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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1881)
WILLAMETTE FATlMKRt PORTLAND, OREGON, FKBRUAKY 4, 1881. everywhere. Tlio school system of tha State Ii V 1 matioged, nml tho school fund fur iv i 1-- tliu .Statu materially aids tlio causa til i ui'in, Towns and villages glisten on tn ir.iu i ntid among tho lulls, mid trodo n. i iiiicrou aru conducted with animated n . .t!i , . wuilu tlio muchntiio arts nro encour aged awl prosper everywhere Tho Willom 'to vulluy dot only lias a navigablo river through its midst but is fairly seamed with voiiiH'tin;r railways. Cliurchcs aro well aus taiut-di thu fitrnars havo their clubu and jtroiigosj tho villagers havo excellent schools ami academics, and life hero is all that tho most uxictinif could desire, and far more- than could l)o expected of a region to rcmoto and K comparatively now, Tlio I'acillo Northwest hears well tho most nniitiiilin comparison with California and Nnvadi, for with all tlio clamour and glory of gold and s Ivcr mines ami orango groves, tho pnda of vineyards and orchards, there is nothing so poimaiicut and rcliahlv, so satis factory in all respects to tho actual settler who wishes to mako n homo for himself and his children after him, that California can offer that can equal tlio advantages to ho found to northward. This is n liruad assertion, hut will bo Iwrno out I iy facts. What with theni is i ; hcneral, tho glitter and gloss of life, un iler'ud bv strug.lu nml poverty, with us is st i progress and tho patient result of labor, j J .nt H no glitter ut goiii or glamour oi tropic-1 snnshinu to ha followed by periodical fain inn, hut t tit) people, tho climatuand tho conn liy iKitscss tho temperato character on which tho greatest nations of tho earth havo been built. 'I'liero nro a few men among us who havo amassed wealth, but it was by good bus lueis eiilerprisu and Judgment, practiced for many years. Tlielr wealth camo gradually hut certainly, with tho development of tho country, not by schemes and practices that beguiled half the population besides. Oregon nnil Washington, TV rritory havo been settled under ilis.nlv.int.iges that may havo retarded their growth, but that growth has been healthy) soci-ty hero Is sound at tho core; farmers own their own land, almost exclusive ly, and neighborhoods consist of those who by lung association nro become a united coinmuu Ity. i:rKi.tKNrn nv ruonctTM. Wuhavo often had occasion to show the superior qualities of Oregon products, and what wo now claim Is easy of proof, The products of Orciim rank high In all respects. As no havo shown, and as market quotations continually prove, tho same variety of wheat grown in Oregon is worth llvo cents a bushel ill I,lverHKil morn than if grown in California. Tha Ctlifomi i market is supplied with oats from Oiegou and I'ugct Sound, which the commercial pijicrs of S.m Francisco quote far uIkivo tho miiio grown there. Our vegetables tell theie higher than their own, hecauso our cool, umist cliiuatu produces n healthier and moro perfect development than tho rank growth of C.ihfoinli. California proiluct rato high In the world and occasion wonder to nil who go there, but oven Califoruians prefer ami pay higher lor nil products irom tno lior'h. 'It is not too much to claim that our voget iblos equal any and excel most of thoso glow ii in any part of tho United States. Tako 'thowho'u lino of vcgctablo products, and though there may be some that aro not natu tal tuoiir cliuiito, wo can grow most of tho ogtihha known in temperato climes in tho groatc-it perfection. The miiio is trim of nurfruitsi apples, pears, cherries, plum and prunes grow hero in tho grisliest piofiuluu and excellence. Our win ter apple am marketed in S.m Francisco. It is aokunvi lodged that apples ami pears havo a richer ij nor than tho sjiiio varieties posos in California, for tlio s.mio reason wo gao in connection with vegetables. No blight has attacked fruit, except for thrco years past tho apple tree louso ha devastated apple orchards in mine localities, but that is a pest that will undoubtedly