Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1881)
lamed eray Week by tho nLLAMETTF. rABMRR PI BUtlllMJ CO TERMS OF8UBSCliIFTIO. Una vear. iPostaire nald). In advance.. .. I2.U , 1.2S ,. .25 Hi month!, (Postage paid), In advance ... . bessthansixmontlisitin.be, per montn AM EIlRiSINa RATES : AdTctllncinnituwIll bo Inserted, proiliiliM tn leepectamc, at me iiiiiwwuiK Mime ui ........ Onelnch offpuiepcr Inuntli 2.S0 B.00 1S00 .10 00 inree inciip'i oi tico i'cr ijiwnm . . .. One hall column iKr month OD6 column tr inontli iWSainple conies w nt fren on aunliiatloii. Publication Office: -No r. Vtalil mton street stairs, rooms No fi and fi. tl' THE PRESIDENT'S CONDITION. Dm ing tlio wnk past the 1'icsidcnt's t on Jition has icmuincil vciy critical, with con itant and almost lioiuly reports fiom the sick room, which show that he has made little if any gain and his death may occurat any time. His stomach refused food for a while ami he was sustained by injections m liquid foim, but again lie was able to take a small quantity of liquid noiuislin cut mid foi sonic days past hi stomach has b'tn stionger, so that his food is digested bcttei. A swelling of a gland un der the left tin Ii.ih caused appieliciiHion, but this softeiKil and when opened disclmiged r small portion of healthy pus, and seems to cause no particular iilaim, save as they fiar it ma be follow ed by otlui simil.u aircctions. II19 condition is that of ixtiuuu weakness owing to drain on the system and inability to assimilate hearty food. He lies almost un conscious, noticing only his wife much of the tune, and when ho awakens he is for a time be wildered, but coon comes to himself and is sensible to all passing eventswhen appealed to. Such is the condition of the president and the whole nution waitH the issue with great appciihensioii. His physicians uio not, up parently, as sanguine as they siemed awhile since, hut endeavor to send forth cheerful bill lctini, while outsido authorities show- gieat disbelief of Ins recovery. The foiegomg sums up the substinco of many columns of dis patents. The wound it-elf seems to be heal nig well mid causes little appieheiisiou, BETTER TIMES. 'I Ik iiuptovcil pnee of wheut, the u ell mis tamed price dime theiise commenced, ami tho eonfidonco gioit opeiators show in the tuturu of the nniikct by making heiv pint liases to be coiuplt tid ill coining mouths, all civo lea son to expn t bcttu tlim-H and will give s-itis-faction .mil relief to many uhi liae bieii heavy luier of liti ye.as. As we show at length III out comliKiciiil ai tide oil the List page, we cannot look fur low ci freights soon, and cannot expect to leulio a high piucfor wheat, but wu can hope to riceive a price that will be fan iimiinciatioii for l.iboi and tiuoiii anoint nt to all faiiuois. Shipping is not only in gieat demand the whole world ovci, but the dtpieukion in commcico a few yeais since, that gave us cheap tonnage and good puces tin wheat in past yoais, has caused ueglc t of ship building! mid, now, when coinnieicial activity is iiiiiimmiI among all peoples, the supply of ships is found inadequate foi the demand of couiuiuce, and ships eveiywhtie eonmiand a high price, which tenets iIiwih liously on 111, bic.uisn so long a voyagi- is re quiied to cany our giain tn in.ukct. Ship building will be nnuo actively uniuid 011, no doubt, no th.it wo may look foi some lelief fiom iuciiasn of tonnage, but wo see m out own helpless situation mi illiisti.iUon of the suicidal policy of our government in sub mitting ship mi mm to :m enormous lax, that tflcotunlly pinbibits our becoming a coiniiu't ciiil nation in any great -himi. 'I ho cost of building ships in tho United States is one-hulf hoik IIimi it in lo build them III l.ngland, and f our lawn allowed Auiirtoans to puiehaie foreign built ships and register tliim ill the United NtatiK, no doubt the enterprise of out eoiiiitijiniu would be shown by their possess ing ss line a merchant lie t as sails the ocean. but this minims policy leans us without a merchant nnv, and we must depend on foi eign shipowueiH to inrry urn eiopa to maiket. Hue. 011 the I'aiilic, we see thu usult of this policy luoio plainly than elsiwheie, when the fai mem of this coast aio taxed ten millions of dollars Hi one ycai, bic.tusti tonu ige la seaiee and luighls high. Tim yoir to tome the CtiliuntuH inn and Han Francisco Rill have ,'iO,lHHl,(HMI bushels of giain to stud to in.ukit, and