Willamette farmer., January 27, 1882, Image 1

.A
'i'
OL. XIII.
SAGE-BRUSH LANDS.
re Found and What it If Composed Of
od Lands for the Production of Cereals.
fe take the following interesting article
l the Pacific Chrittian Advocate of January
! 1882 :
i writing week before last of the "bunch-
land we incidentally mentioned the
k that in the reeion of country then de
nted there were some tracts of sage-brush
J. To this feature of the country of the
at interior, we desire to give a little atten-
What we would call the sage brush
ntry lies mostly east of the Blue Moun
ts, and extends over nearly the whole of
main tributary valleys of Snake river.
and Hondo valley has characteristics dif-
Ing from any other portion of Eastern Ore-
t, or Washington, or Idaho. It is strictly
Ither sage brush or bunch grass land, but,
lie there is some of both in a modified form,
I more truly an alluvial meadow land: m
he extensive tracts approaching swamp.
is not until you pass southward and east-
rd beyond tbe divide that separates tno vai
t from Powder river that you enter the great
re land of the interior.
Powder river valley, the great valley of
Jake river from the mouth of Burnt liver to
rt Hall, a distance -of say four hundred
fes, and with a width of bfty miles; and the
dheur plains and hills sweeping southward
and the southern end of the .Blue Mountain
ge, are mainly of thii character. There
limited exceptions to this description, as
Eere the hills rise to a great altitude they
I covered with bunch grass, or in the lower
atoms along the streams they are set with
ber rye grass or a native red top and clover.
r is t ne sage ail me Bame. vv na in caiieu
I white sage predominates in some extensive
cts; but generally the black or gray sage
es a dull and leaden aspect to the land-
he sage-brush lands are unlike the lands
cribed last week, and the climate is as dif-
ent as the lands. In the fifties and sixties,
ten the worn immigrants with their ox
jus were coming through these gray plains
their way to "Oregon." they. set these
Ida all 9own as worthless except for lizards
I rabbits, and generally united in pronoun
I the climate execraMe. But a weary and
nlous journey of from three to five months
lot the best preparation for reliable judg-
bt, and then Uanaan is always over Jordan.
ars have p-oved that the opinions then
med were exaggerated uiisiudgments.
It may be stated in general terms of all the
i land, that tbe ranker the sage the better
more productive soil. The great gray
: always indicates a soil competent tn pro-
ce the cereals in. good Quantity and excel-
t quality. Its home is a soil largely mixed
ill granite ana lava, as all along the valley
snake river. v nere these rocks nave Deep
ft worn and ground and pounded; where
frosts and snows have most finely die-
red them, there is the sturdiest growth of
, and the best rune of remuneration lor
agriculturist's toil, It may be said, how-
that there is one thing absolutely re
cite for success in farming these lands;
Delv. water for irrigation. This rrrav sage
)ks a country of almost minimum water
L Itself tenacious ot life, and needing but
lie moisture, while )et it loves a soil of
herons quality, it will grow luxuriantly
Sere there is not enough suow or rain fall.
any form of vapor held In invisible suspen
n in the atmosphere, to mature cereals or
ketables. The writer has slept hundreds of
fhts on the ground on these sage plains,
Kh only a blanket beta een his body and the
lund on these sage plains, and a blanket
iween mm and the sky, and would scarcely
; in the morning the slightest sign of mois-
that leal or rook had condensed out ol
i atmosphere. Yet the sou would be of a
ilitv that, with irrigation, would turn forty
Ihels of wheat into the garner, and produce
ker cereals with equal abundance and cer.
Jnty. But the facilities for irrigating cheaply
jut be had, or immigrants had better "drive
I'e hare spoken ol tbe tcnte sage. The
kd that bears this, as we have observed it.
C" nannaalllt an, Iam avr.4. lABa A, ..1..k..iv.m.
,C4jeimm luiwii vvafu ia u, uunciiKu
mite ana assault, ana more 01 volcanic
serais and ashes in its composition than
at which bear the gray or black sage. We
ok it mors strongly impregnated with, al
line salts, and, as shown by practical tests,
I so certain to return a satisiactory nsrvest
he husbandman. We have seen, however,
I excellent results in fruit raisins on this
acter of soil. This white satre is not the
dominating characteristic of the sage-brush
d, bnt rather the exceptional. It is found
lome large tracts, as on tbe north aide of
I Yakima river, bat is generally in small
oes. scattered here and there throutrh all
I sage brush region.
it aaay be said this white ssge furnishes re
k$Mr nutritious winter forage for cattle.
it i li a i 1 x
sacea woen it nouninn nest, are a
sinter naves for tbe herds of the
BBS. What was said before about
I applies here also.
ss not allow us to no very particu
alittes. bat this description apples
I to the greater part ol tbe Yakima
ow the Umptahnnm mountains, to
iver valley, to the gre it valley of
ar. -wmen includes vtiliow creek.