soon disappear, Cherries grow lieio to tho.gre.itct possiblo excellence, Tlio curculio ha never been know u on this coast, and tho plum and prima K'ar usually in great piufmiou mid havo superior richness and llavor. Thu intimation in w hich our fruits aro held in California can bo shown by stating that M. O. Now berry, a fruit merchant in this city, foi warded tlio product of a plum mid pruno orchard plautul near Portland by Dr. Cirdwcll to a fruit csnnery in California, on such terms that they netted tho fruit grow er two cent a pound for tho fruit. The reas on giv eu for tho purchase was that Oregon fruit wero superior, and they could afford to pay tin price. Wo havo for live years past urged tho firmer of this region to plant out largo orchards of these fruits, ks they can bo dried or canned to advantage and shipped abroad. The great yield of plums and prunes to the acre, and thu demand that exists for them among all nations, make this a safe business to invest in, more especially as tin) United State import not let than llvo mil lions of dollar worth annually, so we can de pend on a homo market, tho ravages of tho curculio making it impossible to grow plum and prune cist of tho KockyMouutain. We planted an vrehard of SlKJ tree somo years n;n, and so showed faith in thi opinion, The tultivation of peaches uud giapci, we have said, is not so well repMd with its. though they glow in greater pcifcctioi i,i t of '.he Cascade. ILAX AMI WOOI,. Flax Is extensively grow u for scnl ami the manufacture of linseed nil is carrinl t-u to good advautago at Saturn, so as to aliilndantly supply all our own needs in that rcspnt. Flax for fiber has been nlso grown and lent to Ire land, ami tho fiber is said to fully equal the bestustdiu tho iiiauufactuiu of t!io linest Irish linen goods, it needs only that capital shall taku hold of thu matter and labor bo como procurable, to ninTto tho piriliiilimi ami msnufactura of llox on tho larg.st si.ilu ptusi bio iuOr.gou. Tliis inatt-r has been shown up for years past in Mie Fwimku ' t i n countryhkotliisgi.it in unfit, tt. . : ni r prises in iv si Iy. lib mt pe-siM tiow llax to pel fiction ui ui"t iintiitri . 'ill.- our climato resembles th.it of ili.i n ii tl. oi '! ind, mid cnoujli hat been iloiui I" ru to that wo can grow t'm lo t of tKx to ad.a.ii i v and prolit, in duo turn, nml Wuvrn (i.-:oti abounds in waUr-povvcr to ilnvo tlio mils mu! factories of half tlio win Id. Tl.it facu illus trato tlm possibilities of thu future. Oregon wool has a cluirtctir of its own row in tlio New Yoik ami II stoii maikets, ami is fast taking rank witu thu best tltivn tint reach tho east. Wo havo hero show u the su perior quality of nil Oregon piodiuts, and have only asserted facts that havo been piuved out and over again dining tlio ten ears wo hnvo coudiicUd thu Wll.l.tMi.TlK Kaumi li. Tho reader who liinlerstimls tho inllueiici of cli mato on soil ami products can readily sou w by this excellence is attained. OIIKIIOS AT TUB CHhT'S'.Ml During tho Cciitenniil Exposition nt Phila delphia Oregon pioducti "lie inhibited to good ndvautagu mid nstoidslied visitors from all parts of tho wot Id. Hon. A. J. Dufur, Commissioner for Oregon, secured for our utatu 3.1 prize for all our leading products, and in somo respect carried oil moro prizes tnan wero awarded any other state. Oiegnn grain was exhibited in tho sheaf ni d in glass, and surprised all who understood iti value. One F.iiglishmaii declined tlio kernels limit havo been selected by baud, while bis wifu dryly remarked! " If ut iiioui they must havo had something pretty good to pick from." An experienced English wool-giowir examined our wool sample cticfully with n glass md remarked that it must havo grown In a climato that had no extremes of cold or heat, as its liber was uniform and showed no weak spot in II its length, lion, M. Wilkin received lint prize forn tlcecuof Ncw.Uxfonli.hiio that wo classed as long wool, It was at thu Cen tennial that woolen manufacturers wciu first attracted by tho superior quality of Oicgon wools of till kinds. Against the III prires awarded to Oregon California livened