will bo taxed fully 20 cents a bushel otei a good piling freight rate, wheie as, it Amciif.iiis could own ships at then cost 111 laiglaud, we should bo independent of the w 01 Id, and not ai'tuilly pluudeitnl of our haul e.11 iiings. Tins is .1 matter w e should bear ill iiiitid, sous to use what influence we ham in Ctiugrva to ttoomu a, rndtcal uuel ieMounb1 change in mil navigation laws. Hut, foi all that, we can hope for better times, and while wu btsitato to gio any ad vice, it set ms as if our lu at growcis could rely somewhat on the inaiktt, and not foice their heat olf under presmm. Any one can see that a rush to sell mom than there shall bo ships to load will dtpiess wheat, vvhcioaa to keep the cxportil supplied only with light stocks, and anxious to aeeiiro a supply, will sustain prices. All through tho coutiti) them are fair ami often rt ally good crops, and tho Uiincii, as a class, aio hopeful of better times. They have worked hard ami w sited two long J tars, and now ale able to appreciate any hletsiuga that may come, to their ahaie. 't shall try to furnish thsm continually with such lufcrua ttou as they can rely on, and can base their cartful judgment upon. 1 IH'lUMl the past two wteks the oditois of the r'tliutlt have been absent most of th Iliac, taking a summer vacation in one way or another, and if them is any lack of original matter in the paper our reader must attrib ute it to that causa and we hop will accord us our biief vacation without conn Unit Sotui aaiu wu shall bo at work in the old stylo and will tiy to make up for snv dili- TRAVEL IN POLK COUNTY, editorial 1'orre.Miondeiice. This wtek 1 made a huriied trip Ihiough parts of I'olk county, leaving Salem on Friday morning, dossing the Willamette theie, and over the Kola hills to Bethel, through tho beautiful bill country that has so many posi tiic attractions and furnishes such excellent rewards to the farmei. Theso hills are Hutu ral sites for oichaids, and produce tho finest fruits, and indeed pre tluco everything that (trows in Western Oiegou, ono peculiar ad vantage being that they easily shed water, and can be plowed almost any time in the in ter, so that tin y are cultivated to much bct tei advantage than oulinary prairie hud, which dries olf slowly; besides which this lull country is generally und'rlaid by heavy strata of marl, or decomposed rock th it is porous enough to let the water dram ofl through it, and so Ins a natuial drainage that is of gieat advantage; it is this peculiarity that especially suits the giowth of flint ticcs in this legion. A pleasant 1 idc of ten miles look us to the hills overlooking the charming Salt Cluck valley, before teaching which we looked fiom a steep bluff ov ei tho charming landscape made by Spiiug alley, with hills to the north of it. In this valley are such old residents as the Walkers, who eaino thcie a third of a ccnttuy ago, Aid now have old places that possess ever) quality of home and comfort; in this valley rue the 1'ui vines, I'lnllips, and the fai 111 originally loca'cd by Jesse 1). ailing, aetiiiilly siinoiinded by splendid orehan Is, is conducted by Mrs. ailing and her son 1 his spot was the scene ot early settlement. Its shipping point is Lincoln, on tlie river, and Ztna is a postollico, wheie a group of build ings and shops aic clustered under grand, pi tiiaiehal oaks, that aie very beautiful in their outlines; passing over the intervening hills, wo came to Bethel, w hich is now shadow ed by the ncighboiing railioad station at McCo. Bethel and Z-na nro not successful fiom a lmsiniss standpoint; the West Hide railiotd has changed tho order of things, and McCoj claims tho advantage that belongs to a rail load town, but it is too new and unlornieil to be ntti active but that may como with time. Around Itithcl is n choice faimiiiL' countiy, both in the hills and in the vallej to the west. It is some years since I have been past line, an 1 time has biought many chingts, and in my new comers have homes nestled among the hills. The countiy H gradually tilling up; funis me biing subdivided, and population inei cases, .lust now, in evtij direction the busy hat vest is in mtlvo piogiess, and the self-binder or htadt I is sreu in all directions cutting down the goldtn gi.uu. It is wonder ful to sic tho pcrfietion to which firming ma chineiy has attained; twenty joins ago a gang of hands were ctiidling, inking and binding toilsomely by