Willamette farmer., February 04, 1881, Special Edition, Image 17

.MM. ill 'I -' '
INCOMK.
By 13,r00 lbs of wool nt22 eta l Iti.,92.083 M
By 1,000 lam19 nt $2 each 2, 120,00
By 160olcctod buck lambs 7MI.00
Total SRO
Deduct expense account ti'M.'M
Andwehavo 8,or.3.82
From tills 111111 wo will take $03 for tlio low
of 13 slurp valued at $" vacli, and $10 for
sulphur and 87 for far fed Ilia band, and wa
have 84,87 1. 8!i as tlio earning of 1,500 sheep
which would sell readily for $.1 per head, or
$4,500.
This may acorn to some of your readers as
an extra yield for the nunilier of sheep, but
s.me results may be produced by any good
flock master with a modcratu sized b.md nud
good care and keeping. I will not trouble, your
readers much further with figures, but will
closo by saying tint I find the net earning of
our wether baud for tlio List year to bu
$1,030. Tlio fl.ick Mas l,r0!) in number, and
were purchased in tlio fall of '70 for $2,230.
L0NO-W00L3. OR MERIH03.
The following communication on tlio im
portant subject of sheep and wool in 1 -intern
and Western Oregon is fur. ithcil by gentlo
matt who has had great experience as a sheep
breeder and wool grower, lioth in this an. I
other countries, and has also an iutiuiato con
nection with the won! trado, so is well quali
fied to treat the subject with ability and un
questionable fairness.
With the variety of climato und feel in
Oregon there is full scupo tillered to til so en
gaged in sheep husbandry to breed any of tlio
varieties of sheep, whether their object may
be a good mutton she. p or n good pooled ono.
That the latter class sfuiu'd have precedence
over tho former we think might lie unques
tioned, as the low prices of mutton will cer
tainly not justify a fanner in raising a sheep
with a view to its fattening qualities only.
For that section of this State lying to the
West of tho Caicado mountains, tu unhesi
tatingly think that a sheep produced by a
crow between the Merino and any of the long
wooled breeds, is tho sheep that yields most
profit, as fanning is at present carried on,
where tho majority of fanners only lonkupon
their flocks as -scavengers for outing oil the
weeds of their Siiiumor-talliiw. Iroui ex
perience, we know that a tirst-vlast ai ticlo of
combing wool can be produced Uirnught.uttho
entire Willamette Valley, providud tho farmer
perforins his duty and keeps his flock in an
even good condition. To produce this class
of wool it is an absolute necessity that the
sheep be kept ill good condition, othcrw lie the
staple, though long enough, will bu Under
ana week and be less valuable than wool of a
strong fibre, if one-half tho length. Hut we
maintain that lioth tho climate and grass of
Weslern Oregon are perfectly adapted to raU
Ing combing wool, provided tho flocks have a
sufficiency of feed during Summer, and Jiot
kept, as is frequently the case, in' a pasture
with scant feed and i u water.
With such a wet climate, flocks of fiuo-hrcd
Merinos cannot le kept with as much profit as
a niedium-wooled sheep, as tho pcrcentagu of
increase is so much less in tho former com
pared with the latter. This i cuiarl: applies to
a flock of three to four bund re I shcip wheru
they havd often to take their chances of our
Spring storms without any shelter. That
small flocks of fino Merinos can be ioied with
profit is amply proved by tho various breeders
throughout tho Stat , who nru provided with
shed room to shelter tin ir owes during lamb
ing time. The various Hocks of M erino s eep
have greatly improved during the 1 tt leu
years, mainly brought about by a continii.il
Infusion of fresh blood which Is hugely im
ported every year. A strong imiK-tut has
been given to tho impoititioi of Merino
bucks hy Kastrrn On.gou sl.eep breeders. M
both tlio dry climatn and light elkali soil of
that section are best adapted to raising Merino
sheep, and while some havu deteriorated their
flocks by an injudicious selection of short
stapled, heavily yolked bucks, jet others wh'i
displayed better judgment lave pioved con
clusively that the Merino is tho sheep for
Eastern Oregon Throughout the Willamette
there is no question that silica wheat farming
has been made the chief object of I he f.iriuciv,
the wool of the valley has deteriorated from
the fact that but little new blood is U-ing in
fuse into the various llovks, while some
as good specimens of long-wooled sheep liavo
been imported as could bo secured Vtt even
they have been retiogradi. g, at they Inevita
bly must from the want of new Mood, and to
this causa must be attribu ed the deteriora
tion of the long-woolud breeMs, and not to tho
idea that the climato is not adapted to their
full development. Wo certainly think thst
siuoe the natural grasses liave liccome more
scanty and less luxuriant than fo.merly, that
the larger framed classes of long-wiKilod sheep
should be avoided, such as Uncoil. s and Cots
wolds, as it require too much feed to keep
those breeds up to anything like a standard of
excellence. Wo feel sute tltat tl.eru never was
a time in this S ate when tlio Cottwolds
could be kept with equal profit to any of the
oiW"lui. wooled breeds, aa tbcv art) not
tiMtsst for crossing purposes, front the (act
tvir!LAMfttTft f AKMT.fa r-QftTLA'SD. OllKaON, PKDRUAItV 4, 1881.