but thrte, which wire given on samples ol native wine. Adjoining tho Oiegou display was that of Wisconsin, which tlio ngiutsof that Stite declared themselves ashamed to exhibit in contrast. At tho Pali Exposition, ogMn, where Mr, J, Van llciirdcti luiuaiued iu Commissioner, thu Oregon dipl iy nttracto I itrv.it attention from eiti.ens oi .ill countries, ami received liumvrous plUc. one gvner 1 prio living awarded to thu whole as a state iMuhit. while no other was granted to any Statu in tho Union. There must lio somo grc.t excellence i.. .1 !..... ..i .. ....... .... I .......... .......... Ill HID II INinvfci ill u lis'., nil I ivitiiim isi.'ml 1IK0 oum, wneii h can enga.-u wi'iiso iiiucii glory to it'ell iii eompelitiou wlmv thu pro duct of nil nations, subji-ct to the uirot per fect cultivation, coiiiKtu in nvah). What wo havo stated nlwui aru fa t that the reo ordsof thu world giratest inilllitil.il exposi tion Iwar out. The pieiuiuiil p-nd for Oiegou nroduct l'iic a suecewful fnuiidation for per manent wealth, and if only that much can be saved as accumulations, tlio agriculture of tho country will bo enriched. 1 ho tact that gcsxi crop aiu the rule with us double the induce ment we oiler emigrants. Wo not only now compete w ith California abroid but have mado successful exhibit of our products in thu fair of the Mechanic In stitute, auuuallv held iu San Francisixi. Mr. P. Sheulr, I -and Agent of the 0. C. It. II. Co.. has shown creat skill and energy in col lecting s iinpb s of our agricultural products to exhibit there, ami they have not only attract ed particular attention, but it is conceded have excelled all show lugs of thu kind made from the products of t;ut Mate. President Have chanced to bo in Portland in October w lieu our own Mechanic' Fair was iivlil, ami tiiowctt tno greatest interest in the collection of cereals and crosses shown by Mr. SheuUe, and was especially interested in the splendid showing of fruit gathered and exhihitcdfortheStite Horticultural Society by it president, Mr. II. Miller, lie weighted the heavy apple in in nana ami oueroi a uouoi If the flints he saw could be real. Tho sight of a sincle limb of Cost's Coldcn Drop Plums, hung thickly with fruit a large a eggs, was a sight he had never seen equaled, Tho Pres ident show el more interest in fruits, u'gft.i tile and ivnal than in the ivst of tho ilia-ply. HKALTliroLNKSM. Tho present census returns aro not yet pub lic so ns to make tho comparison of health with other States possiblo, but tho census of 1870 showed tho dcath-rato In Oregon to bo only O.fi'.l per cent, of tho population, against an averago of almost twico that rato for tho whole United States. It wero folly to claim that any region is blessed with immunity fi om disease, but wo can claim for tho wido scopo of country embraced in Oicgon and Washington tUnt it is healthful in the ox tienie, that malarial diseases exist only In a mild tvpe, and then generally in river bottoms orsalfuy lauds, typhus and typhnlil fever nucr exist nsnn epidemio, and tho dry cli lint.) of Middlo and Kastcrn Oregon and Washington is renowned for tho dilative ef feits upon rheumatism and lung complaints. Wo claim enough when wo statu these fact. 'I he ieuiption from suildin change consti tutes a piuveutivu against thu ills that prevail both iu slimmer and winter iu other countries. As wo liavu already remarked thu rains of winter am recognized as securing health, and coiihidcicd thu most healthy season of tho year. rOMMFItCK OK TUB C01.U.MIIIA ltlVKIU Tho annua! rcort of thu Portland Hoard of Trado f-.r tho year ending Aug. 1st, 18S0, shows thu exports of our region for that tuna amounted to tiftceu millions of dollars, and that too when tho rust in spring wheat caused a lots in the Willametto Valley of not less than two millions and a half of dollars. Tho uxports weru as follows! Wheat ami Hour .n,r.O!, 1M) Canned and packed salmon "J,7(iU,8ir Cod and lumber from Coos Hay... 1:1,70.1 Wool 2.IM.U7 (! )hl nml silver from mines 1100,000 Cattle illivrn cast 8.11,000 Oats, potatoes, hops, lumber, hides, etc. scut to San Francisco... . 