nantl, wheiias to-day the self binder goes over the irmunil, and with piticnt mid untiling skill g.itheis up all the gi am it tuts, and leavts, instead of the waving heads that foi in an ocean of color, lows of sheaves all bound seem ely and leady foi the tint shot. Instead of it tWcu oi twenty men toiling uid imitating, the noisy machine, needing mil a stout tiaiii ami an intelligent diner, makes shoit ivoik of tho onto dreaded otjciatiou. I noticid, too, that scauely a single Ik.iiI of giain is w.isltil; in fact, the clean Aoik done must sive giain enough to pay foi thou hole vvm , compiled with the wastefulness of foimer intthods. Voluntici eiops wouldn't innoiiiit to much, wilt I e time is not an giain vvasttd to voluiititl Mj coiupinion in this vvtek's join nt wasa I it I man geiitltniau, who has itsidctl ninny tais in Ameilcn, connected sometimes with tuiigiatiou in.ittcts at Castlo (iaidiu, who was tho colonel of a IVim-ii lvauia legiinent dining the civil war, and who has setu all pirts of Kuiope. As ho was desiious of sieinij thu Willamette valley, 1 invited him to make a few d.i) s' tour w ith me, w hieli he aiveptod, and as vvo cimu down the hill points ucar llethel, and s iw thu bright piiioinuia of I'olk county vallcs with the Coast inount.iius for a linckgitiiuid to the pictum, he exchitiued that thu scene was absoluttlv beautiful as indeed it was. Avva oil, ttiwauls the oeeau, tho Coast mountains icmlo ill one plate, whim the (iiaud Hondo is nestled in among the Hinges, ami the natural pass exists that leads by Sal moil uvei to the sea. Thiough this low pass the sta winds ciiiiiiuenci'd to pour as the Au gust sun betatne oppieasive, and it was ono of the wannest da)s of the season Just as we weiu woudeiliig how the hot afternoon was to lie endiireel, the sea hreoio e-anie fiom the (I rami Kondo pas ami kindly ansvvrieel tlio question, Of a waiiu Siimmtr day almost in vaiiably, this cool and refieslung wind blows fiom the west ami tempers the ras of the harvest sun with the hieath of tho slt sea, that 1 oil! a shoit tliy's llde distant tho other side nt the bluo udges that wall m tho west. The (iiand Hondo is the seat of the In dian agency for the Coast roseivation, and wo occasionally saw Indians, who appeared quite vilircd, driving their wagons or on horse- hack. Salt Cicek alley lies west of tho rail ijad track; Sheridan lies over tovvaids tho mount ains to the noithwest; l'errydale, on the Nar row tlaugo, is only about two milts distant (rum McCoy, on the iele Gauge. This val ley that leaches from tho hills near Hotlnl to the Coast mountains, is one of the loveliest ami most pioductiio portions of Western Or euoii, ami is thickly peopled and well farinrcl. Thtio is little flat Uud in all this rootli of country, for the praiuea are rolling.with ooca sional rises of land, with ranges of hills trav elling the valley hcio and there, and a line etreet is given to the laiteltcape by tho appear aiivoof farms and wheat fields climbing the outlying spurs and foothills of the Coast lange, Thu view from tho Hvthel lulls is in- devil pauoranuc, ami my cMiiipauion, with all his experience of uew ami old world countries, repeattxlly proiiounccM it to be supeib. A trip of this kiul for which one has cnly a fuw da)' tiiuo in which to traverse exteusire ;-,... i. .(("-"'"til"', iKWine ou Icvk WILLAMETTE FARMER: PORTLAND, OREGON, AUGUST away in all directions to see farms and homes jou cannot reach, and know you arc passing by the residences of many you know but cannot visit owing to want of time. My espe cial mission was to create an interest among farmers in furnishing a display of ceicats and grasses in the sheaf, to make exhibits at the coming Mechanic's Fair and clscwheie, and tl e most I could hope to tlo was to interest those I met, and induce them to do what they could to procure similar contributions from their" neighbois. I almost invariably found the fanners on diffeierit routes .quite inteiest ed in this object, and somo had already re sponded to request leccived from thisotlice to make such contribution, and had tried to in duce these neighbors to do likewise. l'errydale, on the Nanow Gauge, is a new looking place in tho midst of a rich section, and will impiovc, no doubt, with time; from heie I pushed on towardss'Slieridin, and in ten led to isit that place and llallston, hav ing never ytt been in thit part of Polk coun ty; but, finding that my route would