Willamette farmer., August 12, 1881, Page 7, Image 7

WILLAMETTE FARMER: PORTLAND, OREGON, AUGUST 12, 1881,
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OUR SUMMER CLIMATE.
"lie telegraph brings us word that men are
fmg licau in me succis ui rasietii eitics,
,.- 1 1... ...... t t... 1M.
0 Hi l.urope, eiluseti uj siutsmiivv, nu
by sunstrnk
East of the
1 niJYhtBt Ii.ih been intense hast of the Hooky
UuiiUins and fatal in numerous instances,
ile in the Willamette valley tlieie has not
in an uncomfortably warm day so far, and
t the 20th day of .Tilly, is cloudy and cool,
rJth.it the writer wears the clothing he h.td
-V11 Winter. The season has been verv tin
" . .K-11. innt fnr Orpmin thnnirh w mnv linvp
T 1 fW '
rn . 'MBne warm days between now and September.
i. TBe peculiarity of this climate, which greatly
5 iSreases health and comfort, is that when
rH
nug comes, even after the warmest days,
air becomes cool and delicious, and the
I harvestersleeps soundly and refreshingly,
uring such cool weather as we now have
ripening grain matures slowly and pro-
ices the full, plump berry that is so appreci-
d abroad, standing at the head of the Kng-
Vi mnrlri.f nmnnrr enrn.ita nf nil nations. This
' . txtra value of our wheat brings a great deal of
- fl? sihoney in the course of years. This healthful
. ?'?.1,1 ..f..iult!iiiT rtlimntj. with its ilnmuiiitv
vfrom all extremes of heat and cold, is s-arcely
V 'Sualled on the face of the earth.
1 &v?During May there was a protracted dry
N e",sx t ...!. -i il .. : i- tu.4 M.4.J.H..
r $,MC11, Willi snarp liuibu wjimo, bud luuieituuj'
. .',5wjured crops and decreased yield, but tho re-
, $&orts wc are receiving show that through the
fl(VM',0'c Columbia region the yield of grain is
' lfgood, and exceptions, if we could know it, are
.iHCaUSCU uy pour luriiung uuu luul iami, aim nuk
.Ji'liv ftitilf nf onil nr climate.
irkEi, . ... . ..,.,.,..,
rt uur .simmer so iar ims eicen a ueugutiui
5l)i&ole, with occasional showers and refresh
Sine sea breezes, so that our people havi hard
ly felt the necessity of seeking health at the
aea coast or in tho mountains. Our harvest is
; -i. i :.. ..:.. Ai..nI1I.u i.,,'iv:iin.tt. ..nita..
USb lellllillV MIJUUII IUV IIIIIIMIICkW 1U11CJ,
nd can be hardly said to havecommenced, but
.will last irom now oil ami lor an me nine umu
September, and some crops will ripen in that
month.
JfHE WORLD'S WHEAT CROP AND COMING
fREIQHT RATES.
For some years past the new world has re-
Ivjoiceu in tlie possession 01 remarKaoiy goon
H' .... nf ii.ltnnf wliiln ihn nnfinna nf Wurnnp
i..... . 1,1 -i
Aind especially Kngland, have realized only a
small yield as the average of production. Tpe
wheat crop of the United States for 1880 ag
gregated four hundred and eighty millions of
bushels, against two hundred and eighty-nine
millions in 1876, almost doubling production
5 in four years. But tho present year will not
see an average crop in any Eastern State, un
less it may be Minnesota, and the falling off
will nearly or quite reach one hundred million
bushels in the United States.includmg twenty
million bushels in California.
When we consider that the world's demand
seems to have required all of the immense
"American surplus for 1880, and that we get
teports that stocks on hand are reduced much
lower than usual at this season in all countries,
so that the world may be said to be feeding
biead from hand to mouth, with no excess to
spare of any considerable amount, we might
naturally expect that prices would advance
and the prospects of wheat-growers be much
oved from this time. But by the strangely
-compensating methods of Nature wo find that
in this exigency European nations seem to
possess lictter harvest pi opects and expect to
make up from their growing crops nearly or
quite enough to compensate for the great de
ficiency in the United States.
But, after all, wo much doubt if European
harvests can really make up the American de
ficit and renJer tho woild independent in the
nutter of breadstuff's. It is true there is no
serious apprcliension felt, and it is yet too
"early to fully know what harvest returns will
le, either in Europe or America, but with each
coming week surmise will grow into certainty ,
jmd by the first of September 'we may expect
the European breadstuffs markets to be based
on reliable crop prospects and statistics.
