern
valley, whereon natural drvneas prevented
timber grow th, and kept it leadv for the plow
of the piouneer and the pasturage of his ox
teams. Hut the millions of um of bm-li
nud timber land, nro here. Mr. Editor, wait
ing onl.v fur the mind nnd muscle tint is bound
to como nud utiliA- them. Meantime, those
who are hcto aio fullv occupied wcuriug re
sults iu what eems the oasieit and ipilckiwt
maimer 1 have tried to show the present
status and tendencies of our wool growing ns
it is connected with improved bueils of siuep.
I hue explained the menus of iiiiiiroveiiuiit
mid ho it camo hero nnd is inutiiiif the
choice of tho wool irrower. The field is n
wide one. and ill time. I havu no doubt, will
bo fully occupied.
WOOL CK0W1HQ IN WABCO COUNTY.
uy iiov. a. j. ni'iiTit.
Tho follow ing itatunent of facts is an au
thentic lecord of the experience of Dufur
llros., whoh.no a choice llock of well bred
Mcnnoj, that are moiu than usiiilly valuable.
Mr. Dufur values them at &la head, nud they
evidently y a largo iuttrcat on that, but
sheep, well bre.1, can bo easily purulil nt a
much Ics i price. Tlio Dufurs have an excel
lent range ou Flftoeii-Milo Creek, south of The
Dalles, and in addition to that .they have a
valuable swamp hud claim 'JO miles Went, on
tlu benolis i,f the mountains, covernu! thou.
smds of acres of swamp lands, that afford
excellent lato .Summer and Fullpastuio. They
lliiastuie. limy
are exceptionally well fixed, and liesides liavo
natural tloeut for keeping sheep to tho best
advantage, which is an essential to successful
sheep husbandry. Those who lack this can
liailly succeed uuder any circumstances,
, IUnt I'outlaMj, Dec. 21, 16&0.
rilitor Willamette Farmer:
In perusing your excellent description of the
great Columbiiii liasiu in the Faiimkk of the
'M mat., my mind involuntarily runs lock to
time when railrooili weru unknown in Oregon,
and the F.iiiUKK, with a few of its most de
votetl patrons, were making an etrort U bnug
liefore the publiu the vsst natural and undo-
velopeal resources of our adopted Stile.
avng been closely identified with the
agricultural iutcreaU of Oregon for more than
ieiw iwiuiii Wlui,;ji,f,HJ:il),l1?.(,P,A,l,jj
twenty jca'rs, mid still believing, as I ever
liavu, that no State in tho L'nion Hisesvil n
many wUnntnges for tho legitinmto niciimu
Ir.tion of wealth, and the re-establishment of
iiiiiepcuiiouc nomes, ns iloes tills .-state; ami
knovvii:-; that the Wll.lMtrrri: I'.mimkr j
K.ld with luteieat in nlmmt nil of tho older
Mates, whiro ono of tho nll-iiuportnut ques
tions in the overcrowded districts isi "Where
cm wu (lud safe iiiMstiiieut for independent
liuuics!",'' I will, with J our permission, giu
your re,dciA my views nud experience in wool
trowing niiil
gon andjjWn'
i-xpecttd.-thi
trowing niii I sheep hiishnmtry iu Ila-toin Uiv-
liingtonTerritoiy. It cannot bo
at n iietniieil statement win Ih
lU.nlo ill sio short article of nil thn i lurililu In.
cations J-r nhrep husliiulty iu a temtoiy of
country's;) extensive that some of our lantern
States HiPJit bo overlooked as n little pilch of
territory' jot uoith si ttling on, And ii' it I"
too frripietitly the cno iu descrihllign country
for a W riter. w ith a sonde stroku of the nen.
tn ilcclarodt tn bo the finest place in the world
for evcryTiody nnd everi thing, 1 shall, iu
this coiinnuilicatiiin, limply givu facts and
figures its far ns my own expeiientu goes iu
sheep hitsluindrv in I'-iMmi Oircon.