be too long to reach Salem, ia Independence, next day, I turned reluctantly and went direct to wards Dallas, winding through little valles among th") hills, and finally reaching that place towards night in time, however, for a gooel bed at the l'arsons' House. Dallas is an important town, the seat of considerable trade w ith a laige extent of farming country. It has an old look and dates bick to early times, though its dignity is perhaps strengthened just at present by the consti notion of the lail road to that place and beyond. It is likely to lemain the county sciffor some cars to come and perhaps always. F.aily the next morning we got away fiom Dallas, running directly east towards Inde pendeuce, thiough a delightful connti, level and smooth from the banks of tho Willamette to tho Coast range, but by no means a monot onous landscape, for theio weie hills in view to right and left and the high mountain-, weio behind, and though the view was open to the banks of the Willamette, which was marked by tho timber hue, beyond theie rose the high red hills of Marion county. In the distance could be seen the foiests that marked tho flow of the Hickrcal and the Luckiamute, so the scene vva's v.uiee.1 and atti active ill all pal tl culars. It is inteiesting to notice tho attempts niado to experiment with various seeds for the pur pose of testing the capacity of our soil and cli mate. I often saw good patches of corn, and Oen. Xcsmith, I think, said ho had one Held of twenty acres. It has been reported in the FaKMHi that Gen. Ncsinitli has made a suc cess of growing com; instead of summer-fallowing land giowing corn, on which his hogs fattened well, and deriving a fair piolit fiom the ci op. Now, if Gen. Nesmith was its fond of w iitmg up fanning topics as of some othei niattcis, he might tlo good by showing what his experience has been, but he has not et developed lileiaiy taste ill that diieetioii nioio thu pit. A few miles cast of Dallas wo came to the faun of Mr. .lames Hams, who has planted seeds of various kinds, icceivcd fiom the AuriiciUuial lturoan at Washington, with good success. His "gold leaf tobicco" Is making splendid growth, and lit is justly proud of it. If we can liuso tobaeto in Oic- gon, an 1 keep some of the mom at home that goes away to piy for th.it unsanctiheil wccjl, there will bn "millions in it." Over this beautiful piaiue, pist some chaiiiuiig homes a beautiful new house be longing to Mr. Coolulgo was one- wo turnel north to Dixie, wheie 1 paid a visit to Mr. .ui .is, tho "village blacksmith," who is abo an experienced f inner, ami then turned down the north bank of the ltickical to stop a mo incut at the residence of the "S.uo of the Hickieal," who left the Senate, of the United States to coma home and be a fanner. 'I his gentleman has never told 'what ho knows about fanning," but whin a mail ha" ovti 2,- 000 acies of as rich soil as lies out of doois, and produces as much m-in and other sturl, and i.iists as much line stock as he does, it looks as if he might have something to s.iy, especiilly when posst-ssmg gifts as a writi". As wu 1 1 ached the shide of the aldci.-. in flout of the family mansion, I urged my German frit nd to alight, but at the suggestion of Mat ing an evL S. Senator and well known statesman, in dusty gear ami apparelled for the road, he almost shiieldereil as he glanced over his attiie, and ejaculated: "No, no, no! 1 haf not zo clothes." "Well," said I; "hold on a moment until 1 bring the ex Senator out here, and if ho has any clothes on, ) on call judge how much notice he will take of our wardrobe," I found this his tone penouage at work in his shirt sleeves, pen in hind, polishing till an historic episode and doing jus tice to one of his contemporaries; his co.it was oil, and his "tout ensemble" was such as you would expect from a statesman on the Kick- ileal. I stiteel my dilemma, and he went out to elis.il in the puuctillio of my frienl, who took one look at his host, and then unit)- scivedly accepted his hospitality, ami drank his cider. Leaving the Hickueal, I pushed south to wards Independence, alwts through a beau tiful and level country, and just about noon reached there. Independence is one of tho most rapidly growing tow us in Oregon, situa ted on the river and also on the West Side railroad, and already spreads over a great deal of ground. There am sev eral brick stores, a new hotel that is a credit to the place, a