Should California only grow two thirds as
much wheat as last year, (when her surplus
was 1,420,000 tons) that State (with 650,000
tons surplus held over) will have 1,450,000
tons of wheat to ship, and the Columbia river
will have at least 2."0,000 tons more, making
a total of 1,700,000 tons of wheat awaiting
shipment from this coat in tho harvest year
18S1-2.
To realize our position with regard to ton
nage, we recall to mind that in the year ju9t
past California Was visited by a greater num
Iter of win-it hip than ever before, and that
her total shipments of wheat and flour only
aggregate 769,000 tons. The shipments from
the Columbia river for the tame time will not
raise tlie luiai to over !.'0,000 tons, so that
we shall have 750,000 tous of wheat, or twenty-five
millions of bushels more to ship in
twelve mouths to come than was actually
shipped from this coast during the past twelve
months.
To pat this matter in plainer shape still,
vtppusiug that last year there were nix hun
dred vessels that took wheat cargoes from San
Francisco ami tlie Columbia, the present year
we shall require nearly eleven hundred vessels
of the sime opacity. Tho object in making
, this matter so specific and plain is to give such
infonrut.on concerning the tonuage question
. to permit full understanding of waiits in
that direction, so that if any remedy is possi
ble it miy be reached.
California may have a larger yield than we
have calculated on and cannot have much
smaller. The situation now is simply this:
Wheat exporters are working in perfect har
mony together to order vessels to carry away
only such portion of this wheat surplus as
they can safely calculate will have to be sold
to satisfy the urgent needs of wheat -growers.
They are w orking so entirely within liounds
that they may bo said to haeasure thing.
Under this rule we cannot expect freight! to
lie any low cr for a year to come, anlru tome
commercial crisis aru-cs to depress trade on
.the ocean, in which case many vcse! may
'turn this ;y.
It rca'Iy looks as if it will pay finning
ueiHborhood to ao! their w heat and charter
ships if they can be had for 6Tis per ton, or
even a trille more, but they can possibly be
engaged for (Vis. More tonnage came this
way last year than ever lief ore, and we need
almost twice as many ships as we had then,
and will some one tell us when and how they
will come, in sufficient numliers to lower
freights, unless some responsible authority
shall send for them. If we can save 20s per
ton on 'JoOjOOO Ions, by chartering ships, that
will be a million and a quarter dollars, and
even to save 10s per ton will be overS600,000,
and will brighten matters amazingly. The
question narrowed down to a close figure, is:
Whatever can be saved off tho present rate
of Sos per ton, will lie profit to the grower;
even if tonnage comes down in consequence of
such independentaction, that will be a result
ing gain. It cannot come down without com
petition, that is certain.
SHIPPING. FRUIT FROM WALLA WALLA.
Mr. Win. Dunbar last Saturday received a
shipment of fruit from Walla Walla, 62 boxes,
56 of peach plums and 6 of apricots. The
plums were very fine and possibly a trifle lar
ger on the average than same variety grown
in this market, but no earlier, for theso re
ceived Saturday were scarce ripe, and sold
readily at 75 cents a box, 30 pounds of fruit
in a box. The apricots were also very good
fruit, nearly as good as those received from
California. This fruit was grown by Mr. J.
W. Foster, who lives near Walla Walla, who
told Mr. Dunbar, when hero a few day ago,
that he expected to have2,000 boxes of peaches
to ship to this place. There is no doubt that
the upper country can produce peaches and
apricots of finest quality and can find a ready
market for a considerable quantity in this
direction. The whole peach family only grow
precariously in this valley, though we hear of
occasional instances where trees arc planted
on western hill sides, or in steep gclches hid
from the morning sun, where they do tolera
bly well. In yards of private premises at
Salem, on the West of and close to houses,
wo know of peach trees in good bearing, but
it may be safely set down that peaches cannot
be grown for market in Western Oregon un
til you go South of the Calipooias, and not in
excellence until we reach Rogue river. But
we can look to the country East of the Cas
cade range for peaches and apricots.
The peach plums received by Mr. Dunbar
sold for 75 cents a box, and apricots $1.25 u
box. The O. R. & N. Co. chirged half a cent
a pound freight, and the boxes averaged 39
pounds each, made of green lumber, the
freight, cost of boxes and commissions on sales
must have come to nearly 35 cents a box,
leaving the grower about 40 cents for the
green fruit. The apricots sold for $1.25 and
netted three cents a pound for the green fruit.
We give theso particulars for the benefit of
Eastern fruit growers, and our own conclusion
is that while we shall always offer a good mar
ket for peaches, plums cannot be sent here
with any expectation of profit.