ii
I might, w ith propriety, ii-frr tn tlio for
tunes reahVisl by sncli iiu-u as firmer, Miwro,
Field, lthers, .Smith, (ho (Irants, Wnldrons,
Tlioinpsous, I'nrgnrs, nud hundreds of other
who hnvu com ler my oUcnntlon in Unit
ern Oiegon, or the grand failmoof mvinl
others I know of who seemed to think they
could make n fortune by investing in sheep
nnd milium; them with dogs without food or
shelter, let the cold 1m cv, r mi m w re or the
snow nvnr so decii; but this would not giio
Iho practical biiiint-ts men of tho I tat n ('di
rect idea of (ho net ostary oxjx uses tn lie in
curred, nml the proliable profits to In ill rued
from carefully conducted sheep hiisbiudiy iu
(he Iatrn dlstrlsts of thu groat Columbia
lmslit,
My eTpericiico has proved to mo tint n cer
tain numitnt of forate. with chenn slmMim.
nnd diy straw bedding is ouo of tho ln-st in-
veitmiiM tne wool grower cau.lnal,iiawin-
V'lfu.tlii
tlironfth ii Ith-
e Invari.ibzy
in eondlllon
in llesh, and tlia nliriliKnuu In wciidit of lleeee
ni sneinnr tune nns morn than iloiililcd thu
PXIW'iro of furili "liliia a few Pounds ol line
nnd the light ex,iei of i.hakes, hoards nud
straw to male windbreaks, sheds nud dry
lMilding lo piotect thulliK'k friiiii the colli
w iuds, min, snow- or front (hat occisionnlly
"tiur in nllcouutriestli.it I have ever seen.
It istmewn fmpieutly hau Wintem when
sheep will not touch liny if it is fed to them,
but I have found that from two to thtcu
weeks Is nliout nu nviraw time for which the
llock master sliouM pmvido feed and slither
for his Hock. In the Winter of Tlt-7 1 find
mo fed nliout 111 days; in '77-8. Ill dais; in
7K-!. 'J davsi and the shun that Wlntir
would have done much butter ti Imvo beeiilAft
entirely on thu range. In Tll-80 finl nml
litl'e r was icipiired aliout two wieks, nud
the prrsint Winter bids fnir to let ns oil" with
not morn than six or eight iliys. As our list
wool and lamb irop w a about nunvciagn with
formir jears, it may not lie uiiiutcrcstimt to
somo of your re idem to loam thn fixH-iie nud
pp'tlt of rmiim-g lund nf l,5yi)-HeMubsd
reltetoil as about three ipiaiti r IiIikmI Merinos:
hXI'FMir aillll'NT.
To I tons of salt at WO per ton 8 80.00
To 8 tons of linv nt ?0 ptr ton fO 00
To 10 tons of straw nt W pi r ton f.0.00
To 7 eU per bend for shewing I0.VOD
To .'!'! wool sicks nt lUJ ets auh t! I .'17
To mail nnd lmanl for he rdinif. -ISO.(M)
To two oxtrnmwi ono month during
parturition RO.Ort
Total 8WKI..'I7
ive-oMr-Hy
in,H0 llaj of wool tW cts t lb..$.',!IS3 CO
Hy 1,000 InmlM at W woh, '.', P.'O.OO
lly I.M) iwloetoil buck lambs 7,F0.00
Total
Doiluet ('piicncouut. .
.es.M.'l.'.'O
. hlK).:i7
And wc have..
.sura h'J
From this sum wo will take tvl'i for the loss
cjf 13 i-heep vsluwl ntWoh, nnd 910 for
sulphur and 87 for tar fed thu kind, and wo
Imvn )l. 871. 8l!iw tho timing of I.WK) shtep
which would sell itstdily for 1 per bend, or
This liny ei to ioiiiu of your iisultrs as
mi uxtr viald for the iiumlwr of sh p, but
s-.mo re.IU iiwy lie p-rnliitil bv any goil
ll.k iiuntiw with a model itc siswl band nnd
jfood eswe nnd keepini.'. I will not trouble your
leaders uiiieh furtlur with figures, but will
elose by uting tint I find the pet uiniing of
our uetBcr bnnd for the Ust year to be
Sl.tlVJ. Thotl'ck was I..VXI in nuinlt-r, nnd
were purcliAW in the fall of '7U for i-J.SiO.
lOHa-WOOLS. OR MERINOS
Thu following communication on the im
portant mbjeet of thiep and wool in Itatern
and ettem Oregon is furnished by a gentle
man w Im has hid great experieneu as n shtavp
I'reediir and wind grower, Isith in this and
other countriui, nud ha also an Intimate eon
lie-ctiou with the wool trade, so is well iiuali
lltsl to treat tlm mbj-ct with ability ami un
ijuestionublu fainiess.