Owyhee. Bruneau. on the south
i taaVWeiser, Payette and Boise valleys
tfca Mtth side, and to a large scope of
r ttwar the junction 01 the snake ana
sy ana on eiin.r siae 01 doio streams,
vail of these valleys extensive and
r tests oi tno (jut'iiy auu prouue
soil have been made. We have
nds of acres of sage plains in the
lav and elsewhere, thus turned into
irheat fields, and dotted witn the
leafy green of growing orchards and shady
groves.
The climate of all the sage brush region is
clean and pure and healthful; having at times
a touch of rigor in the Winter, and a few days
of somewhat unpleasant warmth in Summer,
but on the whole well adapted to happy, vig
orous and successful life.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION.
New York, January 7th, 1882.
In connccti'ii with, the annual meeting of
the American Agricultural Association, a Na
tional Agricultural Convention will be held At
the Grand Central Hotel, New York, com
mencing Wednesday, February 1st, 1882, at
10 A. M., and continuing three days. The pro
gramme is as fellows:
Wednesday Subject: "How the Crops
are moved." To be discussed by the most
competent railroad and other authorities in
the United States. The Annual Business
Meeting will also take place on this date, and
addresses will be delivered on practical sub
jects. Thursday Subject : "How the Crops are
Marketed." To be discussed by representa
tives of the Produce and Cotton Exchanges,
and other leading authorities on the subject.
xeturt!f ui vneuucai, iutauicai aim vufcbiu
Diseases, and Agricultural Engineering Com
mittees, in writing. Visits to Produce Ex
change, American Exchange, Abattoirs, etc.
Evening, Session Subject: "Ensilage;" dis
cussion by Hon. Clarkson N. Potter, C. W.
Mills, Esq., Francis D. Moulton, Esq., Dr. J.
M. Bailey, J. W. Brown, Esq , and others,
and reports of individual experience. Ad
dresses. Friday Viits to Stock Farm. Dairies
and Silos of Thomas A. Havemeyer, C. W.
Mills, V. B. Potter and others, convenient to
New York.
Curing the Convention addresses and pa
pers will also be delivered by leading men in
Agricultural Science and Practice, including
Hon. Chaunoy M. Depew, Prof. C. V. Riley,
Hon. J. T. Updegraft of Ohio, Dr. Byron D.
Halsted, Prof. Arthur Perry of Williams Col
lege, Mass., Prof. X. A. Willard of Little
Falls, N. Y., Major Henry E. Alvord, Dr.
Alfred L. Kennedy, Br. E. Lewis Sturtevant,
Hon. J. R. Dodge, Dr. Peter Collier, Prof.
Albeit R. LeDoux, Dr. Thos. P. Janes, Prof.
J. M. McBryde, Prof. James Law, Prof. I. P.
Roberts. Hon. 3. J. Randall, Hon. S. J.
Kirk wood, Hon. Theo. F. Randolph, and
other leading men are also expected to be
present.
It is believed that this Convention will be
the most important, interesting and instruc
tive of any ever held in connection with Agri
culture. All interested in Agriculture and
the products of the soil are invited to attend,
and to become members of the Association.
J. H. Reall, N. T. Sfraoue,
Secretary. President.
Unlucky Houses In Washington.
With regard to certain houses in Washing
ton their history seemn to indicate that no
one, specially no one counected with the ad
ministration, can escape misfortune who lives
therein. Mr. MacVeagh was the second At
torney General, who occupied the house built
by Ex-Attorney General Williams' wife when
she hoped her husband would succeed to the
place made vacant by the death of Chief Jus
tice Chase, and whose cruel disappointment
caused her a long illness there. While its
owners lived there they had a mo.t unhappy
time, and Mr. Williams was living there when
he perforce resignod his position as Attorney
General. Between that time and the leasing
of the house by Attorney General MacVeagh,
it was rented for a year by the former Peru
vian Minister, Colonel Frey re, whose" eldest
daughter died there in 1878, within three
months of her father. This house seems des
tined to rival in its gloomy history the Seward
house, formerly the Club House, in which
Barton Key died, in which Secretary Seward's
assassination was attempted, in which two
members of the Cabinet who were killed hy
the fatal explosion on the Princeton in 1844,
had been living, in which John C. Spencer
was liting while Secretary of War when his
s tn was hanged for alleged inciting to mutiny
at sea, and which was the first house in which
Secretary Belknap lived in Washington, after
being appointel Secretary of War. Letter to
Philadelphia Timtn.