that thoy breol unevenly, part of the progeny
show ing most of tlm CoUwold characteristics
and part tho reverse, and nono of tho long
wdolcd breeds prndnco so much low-grade
wool as dots tho CoUwold. The Lincoln
sheep, while having an almost equally coarse
wool, posses a lustre of wool unequalled by
any other breed, yet they aro too l.irgo a
framed sheep for Oregon. Taking constitu
tion and adaptability into consideration, wo
think the Southdown ahead of any of tlio me
dium or Inn; i brreds o( sheep, bled for profit,
m this State. They have no other recommen
dations, as tl.cy havu but n light fleece of
harsh, inferior wool, and being one of tho old
est kii'.wu Lrccili of sheep, t cy transmit to
their progeny almost invariably their worst
faults a light fleece of poor quality.
Of nil Imiif-wonlod sheen thu -Leicester
crot'oi to licst advantage with the Merino,
and tho progeny attained by cr wing a pure
brid animal of each lueid (variably partakes
equally of tho cliatniterintia- of each. Tho
ramu is almost equally truu of the New Ox-
(oriWhlru lireeil, Lilt tlio l.clccncr lias tho an
vaiiMgu of being a better fattening animal,
And while tliti .Statu has such a limited sup
ply of good b.ng winded sheep to select flout,
wo uotilfl lecninniciid sheep ouneis to breed
to M'-iiii IiiioIh in prvfciciicu to attempting
to piodiico a liii' staph) of wool from any of
thu hnm-woolcd breeds available here. Hut
oh tho other hand, if any farmer intiuds Ini;
potting ins Iiiicks, w. vei.iuro to prcuici mat
ho willbu fidlv as Kuecehsfiil br iiiiiioitiuvanil
bridling fniui a long wobletl breed, ui from a
.Merino, Ihciu is mucii larger neiii 10 no
lect finiu iu houic-l red Merinos than in the
long-wools, as theio has Iwen a large yearly
importation of tho former and but few of thu
latter for suveiid years.
To tho farmcis Ulong the blamo of the de
terioration of valley wool and not to tho cli
mato or any other cauro. And whilo wheat
raU it'' (this vear executed) remains as profit-
nhlu an tt has been for (ovrrU years past, wo
look for but littlo iuiprovciiwiit in the quality
of Willamette valley w ool for the farmers s
object Is to Improve ins lunii.aniinoi uiswooi.
METEHOLOIOAL REGISTER FOR 18W.
ssrt sv r, iscs, in'a. rum cosstt, oos., uMi'67',
Uixo. Its' 6", Aim I'M t rscr.
Jit.
j
J""" J
Kel'tiurjr 1
Mirth '
Anill 0
u.y
June '
July,, ........ -4
AujiM "
StoUinWr.... U)
Ovtobcr. ou
MoMinbrr.... IU
tieccmUir IS
Totili.
ir.rr.iTi'M
Ml..' 6
a."s"s
ssru
4H.1.1
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2 a v. '
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4.-.M IS
111 I S
Ml I
l.pt! V S
1 17 10 II
,ti IS 11
1.39 M 6
.74 7
l. 17 0
i.ei 14
11.64 1 It
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IS
ll4S7.i7 in lin
ssstsss
Purlnr Jnury si lmhn of mow Ml en the 8th. sit
ol wtilcliilU.i'iH.iiruloiithsonlholIlh. bnowMlou
tn -mi. iil, ii. . I -Till, ulilch did not loo ilurinr tin
uionth. . .
lliulni Kl nury i Indies ol unow nil on ins idui; hi
dlupptmloii tlisJtJ. ..... . ..L
(.,..1... ,1 ..k .. lllll. n.t. fi.ll Alt tUA .!. SJkilJ 1th!
all dluiKruluii m Ui' oil wlilh It l.-IL
Tiiunuer i niij.ii ni'ro oi.