We have already our own peach plums in
market, and while they may hardly average
quite so large as those from Walla Walla,
they are large enough and superior in flavor.
The writer took Mr. Dunbar somo peach
plums of his own growing near Salem, that he
might tc5t the difference in quality, and fruit
grown in this valley we believe will always be
found to possess inoro richness, more delicacy
of growth and flavor, than fruit grown East
of the mountains or in California, but they
grow to advantage somo fruits that w ill not
acclimate here.
These plums and apricots came through in
perfect condition, and notwithstanding the re
peated handlings came in much better order
than the same fruits usually come from Cali
fornia. Considering the care necessary in
handling and pushing through such freight,
the freight charges Were not unreasonable,
but when we shall have railroad connection
direct we may expect quicker dispatch and
the lowest rates possible to enable Eastern
Oregon an 1 Washington fruit-growers to sup
ply this market,and they should certainly have
even' possible preference and inducement to
produce and ship what fniits wc can afford to
buy.
j - i.
Wk published last week that a Douirias
county pool of 250,000 pounds ot w ool would
be shipped to New York, to test the question
of value at the greatest wool markets in the
United States. This may prov e a valuable
oxperiment, as at least wool-growers will
learn by their own experience, but wc think
still another movement of great advantage to
the wool-growing interest might be made.
This wool or at least it is true of the average
wool product will lose two thirds its weight
in scouring, and the buyer in guessing at the
dirt in w oil, which he invariably does when
he buys it, always makes a safe margin in his
own favor. We probably shipped eight mil
lions of pounds nf wool, and all' freights on
this wool, from the sheep ranch to tho fac
tory, miy safely bu put down to cost fonr
cents a pouud, which is twelve cents a pound
on the clean wool. Our total cost for ship
ping dirt to the East mixed with wool, is over
two hundred thousand dollars a year, which
is a good thing for transportation companies,
but quite a tax on the people who grow wool.
Then it appears to us that if tiiere is money
in shipping their own wool, farmers will rind
still more profit in the business whenthey add
odd two and a half cents a pound to the value
of it by cleaning out the dirt. The dirt itself
is the most valuable of manure, ami what
5,000,000 pounds of sheep washings is worth
w e leave for farmers to d jcide.
Klickitat Agricultural Society.
CclJnJ!e GilciU-.
A well attended meeting was held lat
Saturday afternoon. The following were ap
pointed a committee to solicit subscriptions
to stock: S. II. Miller H. C. Darlaad, 8. W,
Childers. W. D. Smith, Ed. Letterman, and
J. Nesbit. Tlie bond of Mr. Nesbit as treas
urer was read and accepted, Hon. W. D.
Smith, Jos. Nesbit and I C. Dsrland, were
made a committee to draft by-laws. The so
ciety have purchased of O. W. Miller for
$1,200, abont 50 acres of ground between the
public school nd Scommon's mill. Thingi
nowbegin'to l'k like we were positively
going to have s fair.
GENERAL NOTES.
Steatnlioat men aro predicting early low
water in the Willamette this season. The
absence of snow in the mounttius is the fact
upon which they base their judgement. It
has been many years since so light a covering
of snow was left in the Cascade range at the
opening of Spring. Eugene Guard.
A cattle driver who arrived here this week
from near Klamath Lake says grass is plenty
and stock are sleek and fat in that country.
Near the road on the other side of the De
schutes several small bands of niulo deer were
seen, while young ducks, prairie chickens and
antelope were on every hand. This region is
the sportsman s paradise. State Journal.
E. L. Bryan brought us in some fine sam
ples of wheat and oats a few days ago, and
we were very much surprised to hear him say
that they were raised on white land, which
has always been supposed to be almost w orth
less. The wheat was about 6 feet high, with
large heads, and well filled, and the oats was
ahout 7 feet high ith remarkably large heads.
Sir. B. summer fallowed the land and manur
ed it, nd this is the result. CJood farming
will bring out thii white land, invariably.
Albny Demon at.
Yakima Record: P. J. Flint sent us a
simple of rye grass raised on his place on the
Lower Yakima which measured tw.lve feet in
length. It will bo remembered last year this
gentleman cut an average of a little over five
tons of hay to the acre from his place. This
year tlie yield will even exceed those figures.
Wo w ant to know who can beat this. The
above are actual facts and can be substantiated.
The Malheur Reservation.
Raker County Re Idle.