With the variety of climato and fetal in
Oregon there is full scojie ollertd to thiwu on
gaged in sheep husbandry to breed any of the
varieties of sheep, whether their object may
lie a good mutton sheep or a good winded one.
That the latter class should have preenlente
over tho former we think might I un'juos
turned, as the low price of mutton will cer
tainly not justify a fanner iu raising a sheep
with a view to its fattening uualities only.
For that koctlou of this State lying to the
West of the Cascade mountain, wu unheal-
tatiugly tl.llik tlut a sheep prwlucid by a
cross Utw ecu the Menuo and any of tho long (
Lie-inn. iv, ! u:-rii.iinim.sDi
iivcp Mini wmu out Vxtm ft e,l or n'leller, but 1 hl
I: ".Moiiir our I rmin.l l.nf i... I,... i i....- i
"ns til kiisi aimn SSI II llllll . 1 (la LI
14. 1881.
WiHiJed biicds, is the sheep that yields mot
profit, ns farming Is nt present carried nn,
when) the majority of farmers only look iimn
their llocks as seavengirs for eating oil' tho
weeds of their Summer-fallows. I Mini ex-
peiience, wuknovv that n first-class niticle of
comhiiu wool can be produced thniughouttho
en'irc Willamette Volley, provided the farnur
pel forms Ins do tv and kieps his lloek iu an
even good eondition. To piiHluco this clas
of wool it is an absolute uetessity tint the
sheeii be kept III giKsl condition, otliciw lie tilt)
ntsiile, though h.-f enough, will bo timlir
nml week nnd be less valuable thnii wind of n
strong llliie, if oue-hntf tho length. Hut wo
nmut.iiu that both the climitu nnd grass of
Western Oreiron are pcrfectlv adaiilcd to nils.
iug combing wikiI, provided thu llocks linc i
sulllcieney officii during . Summer, nhd not
knit, ns is fivipiciitly the cue, in a pastuio
ii nu scam lieu ami no water.
With such a wet climate, llocks of fiue-lued
Met inns cannot be kept with ns much nmlltns
n uifdiiiui-w oolcd sheep, ns the perctnUge of
iiicicimj is so uiiicn less in tne loriner com
pined Willi thu hitter. This it mark applies to
n lloek of three to four hundred sheep white
they have often to tnko their chances of our
Spiimt storms without nnv shelter. That
small llocks of fine Merinos can bo ialed w ith
profit ismupl) piovedbv tho various breedrrs
throughout thu Stat', who nro provided with
hid room to shelter tin ir ewes during lunli
ln,: time. The vniious llocks of Merino sheep
hnvu grintlv Improved during tho hist leu
unrs. in.iinlv lmiuglit about by a continual
ilifilaion of liosh IiIimhI whiili is l.ngely im
iKirted every jonr. A stroin impetus has
en given to the importation of Merino
neks by Knsti rn Oai'gon sheep breedirs, ns
11 11'kH 111- I'liai, rn ll.l.fffi,t alii...,, l.ri.il. rs. f,
both tho dry elimntu and light alkali soil of
mat stctiou am iicst ailnptiiltoraixiiig .Meiiho
sheip, nnd w Idle some have deteriorated their
llocks by nu Injudicious selection of short
stapled, henvily jolked bucks, jet others who
displaji-d lx tter juilginctit have proved tun
clusively that the Merino is the sheep for
Kaslern Oregon ''rirniughoiit tho Willamettu
Oisxro is wo ipirsttCll Jk-lUua wlimi (srnilug
ii" own mane iiip ipuei onp-et ol llm liUmrrwrt
ma wmu oi tno valley lias ill tertoratei, from
(ho fact that but litllu new blood is bring in
fuser into the various ll'uks, whilu somu
ns good specimens of Inng-woohd sheeii hnvo
,., ,-,, ,i,ii,i it-,, nn ,imiiii no ftee'iinii. leirveu