Durltu Jul tliuuJ.r itormi occurred on litn snd
4-llij iu rJn. ....
. .. ,... m Lmi.au 1VI. m.rv an,! llara-h
ie4ll l1IIUjl.ll I", ., ... -.-..,
3S.U4; lor Apill. .Uiy sndJuiw, WAV. (or July, Au.
ku( and s.lcinlH'i, t.7'; fur Iktulwr, SutmUt sua
DceimiKfr, ti.i.
Mian tciiip.nt.ro l)r tho ) car, 4101',
BI0KAL SERVICE AT P0RTUIID
; I rj TgS
iioxilllT s. wijm g crj
!1 J!il 11 iE til
JimitrT . Il., M. B . V
Kcl.rusry .... W.H as.I, Til. 4 h is
W.nh.. ai.lhll.il tt.o H .4 , JU
Am! SI.0OW.S ;,r. NJV J.W it
Jlsy.. 30 1..7M.9 f5. NJV l
Jun, 30.076 JO. 4 M.4 S 1.6 II
July so.ctsou.i ei.k nw . e
Au;Ti.t jso.oiiia.s w.7 jijy i. si 4
fc.1.tll,...,MW. 70.6 NW 1.11 4
CXtoUr Isa.ioasi lil I N !' 1
SoumUr.... J'.SjT . Tl.l NW S.IT It
Iuv"ir....lsJ.e. W. W.7 b 61. S7 It
Ani.uilUn...Ji J3.7 7D.S
esisssi irsss.
lllhot iUroniHer du liif tha year, H.SUl dU.
rcUusrv tl. Lot srowtlcr durloz U.o yer,S!l,M7i
d.UdJinuuy Wb. Aiinusl rsiiKtol U.rvuicUrLj,tlH
tuchts. Vlnlinum tcui)cnture, Vt degrees; dtls, July
16lh slid 16th. Minimum Uuiulur.', It dcyrees;
d'te, HuiUr Jllli. Auuusl rsi. d Uuirlui.,
Tldrjnw. Urratnt dally ran; ol teui)Krstur, So
dm. diu. Ai,rllth. Lownt dsllmnz U Urn-
ptrtUure, 3.6 dfxvc; di's, Juiusiy S14. frirvalllnz
lu.HluriiifK(ta, b; ruumicr, N ; Autuiun,.N W;
Wliltcr, W, Lullrouo' oprinr, Apni bin. tint
uoi ol Autumn, Vctolr SHIi. lirl frost ol Autumo
killliir vcctUtloo, hoTciuuer (Sd. Ul(hat wsUr la
tfeVWItUiiMtW rt'sr, K Uw 4 tnohaa; oommd July 1st
u4 tl. Lowul wsur la ths WUUnwtU nisr, 11
UuTum, K. K. HKRUAN.
Bsrisaat aVfsal lisnle, U. fc A,
ALL ABOPT WHEAT.
The Great Staple for Export Oregon aa Near
a Market aa Chicago Transportation In
the FntureIniportance of the Darlen
Canal Wheat 6clls or Western Ore
ton Wheat Production East of
the Mountains.
Tho demand for bread from foreign nations
makes America at tho prciont timo tho gran
ary of the civilized world. Tho remarkable
wheat-growing qunlitics of the soil of this
Columbia region mako the production of
wheat tho natural dependence of agriculture,
and tho broad oc?an at our doors brings hilher
shipping from all countries to transport our
products.
rOllTUANO AND CHtCAOO AS WIIXAT MAMCKTft.