It seems that the government is at last tak
ing steps to throw this reservation open to
settlement by the white nun. It is well
known that most, if not all, the Indians on
that reservation were placed on tho Simcoc
Reservation quite soon after tho close of the
late Indian outbreak. Last Monday a train of
twenty-five or thirty wagons, eaoh drawn by
four horses, and driven by an Indian, aud all
under tho superintendence of Father Wilbur,
yassed through Baker City on their way to
the Shncoe Agency, each wagon being loaded
with personal property beloncing to the Ala!
hour Reservation. The Indian drivers man
aged their respective teams as adroitly and
skillfully as any white man could, and this,
too, without the uso of a profane word, thus
setting an example, in this regard, which some
whites would do well to imitate. The Indians
on the Simcoe Reservation have made great
strides towards civilization within the last fif
teen or twenty years, under Father Wilbur,
the Indian agent. They have school houses
and churches; they raise grain and vegetables;
they have bauds of cattle and horses; the girls
are taught to cook and sew with the sewing
machine; the children are sent to school where
they are taught to read, write, etc., in the
English language; some of them learn to play
on the organ and other instruments, and the
females as well as the males dress like tho
whites. All this has been effected chiefly
through the efforts and iufiueuao of "Father"
Wilbur, as ho is called, who has held this po
sition for about twenty years. A generation
has grown up under him; and, owing to his
energy, tact, perseverance aud faith in his
mission, he has really achieved great things
for the Indians. The Simcoe Agency is re
garded as far ahead of all others in all that
goes to elevate, and civilize, and christianize
the "noble red man of tlie forest." We trust
he may yet be spared many years, and live to
see still greater and more satisfactory lesults
among those for whoso welfare ho has mani
fested so much solicitude and self-abnegation.
Canning Fruit.
The San Jose, California, Herald, says the
two canneries there, employ in the busiest
season about six hundred hands men,
women and girls. For apricots, they pay
from $70 to $80 per ton; cherries, $100 to $120
per ton; peaches, $40 to $60 per ton; pears,
$40 to $50; grapes, $30 to $40; strawberries,
about $120 per ton. These fruits are brought
from all parts of the State. The greater part
corues from Alameda county. They obtain
about one-fifth of their fruit in Santa Clara
county. Much of it is obtained from Vaea
villc and the Sacramento valley. Last year
the San Jose Fruit Packing factory put up
1, 000,000 cans of fruit; 120 tons of jelly, and
150 tons of preserves besides jams, dried fruit,
vegetables, etc. The principal market for all
this is in Euiope and in the- largo cities of the
Ecastcrn states. The fruits most desirable
for canning are tho c ally and late yellow Craw
ford and white and yellow cling stone peaches;
tho Moorpark and Royal apricot; the Bart
lett pear; Greengage and egg plums; tho
Nupoleon and Great Bigereau cherries; Black
cherries are not d'firable to can. Of the
grapes used, tie Mmcut is tho principal
variety for cam takos 40,000 pounds
of fruit to run this factory one day, and the
proprietors say there is no danger of over
stocking w ith fruit if orchardUts w ill raise the
kinds used of canning. The Golden Gale
factory employs from 250 to 400 bauds, and
last year put up 500,000 caioof fruit, although
this year they expect to double the amount.
They use daily 15 barrels of sugar for making
lyrup'. The tin shop where the cans are made
is ounrcetfd with the factorv.
About Pies, Hoes and Swine.
Sevr York Tune.
W, B. K., Penn Yan, New York, writes:
"Having read in the Times of the I lth of this
month Mr. Stewart's article on 'Wbolejomc
Pork,' I offer a reply. I do not expect it to lie
published, as the Times ami other papers are
careful not to publuh anything opposed to the
raiting anil eatiug of swine. I consider the
hog au unfit animal for mankind to raise as
food. Mr, Stewart says: 'Pork is the chief
animal food of tho w orld. "Die hard laW of
the world is done by means of pork. It sup
plies the sailor, the soldier, the miner, the
lumberman, tho farmer, the builders of rail
roads and houjes, the explorers who precede
the van of civilized occupation of wild lands,
the rich and the poor with a uecary and
agreeable supply of animal food, H provides
the coarse food for tho hungry man and it en
ters into tho most delicate knick-knacks of
the cook's art in the shape of lard.' I have to
admit, of course, that many millions of swine
aro raised; that a great business is made of it,
but that it is necessary that they should bo, I
do not admit. Not in a single case mentioned
in tho list above do I admit that pork is a nec
essary article of food. As for sailors, salt
pork, if eaten in great quantity by them, is
one great cause of producing scurvy among
them. Every person who understands hygi
ene knows that pork is not necessary food in
warm weather, and yet a large share of all the
pork raised is packed and smoked for Sum
mer's use; and it is not necessary for any la
boring man, even in the coldest weather, for
there is an abundance of other good, whole
some carbonaceous food to produce all the
animal heat ncccasary for the system. Nor is
lard necessary for shortening and frying cakes.