busi ness street that is full of life and has numer ous well stocked stores, and large warehouses am in sight, to atom the gram of the country behind thu town. It is safe to piedu-t that Independence will bo growing and prosperous for many ears to come. Crossing the W illamette, four miles Mow Independence, I took the road to Salem, with the river on one stela and the hills on the oth er. Them are spteudiil farms along the lsjt torn, and the Western hillsides just along here wouhl be the be-st pevmblo lx-ation for or chards, as the vicinity of the river would be a guarantee against damage from frost. I come to this couelunon, bemuse on a lull top on this tvmte, Ices tluu two uulcs from Salvm, I have for years back been planting and tending a large plum and prune orchard, and this j ear, when frost has done damage m so many localities, my oi chard is loaded with luscious fruit. FOI K, ll.sr. isn VIVUION CUt'ATII'S. Hestine part of Sunday at the Chcincketa Hotel, Salem, wheie Mr. Graves, the old time landlord spares no pains to make his guests fumfni tabic, I stirttd out again through the red hills, by roads not traversed on my late excursions, and inaelo for tho Ilnena Vista ferry, tho carnage containing this time, in addition to my Gcinueii friend, the editor of the Home Circle, who is very fond of excur sions thiough the country. Out German com panion who wasucdto travel through the old countries of I'.itrope and casil entertained us w ith rcinenisences of tiai tl through France, German, Italy and Hussia, often cxpiesscd his delight at the many comfortable and often truly beautiful homes we met with; ho admir ed the physique of the people and the glow mg, sturdy health of the children, and a!ovc all was considerably surprised at the intelligence that was almost universally mauifested lij all we met. It is a surprising fact to foreign boin visitors that our farming population is so well read in the events of our time, which is to bo expected where families take from thiee to six newspapers and magazines, and often ex change reading with their neighbors besides. Down the Santiam bottom, towards Heuna Vista, wo found J. S. lluckner. an American i7ed German, whose home is on a beautiful knoll, and whose farm has been cnlaiged by ' grubbing a gieat aica of land. Reaching the river bottom we saw what damage was done by the floodsof last Winter, of which so much w as reported at tho time, .veai thetcriy we visited Ml. William Wells, who is a Lugo fanner and noted hop glower, but found him unlmppil disturbed by serious illness in his family. 'I ho hop ards thereabout show very luxuriant growth and are Iotded with the fruit if the term U adinissable. The tall poles festooned with the many branching and griceful hanging vinos aio well woith visiting ami hop m'king is a busy season w ithout the trcimntloiiH tax on tlie physical man that oc curs in connection with the giain haivcst. Mr. Wells and Mr. IHvielson, who lives over the river in Folk, aio two of the best hop pro ducers in Oregon ami hav e excellent diy houses .mil other preparations for saving the crop, and the hop picking is done by Indians fiom Giand Rondo agency, not far oil. 'I he Hucna VisU ferry tlcscrv es a plain no tice, foi it is worse than a nuUaucc, inasmuch as it is intone cuicnt, unsafe, badly tended and conducted in contmupt of the tiavel itlivis upon. Ncithei bank is giaded suthcicntl; the boy w ho tends the Iwat is not ov ci l.'i je'.us old and is not ablo to handle it, so that aftel Waiting an uuicisonablo time we weio dually taken aeioss ami the landing was so b id that I found it almost impossible to get up the bank. Tho rope that is used i woiu out ami unsafe and it villi be stiauge if onic serious accident docs not occiu. Wo giv e this notice because the facts .no continued bv the uxpciiencu of othcis. ThoLetbo fmy, on the load fiom Salem to Independence, is now owned by D. II. Jor, who tends it punctual ly and conducts it well. The road along the river is excellent, and 1 advuo tiavel to go that way when possible, both foi safety and convenience. Tho blulls on the river at lJueni Vista ale mined for the clay that feeds the great pot tci) establishment hue, w Inch gives the placo about all the importance it has. Mr. A. M. Smith, thepiopnetor, now lesides in l'oitUnd to atti ml to inci easing sales of sewei and chain pipe and has after c.irs of patient toil built up an excellent business. Leaving