they liavo been retrograding, as they inevita
bly must from thu want of new Mood, nud to
niiscniiMj muse no aiiriini'eil tliu iletirmia
ti ii of thu loiig-M-onlcd breeds, nud not to the
idra that thu climate is not adapted to tlnir
full development. Wu ccrtaiiilv think tint
since tho natural grasses hnvo 'become morn
scanty mnlless liixnnnnt thnii fornuilv, that
thu larnc r framed classes of loiiL'-vrnnlni l,e,u
should I o avoided, such ns l.iucolus mid Cnts-
wolils, us It mpiites too much feed to keep
those bleeds IIP to nviililui liLn n stmidud ,,f
exeelhntn. Wo fee! I, itithnt them never wns
n timo In this Stat) when tlm f,,iu,il,u
could Isi kept with npial pn.llt to any Of .thn
other loug-w noted biveds, as they me not
ndiptcd for crossing pui h.ic, fiom the fact
that they bleed uii"eidv. ailt of the progeny
showing moat of the (Vitawold eh ii.iotoristles
and pirt the revuse. nnd none of thu long
wiMiled breeds protluee o inmb low-grade
wool ns doe., the ('"lawiild, The l.iiitolll
simp, while having an almoat ispiallv ti.""i'
WOol, IMMSU'H a IllStlli of Wool II llt') ll.'llll t) b
any otlur lit e til, et they aio too hi rue a
flamed siu ei for Oiei-ou. taking uoiiatitil
tion mid ndapUibilitv into eoiisiiir.itiou, wu
think thu .Southdown aliend of nnv of tlio me-
iliilin or large broils oi shtep, boat for profit
III this Shite. 'Ib'V hiv.i noothi I luinnnn n
cUtioni, us they hive but n lielit Hiik- of
hush, infi rior wool, and I-oiiil' ono of thu old
est kn ii ii lirtnl of kheip, they transmit to
thdr ptogiiny aliiUMt invnri.ibly their worst
latins -a lnlit lleii'o ol jioor ipmlity.
Of nil Iniitf-woolod shiip the Ideester
crosses to heat nihnutngii with tho Merino,
nud thu piogeny attained by ii a-ting n pure
in ei I animal ot iinli lirtnl lovnnal.ly putal es
ivpiAlly of the ehaiHi teiiatiu- of nneli. 'Ihn
snmu is almoU iiiually true of the New ()
foul. hire luted, but the buicoitii has the nil
viintiige of being n Utler falti ning niumal.
rtiul Willie tins Mate liaa am Ii a llmltiil sup
ply of good liiUK-woolml sheep to select from,
we would looomiiitnil sheep ownns to biml
to .Menu bulks iu prifueiKU to ntteiuptllig
to proi'mo (i long stsplu of wool from nnv of
the loug-w (Kill d breeds Hiaihble hfie. Ii.,t
ou Ihn otlur hand, if any fat met iutmds im
Mirtiiig his bucks, w lenturn to ptialiet tin'
lie will lei fully in Buei(ul bv llii)l ting and
breialing from a luug-wooldl luitxl, ns fioui a
Merino. 'I heie is iiiuuh Urger Hi Id to e
loet fiom iu houii -brud Mormon than iu the
joiig-vv oils, as there has Imeui n large oily
iniHirUlon of tlm former mid but fuw of the
latter for sen lal jears.
To the fariuira belong the blame of the de.
teuoralion of valley wool an I not to the cli
mate or any otlur cause Ami while; wheat
raising (this year exn pled) n minis ns molit-
able ns it has bien for several )iars just, wo
look for but little iminovi ment in the nualitv
of Willamette valley wod. for the fanners',
object is to improve his Iniid.midiiot his wool.
Making Fork tn Oregon.
IMilor Willamette I'm men
According tn
,..,,,,.,. I ..ill ,.,. I-.. ,,.,
, , ,, ,
reus readim of On gon ami 1
gun your iiiiiin
iiuiuiiigioii iiriuory, u iiesen piion m me
early breeds of swine with comments uiiou Mtisiled lliey nwle a mistake, "mi lot the
ilillereut breeals and the prol.al.lo u.st of rais-1 ,,ttl l1"' l'ry th.. deu.1.-' To nm lwg wi.