A little butter, cream aud butt Tiiiilk mixed
together makes a more wholesome shortening
than lard, and baked cakes are more healthful
than those fried in lard. We all have to ad
mit, of courtc, that the hen is s filthy as to
her eating as tho hog; and also that the cow
will eat of what comes from tho horse stable,
but she does not wallow in the filthy mire, eat
her own excrement, carrion, putrid sour swill,
rotten eggs, etc., and her's and the hen's flesh
is as much more wholesome than pork as their
looks are different from the hog. I contend
that the hog is a loathsome, filthy, scurvy,
strong-smelling, animal of its own inherent
nature, independent of what it cats; itsbrcth
smells very offensive, it has no pores through
its skin like other animals for a portion of its
impurity to escape, having only holes in its
legs as a partial substitute. I therefore dis
agree very much with Ml. Stewart when he
says, 'In fact, there is no animal that can
keep itself cleaner or more desires clean food
than a pig.' If it were possible to prevent the
breeding of another single hoc on the face of
the earth people would liud they could live
better without them, have purer blood, fairer
skins, and be less liable to contract contagious
diseases, and if taken, would have them much
less severely. What I would have people do
would be to raise their calves instead of hogs,
and feed the skimmed milk before it souis
and the buttermilk while fresh to them, which
I think would be practical, and let the people
have plenty of young and tender beef instead
of pofk, and I will venture to say that they
will be fully as active, strong, and healthy,
and that 'the hard labor of the world' can lie
done better without tho pork than with it."
What the Comet Caused.
Souavillk, Linn Co., Or., July 11, '81.
Editor Willamette Farmer i
I write some of my thoughts on the great
phenomena, which appeared in tho heavens in
the forenoon of the 25th of June; what caused
it an I what is it a eign of. Some seem to
guess rain, others wind and earthquake, and
resurrection trumpet, &c, but I guess it was
caused by the great comet that is now visible
in the northern heavens. When I first saw tho
comet, it ran too low to lie seen all niirht, till
the 24th of June I saw it then at midnight, in
the due north, about 7 above the horizon,
and 27 llow the north star. Hence, of
course, in 12 hours from that time, it was 27
above the Dorth star, and 7 north of the
zenith of this latitude, which is about 44J de
grees. Astronomers tell us that some c.uncts have
tails' a hundred million miles long. If the
firescnt comet has a blaze that long, it would
lavo swept through the atmosphere .of this
earth, which I have no doubt but it did, and
that the bright globular bodies which form its
blazo produced these pale rings, as was rep
resented in the heavens above us, which all
luminous bodies will do when mist and other
gaseous matter come between them and dark
shade, so as to reflect their image. I believe
it was in 1830 a comet made its appearance in
tlie East, coming straight towards the earth,
which alarmed people so that many joined
the churches. But when at its nearest dis
tance from tho earth, it only caused the at
mosphere to appear very hazy for a short time.
And about 1840, a comet mode its appearance
in the southwestern heavens, whose toil was
said to be ninety million miles long, reaching
towards the earth in the shapo of a trumpet.
The comet itself was not visible to the natced
eye. Some supposed the blaze was a sword ill
Gabriel's hand, ready to smite the nations for
their wickedness. In June, 1810, a comet ap
peared in the North, much like the present
one, and was visible for some time and for
aught I know this is the same comet returned
again, whose period would be 62 years.
Yours truly,
Mkdijeilh Vandkhi-ool.
The Palouse Country.
E. N. Beach writes to the Palouse Gazette:
As to grain, such as wheat, oats, barloy and
flax, there has never been even a partial fail
uie in the Palouse country, and this year's
crop will be immense as couiuaied with tho
number of acres sown. As for vegetables this
country excels any that I have any knowledge
of. Last year's crop of potatoes was not more
than one-half gathered and preserved for use,
ami this spring they could not be sold at any
price, and were left in the fields to rot where
they were buried. As for cabbage, turnipn,
parsnips carrots and other common veguta
Lies, they certainly grow as well here as any
spot on the Pacific coast. Our insrket has been
well supplied with peas, potatoes, and, in
fact, all kinds ot vegetables since the middle
of June. I was a resident of the Willamette
valley nineteen year, ami can say, without
fear of contradiction that our vegutable-s
mature as early m this I'aloiuo country as
they do in the Willamette valley.
Renting Farms.
Oregon Colunltt.