Wo have noticed that for several years back
prices in Portland have not varied much from
Chicago quotations, the present year causing
an except! it, as ocean ficights aro unusually
high. It may be raid then that wo stand in
thu same plane with the States of tho Upper
Mississippi Vidluy as to wheat production,
with advantages of soil ami climate iu our
favor to iimuro thu finest wheat known in the
world, and an lurreascd yield over what is
realized in tlio best wheat growing sections
Host of the llocky Mountains.
'lite thrco most available products for ox
port with us aro wheat, wool and live stock,
with occasional transient desunnd in Cali
fornia and tho North Coast for oats, meats,
vegetables and fruits. We do not include the
products of fisheries and cauiicues becauso we
confin.i ourselves to thu domain of agriculture
and the products it supplies. Tho production
of wheat immediately uttincts the attention of
the man who commence farming with i view
to making All incomo. Ho may plant a gar
den and orchard, grow oats anil hay, improvo
his pasture and seek to diversify his fanning
by all practicable method', introducing stock
of all Kinds as a mutter of course, but w hen it
comes to, a means of income to supply tho
family wants and make it pussihlu t educate
and provide foi thu children, ho has to look tn
Ills wheat fields as thu most leli ihle sourco of
supply. The farmer has all tho roiourccsrero
for disposal of fruits, vegetables, poultry, but
ter, cnecse, eggs, or whatever the farm
yields, that are found eltewhcro. Ho can al
ways find sale for a good horse at a reasona
ble price) people in towns will uy fancy
prices for a good family cow i our wool clip
sells to excellent advantage, and thu local de
mand generally exhausts the homo production
of oats, hay, "fruit and vegetables J farmers
also can and do grow hops anil flax seed to ad
vantage, but w heat is the one crop that is
more certain in yield, as well as compensa
tion, than all otlnrs, and very naturally
wheat has become our great agricultuial sta
ple. Tho wheat Ileitis of the western valleys
liavo a reliability that insures moderate pros
perity to that section, and tho wheat surplus
constitutes the fund from which the farmer
diaws his chief cash iucoiuo thst too, while
Uio acreage sown to wlituttloes not constitute
more than one-tenth of the arable area of the
different counties.
TKANM-OUTATIOX TO fOllClOX COU.STlllM.
We may look forward to steady Increase of
wheat pr, duction in the future in Western
Oregon, because the area for production is
constantly being increased by means of
Chineso laW, which is utilized to clear lands
that have grown up to brush since the early
scttlem-nt of the country, and the foothills
region is also being cleared and nude to pro
duce. Also the facilities for transportation,
which aro now very unccitaln, prom
ise to improve, ami any improve
ment must lower freights, mako prices
moro reliable, and stimulate wheat production
here
Tho wor'd has seriously tken hold of the
construction of a ship canal at Daricn or Nic
aragua, aud a few years will see ono or the
other in operation. Tho construction of either
will make the trauipoitation of wheat from
the Columbia river to Kurope in a mouth's
time, liy moiiis ol mammotii screw steamers,
nosslhle at reasonable freights, destroy all
uncertainty that now occasionally causes us
heavy loss, and will insure competition in
irei llling iroill an me mi sv a living price,
which is all we can expect or should desire.
Then the prospect for the future is most de
cidedly in favor of more certain ocean trans-
'portation at reasonable charges, though we
must always lalior under the distdvantage of
hating to" make the outward cargo pay the
expenses of the whole voyage, but our expor
tation of wheat aud all other products that ire
in demand iu foreign' countries, will increase
aa it shall be proved that they can U'ar trans,
nortation ami pay for being transported,
Time will increase the variety of products for
export no doubt, but we still look to wheat
crowing aa the most reliable dependence for
our agriculture for a generation to come.
There is still another joint iu our favoi in
the near ruiur. in Muainento Juoeru.