. .. i ., .. , , . ,, . ' must I tlxwli iiave uimI (eifvu and Lttii
mg lrk in this State; but my sjaiee wilt not j m , tlle)r llU.u, TJ. utv,t ,,,,.,,, ,
pennit of w hat is icully and mostly iietnleil, ( nude in letting them urn at large and keeping
and tliat would lean essay iijkjii swine, liui i- tin in ton long, not so much iu tlm diuWut
ner, rearing and fioding, in fact, on gemral I i,,iAU M i attention. In uoueliwuin I vwaild
, ., ,. , . , ., , say vvi. must roue out own meat or siiUur, ami
management, selection and treatmsntof brieal- t llrt!t tlwt we can im it at le. than lies
ing animals. I would Uku pleasure in giving tern nieaUevn Im 'aid down hue. I think I
one if (were aware it would 1m acceptable know . inttliing about it. I fattened III lit),
nud appreciate.1. The first impiovemt-ut u, 1','"au'1 ""J"0 '" ' uui ran
' mul I.tttitn r.tii-4 ill iit,.iiil 1 t -til im nit Isiwlsi
Wide "pou tl e Jjiglish bretd of swmo was ly
the Chinese hog.and David Low, iu hi lustoiy
NO. 48.
of t'lu duiuostieitiil nnlmals of (ho HrKisti
Islands, gives to the little bhick ling of Si.aw
with his white stup iu his face atid white feet
tho most credit for improving tho brcid
I'ugliili w Ine, and nil bl ick and spotted Iiossji
are colored by the Siamese'. Tliu white hog
of Chun nlso has been .very useful in giving
fattening ipulitles to tho Kuglisli swine. A
very niiitahiu idea generally prevails ns V)
the pet nianency and length of time when the
dilleivnt bleeds of w Inu now contending for
supremacy originated. Almost every county
or shiio as they aio called in laigland, has is
bived of hogs ami they liavo wen iinportcil In
(lie United States nceonling to tasto and
Judgment of the importer. Mr. bow rciiiiirki
slwut tho Poland Cliinai "It would bo impos.
slide to arrive at anv thing like the tnith with
out ivfcieuco to thu vul Ions biieds of which
they nro couipoed." Among thu best hossi
that claliucil attention iu nu enrly day was tlw
Wiibiirii, by some called Itcilfoiilshire, n sjiot
ted hog w ith roach back, ears pitching for
fin w mil, which was n ih1 Ii- l' rili
llraieralsooimo iu, elaiiniiiL' fomo honors
and was raised largely. In Ohio, they Were,
hownier. too l.il fit nml eoirsil, ' III II 1111110 thu
Wnltaoi ilillllte Imif it II 'ln-Ill fc .
iinrr.ii .
county, Ohio, nud nt that dayw, '
hog; it is said to have coino from s eio
Clilni, Siiiuiisu and somo Kiudiah bleed I
also n hog fium India, whiili it is claimed,
gavn tho fattening ipialitirs. The lleikshlri',
is supposed to be ono of thu oldest limits, nud
originally, was u large, cuaire, spotted hog,
with red, or sandy hair, iutii mixed, nud I am ,
infill Ued often weighed tm hundred. 'Ihsy
got their presi nt color and iuipnivtiucut from
thu blntk hog of Simn, the I jcx history says
tiny originally weie called the louiex, half
blntk, ami wereerosMil with the lllaek hog of
Nnples, ltilv, this licing small, upright eared,
almost devoid of hair. It Is to this braul that
ojLjjiaiivcrTCTtinttiirinoiteiii1'l'rtJ"s.
sex nnd Ik-rktliiies nml tho ilillcicnt troncsi
all of them will crop out, and n teicutifio
bn-edi-r enu get nn type, can t tin into the
oiigiunl hog, nud thnii is no sttnk that cnu lie
cll.itlL.-eil. or if Mill lilcntu to call it iinnmvol
or iligrnilnl, ns thejiwliiuian, from tliuieninui
lli.it tlnlr pingfiiy ollen allows mi ma- v dilltr-
tut tyties or rt 1. 1 ct utatious of dillercnt fiimi
lies, I find the er Clvatest steiet in bri-,l.