Hucna Vista we went past the farm of K. U. Hall, but no one was at home. In this harvest sea son It is ficquently the else that whole neigh boihoods aic assembled where the thiesher ti at w oik, as harvesting is pleasantly done on tuts co operative plan. Then we turned South and took our nooning on the banks of the Luckimute, vvheni I ftd the team and then we toasted our meat over some coals, made a cup of eollec, drank sweet milk and fea9ted in pio niestle, prefenng tho al fresso icpasttoin iloor life. On fiicud, the Colonel, waste minded of the bivouac during tho war, and was almost inspired to tight his battles over again. We drank m the fiesh sta breeze for desseit ami weio loth to break up camp, dust over the bridge was the of family Mr. David sou, one of the old time subscribers of the WilijVMUTK 1'u.MHi, with whom we mads acquaintance ou a similar excursion two years ago, w ho came over to see us as soon as they found we wcr.o theie, so we have double causo to remember our noon rest on the Luckimute. In such an exclusion wo con only hope to pass through a district ami cieate some interest that will spread as the intention is under stood, ami must needs pass near the homes of many suhseTibcrs w ho live a little ott the direct route, while it would be mote pleasant to spend mom time in a neighborhood. One thing we found out to our great satisfaction that the Willamkttk Fckmfk has nuny frieuds through the country ana that its cir culation can be douhleil in any neighborhood with very little pains. Passing on South we came to the pleasant prairie home of Mr. J, Ik Stump, well known through Oregon, stopped aw lule to interview him and then turned West to tho new railroad tow li of Suver, on the southern lssnler of Folk county, the railroads makes matters much moie convenient for all the people on tho West side and they now all lme transportation very convenient. Suver is ou the open praine and will grow; it already has a thriving aspect. Mr. A. C. Hamilton, postmaster and mer chant, is agent for thu Fakmmi at this point. I'htn I drove arouud a block several miles teiuare, went through the fields acroas lota to Wells station, in Henton county, where .Mr. A. A. Williamson was very busily employed taking in w heat from farmers, ami here w e met our old fneud Mr. Giuglos, oftentimes a member of the U-giil.iture lu the past, where he won au honorable name fur U-ing a itnctly honest politician It was getting towards -2G, 1881. evening b this time, hut tho warm day had bccntompcicdhv theiefieshingsea breeze nnii the gloiious pauoraun of the coast mountains and the outlin0' b'lttes had passed be fore our v ision all the afternoon. It is not possiblo to mention eveiy locality oi note woithyobjectth.it we met with. I'lease re member that I only glanco at things as we hasten along. Passing almost uiound a squ.uu of countiy wo turiieel Rist, towards Albany, our port of destination for tho night; dioppingotT of the higher praine bud we giadualiy found our selves in tho bottom lauds of too Willamette; pa-std b many nice f.iiinsand made fiicndl calls along tho way to eicitean interest in the cereal display, and just befme the se'ting sun droppeil away behind the coast hilliwc leach ed the Willamette liver at Albany, and weie carefully ferried out to find comfortable beds and excellent fale at the Rcveie House, which is a hotel Albany may well be proud of and te.ivellers be satisfied with, if all tr.tvcllcis aie seivtd a well as w e were. It is tiresome in the cxtieme to no ctamped and jostled all day in ever so comfoitiblc a cirinigu or over evei so good loads, and liiccomfoits of ii good urn come gratefully to the way worn traveler on a dusty August diy. The day before we had uicled tlnoiiuh the southern pmtof Polk county, and the noi th em edge of Henton, and now our dnvo was to boovcithc bio.nl piain'es of Linn county. Getting an eaily start we drove out eastward, on t le Lebanon load, making friends along the way and finding all the fiirnieis busy vith the haivcst. Linn county had rust two years ago tncl had a low price for wheat hist year, anil as rust was feaifully disastrous on this gieat piailie tho two past ycais have been a stveic trial to the two thousand oi mote far mei a of this gieat wheat glowing county. Linn this year will had the whole State in pioduction of eeicals and with the rise in wheat, even though it may not leach the far mer's favorite price of "a