ITnlnn miv li considered the official expres
sion of the great nvslroad magnates of Cali
fornia, and that journal has several times of
Into asserted that tho completion of tho South
cm Pacific Kailroad to some point on thoOulf
of Mexico, w hich Is now only a question of a
few weeks' time, will r suit in the shipment
of tho great bulk of the California wheat crop
to Europe ny iliroei rauroau conveyance o
the Gulf of Mexico, and thence, by sailing
vessel, at a erent savinu of timo ami money
as compared with transportation around tho
Horn. II tlio southern laciuo roau can se
rum I tin transnortation of all the crain of
California' at a lair price, it will dcriyo an im
mense revenue therefrom, and tho carrying of
any considerable part of the wheat yield of
California by this routo will send tho wheat
fleet of tho racltlo to mo unumuia nvcr ami
insure us all tlio tonuaco wo need. Thus it
seems that wo liavo moro favors of a commer
cial nature to expect from tho future thau wo
received from tlio past; tlio worm is very rap
1,1 lv ilrnw'Inir nearer to Us Mill has more need
of our products than ever, and wo need not
doubt will pay fairly for them.
rl'Tl'llK lhtllKAHK Or 1-llOllUlTIOll.
Tho farmer who lives in this region, or who
thinks of removing here, has an interest iu
understanding all that concerns tho reliability "
of our products and their chances for a mar
ket. It, no doubt, will astonish the wheat
farmers of Illinois and Iowa to know that
Portland offers as good a market for grain aa
Chicago, but such is tho case, with a chanco
for mora Improvement in tho future than Illi
nois or Iowa can expect. A small portion of
Western Oreirrm has been cultivated to wheat.
and it is also truo that tho yield of 18S0 is
four times tlio census returns 01 ioiu; sun
wheat ltowIiii- lu the Columbian recion has
but commenced. Tho resources of the Wil
lamette Valley will lie better tested aa lands
becomo Milidividcd mora ami tho brush land
In the valley aro cleat cd and the foothills re
gion dovclopcs. Tho time is not distant, we
think, when a liciicr system 01 cumvawon
will be found expedient aud profitable. It is
not tita much to claim for OrcL-on and Wash-
inton acapicityto doublo the present yield
of wheat within fivo years, -.ml when tho tlm
lcr and coast regions, "which wo lately de
scribed at length, commenco to bo inado pro
ductive of wheat, for which tho soil cannot be
excelled In many parts, tho yield will be still
further iucreascd.
EAST or TILT. MOUNTAINS
There is an extrusive area that must be
counted as an unknown quantity, a power for
production that cannot bo measured until it
is better understood. I'or the past few yeara
tho shipments of wheat down tho Columbia
river have been no measure of the yield of
wheat in thu upper country, because the rush
of immigration thither has constituted a homo
demand for bread and seed that lm prevented
tho actual surplus of production frum becom
ing known. Immigration ill increase there
for years to come and require bread and seed,
hut the production of that region is certain to
furnish a great surplus fur shipmi nt from this
timo on, becauso transportation facilities are
being so much improved. Tho enterprises of
tho Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
are sending branch railroad lines to uYtrf
wheat-growing district within reach of their
trunk road, and tho Northern Paciflo is pnsh
ing forward to the Spokan country, and fol
lowing the head waters of the Columbia into
Montana. The cumbrous system of water
ways ami portage railioads on the. Columbia
that required lietwecu Walla Walla anil Port
land three railroad lines ami threo steamboat
transfers in alternate links, with loading aud
unloading of freight at each change, will soon
lo replaced by a connected railio.ul line and
cheaper transportation. With railroad devel
opment increased, wheat production will be
come possible where pasturago is now tho only
lesouice i lands that aro considered worthless
will be animated by tho aspects of civilization
anil home life, for we hoir constantly that in
dlHereut directions settlement is occupying
lauds that were considered barren, but are
brought to lifo by knowledge of the fact that
wherever bunch grass grows well wheat fields
can be safely planted. When wo consider
what vastly increased production must result
from the agricultural development of the up
per country we realize the greater need of
more certain facilities for transportation of
our products to foreign markets, and there
fore have shown the need wo have of the Da
rieii ship canal, and the benefits to accrue to
us if the California crop shall teach market
by way of tlio (lulf of Mexico.
HUME Willi miMATEfl.
It is very easy, but as an effort towards the
solution of a practical question it is very un
wise, to make a sanguine estimate of possi
bilities. Wti have in view the recent enthu
siastic summing up by a learned and proliflo
writer, that if one-fourth the surveyed
lauds of Kastcrn Oregon ami Washington aro
sowed to wheitaml yield '20 bushels to tl.o
acre, the annual product will teach the encr
moo figw ol it 12S,0O0,0O0 ImaUls,
q
i
;