fug, lies iu the selection iu the same litter. I
have often sten, nml so havu olheis, that one
pig will gain two pounds to another one, iikiii
the same fied, and one will show- good blood,
thoothir luil, nud n man that mult islands tho
busmen, tan till Ihcm icadily. Now, ad
mitting this fact, nud with u lioar of line fat
tning ipislitini Kletted, "like U-gits liks"
that pig sires one J.ouarsd iu pf like
ilialities, what un ninoinA of f n is mvedl sir i
'"""It-." '' '." WntVn, what mi
muoilliCi lost. Dm HouUnaki l,OW la l,l.
lo I hi leanicd this uiutiol I mi nn wired. !
believe it la linil nnd lairu ill n min; "like
ln'gtt like." "Mime thn-e jivirs ngn I notirid
n lioy of alsuit H.ilve siiuiiiiirs, nt the fair
gniundi, pointing out kkhI miiiunls, I uivcr
siw him in fou, but I folio vvnl him up, mil
ions to lind out Hoiut-tliilig i.liout that isiy 1
did mi, and trneiil him to his f.ithci, ulao a
Nlraugu, and found Inui sisttd mul iu luv
iiinal a judge miiong jiulgis of stock, nud I
have watt In d that Isiy since, with great
pleaauic.
Well, I gunsH yon think I tun a long timu iu
mibweiing vour Miinstiuii: "can Mu say anv-
t'liiii' In lavoi of laiaing poikm Oiegon?" I
toiith this, an, with gient ilclioaey for the
hog. in Oreg ill. ia iiUogttlur out of f lnr. I
I ne Innid dllleient ont my tli.it pork loats
10 unU pr wound whin fnttintal; now unue
might, but if tliej did, it would only show
bid miiiagiuitut, but It will not do to till u
iiihii tlia , foi wu lire insily oOiudod hem in
Oiegon. Mi. IM. I would like (osinvim unit
nk yrtii whit Hindi' jou spuug the ipiostion.
Why, wu mid not n imae any hogs; tin In Is
pleiit) of Imioii mid Isid, you can m it bang
ing III nil the glutei lea, shljiptil fliiui iho 1'tat,
nnd they sa it is good Now, Itsteiiis to me,
an, Jon me thinning with all thu wheat ship-
hii nud no hog iiiamiie made, that by nud by
wu shall have no vvhe.it mid no iiiouuy. For
a few wiikalwtkl have Ik on tliinklng this
iiintti rover vir siiuiily; so much hi tluit I
Went to win k mid at leeud miiiiu sows nnd u
boari and foi one I mu not going to ship all
m whuat, neiihir am I going to feed it to
tne huk'i; only the oll.il I. in all new oouiltiiia
1 have bi ii in a itwtion has bad to eouie.
In illim la I liiiiid men uy they could not
ralao nnk litsnuse tlie aeeiu wus gone; lit ki
hous natal to wit tat ou the stubble nml run no
and now lieople liave toutluiltd tly ismnot
ailolil lo keep iiiem up. I can tell JOU one
tiling I know, Unit la, I omi maku mure i-oik
nu tlio ui,ii f, ed tli'ili earn I mi made III amy of
the State Fit ot the Itiivky mountains ami
j ou know we can get Iwttir price here, for
our ink is better) what pork J raise will pay
inu, lor i cm gtn mi oi tin ttius moiu lor my
iuiuis than an) lUatuin limn. 1 Mipot, sir,
theiv will U no u tiou taken in irtiii ounia
tei, ai time wa. in M70; that ia. tlieiowilllMi
no seiious olijasition to me putting up my oivu
boj(s. Tluaw liiimiiks uuv Sa-tln a little
stiiu tin oil, but let inu shv lo von, at tl
AHwiiy oaiiiity fair, I got tlioriaiuhly lSMttd
... 'i,., ' ,, ' i . .,r? ',.. ,
ttant tinief ,it I am also inlormtal they am
, ., llu j H , rll.)ri,
Ti
l ii l d i it.
IHllU (.Illts-S.
-3
J