Ill answer to enquiries we think tho follow
ing information is reliable and useful. The
common plans in this Willamette) Valley are
as follows: If the landlonl supplies teams,
seed, ploughs and harrows, he will receive one
half of the whole crop warehoused, the ten
ant receiving the other half fur all lab' r on
the farm, and tne cost ef harvctting and waie
housing the crop. If thu renter finds teams,
seed and implement the landlord hae to con
tent himself with ouethird of the crop wart
housed. Tins system of paying tei.t in kind
Is much more than that of paling rent in
money, though them is littlo difficulty in ar
ranging can1, tonne if the proKnd renter pre
fers it. This routing it gene-rally confined to
a one or two yearn tenancy, longer te-rnn
Wing not usually adopted.
Shall we Hav a Horse Fair?
jArksonillle Sentinel.
Some of our horsemen, notably J. A. Card-
well, wish us to call the attention of the citi
zens of Jackson county to the subject of im
proving and raising a better and more salea
ble class of horses. How to do it and how-
one may know that he has done it. It is con
ceded by all that wc have here in this
valley the best climate and produnce
tho best horse feed to be found
anywhere; our horses will grow larger hero
and weigh two to three hundrend pounds
more (from our horse-feed), than in Kentucky.
A little reflection will convinco all, that by
taking advantage of our opportunities wo can
produce larger horses with as good and even
better action than any other country; and
the result would be that instead of the world
going to Kentucky to get choice horses, our
own horses would soon attact the attention of
those on the Iok out for good stock. But in
order to do this we have to work up our in
terest. We should alw ays bo ready to supply
the markets nearest to us with as many horses
as we can raise. In order to bring about a
great demand for our horses, wo should in
stitute trials of speed and endurance to test
them. And in furtherance of this object it is
proposed to have races at Cardwcll & Flitner's
track sometime in September, provided enough
money can be raised to hang up the purses.
Let us have a good horse fair, mid speed
trials.
Linn County Fair.
Albany HeraM.
We believe the Linn county Fair, which
convenes on the Fair grounds at Albany on
Sept. 27th and ends Oct. 1st, will be a grand
success. Holding the State Fair in July has
abou t wrecked that institution, and is, we
think, a great mistake although wo arc friendly
to its officers and hope to see it succeed in
tlie future. The reflections cast upon its sec
retary, 1". W. Waitc; no a very littlo way
with us, and after Mr. Waite's explanations,
look cry thin and threadbare. We believe
E. M. Vi'.iite to be an honest, upright and
conscientious man, and no doubt, as ho says,
ho ban siiflercd pecuniary enilrarrossmcnt to
further the interests of the society. Thou
sands of people who have not attonded the
State Fair for the last year 'or two, will pro
bably put in an appearance at our county Fair
this Fall, for Albany never, does things by
Halves. me nnunuant Harvest ot cereals,
fruits and vegetables will make a grand dis
play in theso departments possible and pro
bable, and wc hope to see the stunly yeomen
of Linn county come up to Albany with tlie
products of their toil and make our county
Fair a Fair in fact as well as name. Those
having the Fair in charge should ably bestir
themselves, liberally advertise its, premiums
and use every reasonable incentive to call the
people out in a comparison of the products of
inesou. a live r air win auverusu we re
sources of Linn county greatly, anel be the
probablo means of doing us a great deal of
good.
A Czar's Purgatory.
At one time the late Czar was prevailed up
on to wear a chain breat-plato under his tunic,
but though one of tho lightest kind was made
for him be could not bear its weight, so tho
expedient was adopted of causiug his tunics
to lio padded with cotton wool steeped in a
preparation which hardened it, and rendered
.it, if not bullet proof, at least knife proof,
and difficult for even a bullet to pierce at a
long shot. An attempt was made some time
ago to poison the Czar by sending him a pctl
tion oovcrcd with some noxious powder, after
which he ceased to receive letters, papers or
petitions. For a similar reason ho gave up
smoking) though he used to like a cigar, aud
he drank no vino but from bottle uncorked
in his pre'M'iico. Ill tl o imperial, kitchen the
Czar's f ooil was preparo I by a h rench cook,
who plied all his avecations under the eyes of
two police guards- not that the cook himself
could incur any suspicion, but because seme
conspirator might have got at tho ingredients
he was preparing. The food was always
cooked in the simpleot way, without sauces,
and it was tasted by two officials before it
was served at the Czar's table. Everything
that Alexander II ate or drank was tasted in
trie presence, and all the attendance in tho
dining room was performed by servants of
tried Ddenty.
kUckltat Valley Crops'
Mr. M. R. Browu writes us from Eaglu
Creek, ClackamaA county: I have just re
turned from a tour east of tho mountains.