1,, "12.1,370 81.1,015,231 If tho wheat viclil of 1880 can Imj sold at tho samopiico that was received for that of 1870, tlio total proceciis win io over 5;p,wii,uiaj nci to tho farmer of the country. When we compare tho population of theso two Slates with tho total of thu United States, and rec ollect that tho products of I'ugct Sound and somo other parts of this territory aro not In- cliuieii, tno result I reany astonisning. n o represent only ono two-hundrcth part of the people of the nation our exports equal $00 for every individual, and at tha same rato tho to tal exports of tho nation would lw .1.000,000,. 000 uImivo tho products used for homo con sumption, and that would not include manu factured goods; also we must remember that wo have fed and iu part clothed ourselves Imj sides. Our shipments and exports havo only made a commencement. Our cxKrts of brcadstiiirs to F.uropc have increased from less than 200.000 cental in 1871 to nmro than .1,000,000 centals iu 18S0. It is only within llvo years past that direct commerce bvtwrcu F.uropvan ports and the Columbia river has as sumed any importance. It is sifa to say that this commerce will increase in magnitude rap idly, and when railroad transit is perfected act us the continent a trado with Asia will do velopo that will build up a great metropolis hero to reap its advantages. To one w ho has grown gray watching tlio slow progicss of events for over thirty year, tho prospect of the futuro of this country seems wonderful. Very soon wo shall see thu door thrown wide open, and direct railroad conmction will bring tho Pacillo Northwest within easy reach of tho older world, ami our liuiato and resources will bring the old wuild thronging to our portals. ABOUi 0RASSE3. Several questions have lately asked through the Faiimeii, relative to the best way to seal down postures in the Willamette valley. The answer to this will cover all Western Oregon and Washington, as the climato of all the country West of the great Cascade range is humid, and the conditions aro similar. We have repeatedly asserted that this question was tho most important ono for tho considera tion of ur fsrmcis, ami four years ago It was discussed at great length in our columns and the information furnished from the experience of correspondents proved of great value to the country, and has produced practical results of no small importance. The early comers camo down od the Cas cade mountins into the Willamette valley and found here an earthly paradise waiting for the cominr of their flocks mid herds. Through the valley the native grass waved to the bit- lowing sea breeze, scarce an animal being present there to crop it. This eras was not heavy but it was abundant and very nutri tious, and for many years, and until by oyer cropping it wa eaten out, it kept strut with out expense Summer and WiuUr and coined wealth fur stock owner. At that time, too, Mr. Minto and others assure us that the hills of Marion and Yamhill counties, am! no doubt of other cottul ics, abounded in a delicate wild clover that afterwards disappeared, but wo havo seen it coming in again through the country, and specimens have been exhibited in tho sheaf. Much might bo written about our native grasses, ond wo remember that D. D. Pretty man mado a collection of them two years ago, which wero shown in tho sheaf and made a very attractive exhibit at our Stato Fair and at tlio Mechanics' Fair at San Francisco, and wo thing Mr. Shuliu has them yet. Tho im portant fact seems to bo that very few of the notivo grasses of Oregon aro able to stand heavy feeding, thougli an oxcoption may be found iu tho bunch grass that is tho prido of stock men lvast of tho Cascades. In tho Western valleys tho range., when eaten out, is bare ami almost worthless, and how to replace thu transient native grasses with permanent and enriching pasturage, is tho most impor tant of all practical questions now under con sidcration. With all that has been comuni cated tho subject is yet an open one, and we shall proceed to stato what wo personally Know or liavo ooscrvrtl. It is proved beyond dispute that tho grass lonir nast