dollar a bushel," Linn will be piosperous. With two years of trial peop'e have learned to manage econo mically and so arc cei tain to impiove piospei ity when it comes. Take the old wheat held over and the crop of 18S1 together and it must make n oney abundant and times gener ally good thioughout Oicgon and Washing ton. Albany praine is wide enough to bring rich hat vests to tho w oild. On the 1' ist it is wall eel in by the Cascade mountains with outlying buttcs looming up in the near distance and giv ing the landscape charming lesults. Oiegon scenery is famous the woild over, but the gieat chaiin of the Willamette valluy is that the piospects aic evei changing and vaiy ing. Now in lolling hills; now in pi.mies, with the con tout of hills and piaiiics constantly fnniiing new pictnres,and the panoi.nna seems to shift as w e pass along. The beauty of the great valley strikes one feebly as it is Reen fioin a railioul car, becauso the attain avoids bolh bights and depths, while the wagon loads nieaiidci the streams, wind through glens and piairics, or climbs tho hills, so that tiavel by road icveals the country with uncurling vistas and now ly lev caled landscapes. So w ith Lum county ; vvo had the tout ensemble of praines, hills, buttcs and far awa ranges, ami beyond and above all the wonder-causing snow moun tains tow i red with gi, melon i that mocks at w oi ds. Mi. '. P. Ruikhait has a tine icsideuce and a well unproved farm font miles Kast of Albany, wheie he has planted out liuiidieils of shade and forest tiees gathcied from tem perate climes. Figs wue glow ing in his front yard, though they may not iipen. The Kit ealiptus, or HliioGum tree of Australiiwas also growinc thcie. I have not time or space in this letter to tell all his experiments, but ho suctes-fully grows sweet potatoes and has com that must be over seven feet high. Mr. Hurkhart has n taste for experiments and has testcil ono bundled varieties of wheat a! me, and is pieparing for the Mechanic's Fair a splendid display of giamof many varieties It would bo foitunate if we had many more farmcis with the samo taste, patience and en ugy. Wo shall hope to receive from him au account of the vinous varieties shown this eeason, some of which are new to Oregon and seem to bo well woith further cultivation. Mr. Huikhart has a field of the Hungarian or Kin ney wheat, plowed in Fall and replowcd and sown in the Spring, that should fully yield 3o bushels per acre, and he has a small field of Odessa wheat, perfectly clean, that yields well and is valuable because know n to be certain ly rust pi oof. This was saved carefully and propagated so as to leave perfectly clean seed. We all found much to interest us here, but we had a long drive before ns and. had to make a brief stay. Turning north, past Knox's butte, we pass ed over a fine country to the Santiam. Near the butte we found Mr. John tiuiseudorfer, who has the only field of Fife wheat wo halo ever heaid of, This wheat is grown success fully in Canada. Mr. G. received a ipoonful from a friend in Nebraska, and this he ha carefully propagated until now he haa broad acres that furnish a rich harvist. Mr. Guitcndorfer planted out a large prune orchard, seven years ago, on a high swell of prairie near his house, and informs us that nearly a'l his trees were killed by the borers, while his chemei have been fatally attacked by the black knot, and this leads to anxious inquiry as to w hethcr prunes and plum and cherries with us are all to be subject to these samo evils, or if the location on the prairie is to le charged with the result. Bo far I have observed that hill land al way does tho best for orchards, and that high locations am espec ially desirable for cherry trees, and I hope some experienced orchanlist will find time to discuss these msttera in our columus. Nearer the Santiam we found the pleasant home of Mr. Silu Haight, and were attracted by a small piece of grain growing near the road, which proved to be White Spring rye of which he received a fow grain by mail, and has iuttsafully propagated it. He thinks it is identical with the 'Moose wheat" of which we heard some years go S. A. Clack K. STATE NEWS. Flour $10 per thousand at Jackson ville. Tlio Salem Gas Co. use rock coal from Australia. Corvallis lias 30,000 bushels of last year's w heat on hand. Work has been started on tho coast mail in Jackson county. It will cost .