The crops in Klickitat county, W. T., aro
much ltetter than last year, but in places
grasshoppers are doing eiaiuagu. A piece of
barley on Mr, HiciuliotLoni'ir farm, growing
on a buiic!i (,ras.j knoll, without irrigation, is
tho best I ever saw. Many of tho heads will
measure over 5 inches without tho beard.
Oats aud wheat on the saniu farm are quito us
good as the best Willamette Valley farms
pi wince. leg ono inorei for tho liunch grass !
All kinds of fruit are ri and in great abund
ance and of excellent quality, but to one used
to the U-autiful green of tlto Willamette val
ley, the dry, uudu hills nf the upper country
present a dieary appearance, indeed. The
bunch om of former J.ivs has nearly disap
peal ed by excemive pastming, and yet tho
I'Vu is relieved liv numerous farms, timlier
culturn tracts, and village springing up that
a few yean ago were not tliougnt (a.
Immigrants,
lullv. Tuut.
1,1st Sunday interviewed a family of
immigrant, who. had lately crossed tin
plains fioirt Minnesota. Tlii gentlemen in
formed us that he had count to Oregon to try
and make a home for himself and his family,
Since arriving here, he has enamintd portions
of Washington territory and this county. Ho
far, he favors the Hood. River county, which
he thinks the most desirable, lie says that
uural of his ueighlfirs intend to tomei to
Oiegon, if he lepoits favorably. The W liters
are so long and cold in his edd lioine, that he
Itecauie tireil of them, und di termined to seek
a more genial (Innate, Two or, three) cars
loaded with Hum grants leave Omaha every
day, ne inicrms us, ami agreai many are com
lug to Oregon. We found him a very Intelli
gent man, ami such wo consider quite on ac
quisition to our population.
Miu Jims Mum, ef the O. It. & N. Co., es
timate that ttiis year's crop, east of tlie Can
cade inotintaiiis, will bo nearly 100,000 tons,
of which nearly 75,000 tons will be ui ported,
tho remainder beim; h Id for seed and homo
comiumptiou. Il.u surplus ed this year will
exceed that of lust year thirty to forty per
cent
000D FOR S0METHIN0.
Written for the Tatron.
"I am completely discouraged," aaid Mrs.
Emery, in a thoroughly heart-broken tone, aa
she untied her bonnet strings before the mir
ror, on her return from the school examina
tion. "There's no' disgusting the fact that Robert
never will be a scholar of anything more thaa
the most commonplace type I To think of the
high hopes I've reasonably indulged in
crushed 1"
Mrs. Emery seemed really crushed, too.
Her earring had caught in her lace bonnet
ties, and while disentangling it, she was
obliged to see her darkly shadowed face in the
glass. Whether the thoughts of her son's
failure mode her cry, or her ill feelings on be'
nolding such a sad transformation of her
handsomo features, I do not know.
Uncle John laid down his drafting pencil
and frowned. His niece understood what the
frown convcyeel as plainly as if he had said,
"Mary Ann, I'm ashamed of you!" So the
grieved lady continued:
"You know, Uncle, I've had such bright
dreams of Robert's future. My family and hi
father's were all given to books, but had no
means of gratifying their passion fnr learning.
Now we have abundant means, and our only
child will likely turn out a third-rate car
penter." "Marj Aim, I'm surprised. It only prove
H.-4 i.A.i.. :.. ., ..ti.iin.1 rru.i:iv- Lu.
Vliub iiwuuti la cvei Duustui, &uiiiiib wj
is a genius in uuub.s uim yuuug scape-grow,
and Topi ill' would give his factory anel bank
stock if no was a stupid, good boy. Yours U
good enough to bo put into a Sunday school
book, and 'a bit dull, and you aro spoiling your
temper and happiness, because he isn t ai
mart as Toplitl s. I'el like to have you point
me to tlie eminent men and women, wno were
verv pipcocious children. When Robert Em-
cry makes a second Robert Fulton, you Tl
open your pretty bluo eyes wider than Mr.
L,acy eiui, wncn ncr ooy nrougnt nomo tne Oli
ver medal from Ashton Fair last year."
"I'd be proud enough of Itobcrt if he'd win
a medal for proficiency in anything; but book.
learning is tho foundation on which every
great work must rest, and that's what trou
bles me. He's handy with a jack-knife, but
all it amounts to is to givo Ellen extra sweep
ing." Airs. Emery was naturally sweot-tempcred,
anil this uncommon outburst of dissatisfaction
disgusted hor with herself, and she left the
room.