known nt Clatson as velvet Brass. also known iu Kngland as soft meadow grass. which is commonly called mosquito grass, ana as such is native to Texas and well appreciated there, will mako permanent pasture and yield very abundantly, Somo say ir is not tho best feed, and that stock will not cat it if they can got oth r feed, whilo others wo instance lion. M. Wilkins and Mr. J. II. Knapp, say stock prefer it to most other grosses ami that they thrivo upon it, and that milch cows yield very freely where the can get it. Perhaps it docs better hero than in Kngland, forin Texas it is considered invaluable. It is called there "running mesquito," becauso it spreads from tho root. It is not easily destroyed when once it takes hold, and soon, makes a denso (oil, through which it is said, fern cannot forco IU way. Mr. John Simpson, of Sitislaw, wrote concerning it that It growed very thrifty and mado fair hay. It seems to bo so light that tho crop of hay is small, but wo aro informed that Clatson farmers havo no other. It can bo pastured nit Fall and Winter, and will yield well for hay afterwanls, which is not tho case with other grasses. Mr. S. W. Hartley, of Waldo Hills, sowed it on his bare pasture ond when wo saw it, vcars ago, it was a green field. In tho foot hills, or on any lirusli lam!, wlien sown on a intrn in Septem ber, it can bo pastured lata in the ssme Fall and all W inter. Tramping does not harm it. It grows all through inter except when it is froren solid. Mr. Thomas Cross, near Salem, shew id usrank grass, a foot hich in the early part of March, that ha said was eaten down doso tho latter part of January. Wo sowed it ono light burn in the fiot hills, and the other day wo found it, where it had not seen tho day light sinco last spring, because ot high and ilciito growth of ferns, yet it was rankai.di.Tcen. andcvidciitlvcrowingthiiftily. Co into a piece of w oods and slush and burn tho underbrush and sow mesquito grass in the ashes and it will mako quick growth. It is tlio only gross wo Know oi mat win grow in tlio shade, ami it certainly will, so by its means much timber land can lie made to yield pasturage. It can be mixed with other gras ses, and perhaps would insure better pasture thereby, especially mixed with small white clover, but thoso who claim to know, say mesquite grass or velvet gross, will soon root out all others, but mixed pasture is certainly to lie preferred. Clover of wild growth was fount! on the red hill through the Willamette valley, but the cultivated viirietieit do not thrive well under all circumstance. Wo know- of a small meadow belonging to Mr. It. II. Dearbon, of South Salem, sowed with grain, one Spring to timothy ami clover, where for years we watched tho hay mado there with a conscious ness that tho clover did wonderfully well, but when wo ask, as wo often do, what grasses a farmer tries to grow, we ore often told that clover is not a success. It seems to succeed well on sandy river Isattom, as Hon. John Minto grows it to great prolit on the island opposite Salem. Alfalfa, we have never known to succeed here as it does in California. A few year ago the Kinnevs, at Salem, sow ei 1 it in a gravelly lot in town and made a grow th for several years, and then died out. Wo do not know that it has ever lieen thor oughly tries! under tho most favorable con ditions, but have often heard o( its failure, lied clover we think can be made a success with proper ellbrt, and e expect to sow down an orchard to ret! clover this Spring. The small white clover seems to have a natural affinity to our soils both here and East of the mountains. It can lie seen taking hold and doing well where it was never sowed, on pastures, in lanea and barn yards, and along tho highways everywhere. As will be seen our experience is not as wide as it might be, but we have con fideure it is correct, and we write thus fully of it to induce others to eive their experience We have mesquito and orchtrd grass, white clovir and timothy in many pastures, and timothy it for meadows, and it seems as if other varieties of grasses should possess equal advantages with, these.