$,-,ooo. Cattle' an dying of "black log" in the vicinity of Stc-in mountain, Harney valley. The old liolul nt Couledo.Coiia county, was destroyed by an incendiary last w eek. Cildw ell's & Dibco'b fine barn 'on Tulo lake, Jackson county, was burned to the giound last week. Property holders in Coquillc City have been taxed two per cent for the pin pose of building ft school house. Government work at the mouth of the Coquillc, Coos county, stopped last week: owing to the appropriation being exhausted. The J.icksonv ille Sentinel says: Three days' lacing will take placo at Cardwell's track near town commencing beptemiier :29th and continuing three days. The iniiingcinont promise a "square turn" for everybody. The distance between Roseburg and Clovcrdale, Cal., the notthern terminus of tho Donahuo railroad, is about 400 miles, and to build a lailroad that long would requiro borne 1,00 ,000 ties and 10,000 tons of lails Wm. Webb, the escaped desperado mid two Fort Klaniatn deserters, are thought to bo together in the mountains at the head of Emigrant creek, and btock men aro very apprehensive regard ina tho safety of their stock. The AsMiiwl Tidinyx says: A band of from 150 to 200 head of elk has been seen a number of times on the Kel'oy tr.iil between Crescent City and Happy Camp, at a poiut 25 miles west of Klamath i i er. A number of them have been shot. TEKKITOIHAL. Wheat is turning out well in the vicinity of Weston. Tlio steamer Nellie has been raised and taken to Salem for repairs. Sirs. B. H. Bowman, of Salem, was injiued by being thrown out of a buggy. Lightning melted the brass rests in the telegraph oflice at Lowiston last w eek. Dr. Baker of Wulla Walla was quite ill in Paris, vv hem ho huh been for his health. A new and fatal dii-ease has made it appearance among horses of upper Dry and ltleiu ort-kt, Wil, Hon. Thomas Brents has become a sturdy son of toil, having bought Castle's brick yard. C. W. Wheeler has assumed editorial and business control of the Wai tsburg Times. Success to him. Sinco Moso Durkhicmer's advent to the Wciser, town lots have advanced fifty per cent and still going up. Alfred Daniels, a weak minded young man of Cheney, has wandered away from homo and cannot be found. Tho Spokane Chronicle says that the O. It. efc N. Co. estimate that they are making pn-paratioiis to move about 75,000 bushels of wheat from there tbia season. This is an incienso of 35 per cent, over last year. Tho Spokano Chronicle thus refers to one of Portland's former residents: "Mrs. J. J. Browne, whoso garden is tho envy of all who visit there, sends us the largest and best turnip wo have seen this season. It weighs a little over eight pounds." The Lcwiston Teller says: On Sun duy, tho 14 th, a tiro broke out in Gross' saloon at Fanuiiigton, which resulted in the burning of tho saloon, damage Sl,."i00 Paddock's drug store, damage $2,500; C. W. Campbell's hardware store, kiss $2,000; Moses Fish, black smith shop, loss 500; Mrs. Sbeiher'a warehouse, loss not reported; Lippitt Bros., ten tons of oats. By extra exer tion J, P. Quarrels was able to savo his hotel. The origin of the fire was sup posed to be the work of an incendiary. print Oat tbe land. We learn from a reliable source, says the Bozeman Courier, that several prominent offi cials connected with the Chicago & North western Railway contemplate taking a trip a-ross the the country from the Black Hill to Bozeman during the present month, their rrincipsl object being to ascertain the feasi bility of extending their line from the Hill to Montana, and thence to some point on the Columbia river or I'uget Somrl. The great natural thoroughfare from the East through Southern Montana is destined to be utilized before many years by more than one trans continental railroad. The time is not far dis tsnt when the travel to tho -Yellowstone National Park, and the freight and piuenger business of Gallatin and Upper Yellowstone, including, ot course, it rich mine and atoek interests, will furn'sh sufficient carrying trc' for at least one railroad. Omn Dzcu.ed. We understand that Mr. Villard has made Captain FUvel, of A toria, an offer lor hi water front property at that place, and his tu? boats, which, not be ing deemed sufficient, he has declined. Tjik New Asylcu. The wall of U new insane asylum, says the Statenan,tte rapidly assuming shape and proportion. T"he entire structure will be uud. r roof bv the fi'stof January if no untoward circumtuce it.tec-reni.