"I might ns well talk to her sewing machine
as to try to show her tho difference between
the tortoise and hare. She never could, reason
thero ain't many women that can. I should
have married in my young days, if I hadn't
discovered pretty early in life that reasoning
women didn't marry, and I couldn't be suited
with any other. Thero ain't a woman in this
town, but what would feel prouder with Top-
liIVs boy, scamp as he is, than with Robert
Emery and all his goodness; and ono of these
days Topliffa boy can take his pick of all the
Sreiiy gins in me country, anu xiouert wiu
ie an old bachelor like his uncle. No; wom
en don't reason, I'm sure of that."
Uncle John found it rather dull talking W
tho sewing machine that only glarod immova
bly; so lie took lus cap and sauntered out.
"Hello, Rob, what s up," shouted ho, as he
peeped into the half open window of the old
tool house, Robert was confuseel, and con- .
eluded the best thing he could do was to take
Ins uncle into liisconndencc.
"I don't want mother to know anythiug
about this, so don't tell for your life. "
Leaving his jock piano that he had been
zealously pushing over a stubborn piece of
bird-cyu maple, be went into tho depths of his
coat pocket and drew out a pieco of worn pa
per and said: '"The best piece of original
cabinet work by a boy under fifteen, Silver
Medal.' That's what I've been trying for two '
months. And here's my plan, Undo John, but
remember not to say a word."
Undo John promised lioth silence and ad
vice. Then Roliert opened an old chest that
had been concealed under a pile of shavings,
and exhibited to his delighted uncle the vari
ous kinds of wood of which his "Multum in
l'arvo" was to be formed. He said he wanted
to give it a high namo to please -his mother,
and if he hadn't got it quite right, she could
name it over. It was to onmbine a writing"
desk, work table, flower stand and jewel case.
He Mul traded bis third reader for a piece of
camphor wood, given a foreign coin for a
piece of rosewood, and worked two half day
for some scraps of boxwood and mahogany
that Capt. Styles hael brought home from hi
last voyage. Robert's eyes that grew dull over
gramma. and music, danced with delight at
his rare display of choice woods. Uncle John
was surprised at the lad's ingenuity, which
was even greater than he had given him credit
for. He had been a noted cabinet maker in
early life, and cave Robert valuable hint and
also several pairs of silver .plated hinges that
had been stowed away with other little valu
ables for a dozen years.
Tho work went on during the school vaca
tion, much more rapidly than when an hour a
day was stolen from distasteful studies. It
was hard to tell which was the happier of the
two, great untie, or young nephew.
Uncle John had been as frisky as a colt the
whole day befoie the Fair. To cap the cli
max, ho invited Mary Ann, with inook gal
lantry, to accompany hiui to the shovV, which
she willingly did. After walking about for an
hour and admiring the beautiful works of art,
they paused liefore Robert's cabinet. "Under
Fifteen- for mother,' read Mrs. Eincis, "Is
it possible?" said she, in eager delight, "that
we have a lad among us capable of doing such
work i"
Roliert managed to lie near, ami tremblec
with joy, but he secret was sacredly kept.
One evening, a week afteir tho Fair, Robert
brought to his mother the skillful woik of his
hands, aud, with uncontrollable joy, sobbed
'jut, 'This is yours, mother, and this silver
medal is mine. The silence that followed was
broken by tho too happy uncle who blurted
out, "Women haven t any reason, not a bit."
Patron's Flro Insurance.
Tho Tompkins County (N. Y.) Firs Relief
Association publishes a report of the year's
business, winch nhows that with 520 policies
outstanding and total amount insured for the
year oyer one million dollars, their losses were
only $85.38, expenses $128.17, total losses and
expenses $220.;ll, and cost on- 1, 000 was only
20 cents per annum. The losses were merely
nominal but it is easily to be seen that several
bad tires would maku it tolerably cxpciisc on
the mutual plan, but then again, probably
these insurers aru tlie most leliablo und care
ful class of customers, and as few losses as
pOHslblu aru to Imi expectod fioin them. This
shows the advantage of the system and it
makes us wonder why such an association lias
not leen in successful operation with Oiegon
Patrons.
A lady alighting from astiectcar met au
aeiiuaiiitsncf who said to her: "You appear
to Ixi excited?" "Sol am. I had to stand
up the whole way," "Did rioWidy offer you a
eat!" "Ye, one man; but 1 dccliuod it,
thinking he would urge mo to accept." And
hedidut?" "No; the lieast wont on reading
and uvver looked up again. Bah! if there
anyt'iiug I hate it's hoggiahuess in a horse car.