Dried Fruit and Cider.
We learn from Mr. Thomas J, Vaughn, of
Willamette Forks, in this county, that he
dried and sold last season 4000 pounds of
dried apples and 600 pounds of dried plums,
cherries and com: There was not much ex
pense connected with the work, as it was
nearly all done by the women and children of
the family, so the amount realized was nearly
all clear profit. The fruit of Oregon, which
has been allowed to rot and waste in the or
chards for years, might be utilized by drying,
canning or converting it into cider oi vinegar,
and be made a source of profit to the o oers
and to the community. We understand that
Abrams Bros., of this city, will have a cider
mill in oiieration next year, and expect to
make cider of all the'apples they can get. The
cider will be prepared to save and will be
snipped to market. Stale Journal.
Garrison's Sewing Machine Store, 167
Third street, Portland, is the best place in
Oregon to get your sewing machines repaired
and for buying all kinds of needles, attach-'
ments aud oil. tf
t , r - .
PORTLAND, OREGON,
SOME FACT8 ABOTJT WHEAT.
Oregon Bed Wheat Win Make Oood Mar
ketable Flour-An Important Ar
ticle On Tks Subject.
Mr. H. C. Huston furnishes the Eugene
Guard with the following interesting article
on Red Wheat, which shows conclusively
that the best flour is made from It, and c.tes
the authorities from the leading millers in the
United States, We reproduce the letter be
low in full :
October, 1881, I wrote a letter to Minne
apolis, Minnesota, asking for information as
to the varieties of wheat used, raised and
ground in that State, famous throughout the
world for its wheat and superior flour. The
answers to my tetter and questions :amo back
printed in the Farmer)' Union and Minneapolis
Tribune, dated November 3, 1881, and here
are a few extracts from the answers, which
may interest the farmers, merchants and mil
lers of Oregon : "In reply, we would say
that our Minneapolis millers make their best
flour from a variety of wheat known as the
'Scotch Fife,' which is a hard, red. Spring
wheat. In fact, it is the only variety that
can be used to profit. Of all the Spring vari
eties of wheat known in Minnesota, there is
only one that is white, which is the White
Fife, and that originated near this city. Of
its merits we are not advised, from the fact
that it is, comparatively speaking, a new
wheat. The Odessa, Lost Nation, Siberian
and Rio Grande are all red varieties, but none
of them are equal to the Scotch Fife in the
product of flour of a superior quality. It mat
ters not whether .Fall or Spring wheat, the
red is worth the most in all our markets and
brings more money in Chicago, Milwaukee,
New York and all markets than the white
varieties, because it makes better flour and
more of it. We should say, however, that
this has not always been so, but since the
later improvements have beeu introduced in'o
our mills, the red varieties are the favorites
ot all classes, the millers, the consumers, the
warehouseman, the speculator, the baker, and
last though not least, our good wives, who
are always fond, as well as proud of, good,
light, white, healthy bread. We would by all
means advise him, as well as the farmers of
Oregon, to immediately introduce the Scotch
Fife. They will probably find it superior to
all other varieties, and as we are pretty cer
tain that the Northern Pacific Railroad will
be completed during the next three or four
years, they will find a ready market for their
wheat. We do not know that it would pay
to transport wheat so far by rail to our Min
neapolis mills, but it will pay the enterpris
ing millers of Oregon to transport flour made
frcth Scotch Fife to the remotest parts of the
earth, as our Minneapolis millers do to day,
and they make money by doing so, especially
when the flour is made from Scotch Fife
wheat. It will afford the Farmers' Union
an 1 Weekly Tribune much pleasure to forward
the interestsof the farmers of Oregon in every
particular in regard to this all important mat
ter of ruising the best varieties of wheat."
I was induced to write a letter, to which
the above extracts are an answer in part, by
the fact that some, and I do not know how
many, of our Oregon warehousemen refuse to
store red wheat in their warehouses; and be
cause some of our Oregon millers say red
wheat does not or will not make good white
flour, and because I have been informed that
our shippers will not buy it at all, and be
cause some of our wheat raisers, who were
probably confined to corn bread in youth,
assert that red wheat cannot make white
tour.
Acting partly in self-defense, and feeling
determined to expose what I believed, aye,
what I knew to be a fallacy, I. sent to head
quarters for information, and the above ex
tracts clinch conclusively one of the numer
ous fallacies which has gone for years almost
unquestioned in Oregon. Now, there are
other questions to bo answered at home in
Oregon I mean. There are thousands of
bushels of red wheat ground in Lane county
every rear; what becomes of the poor flour
made from it? None of our millers grind
poor or bad flour, or it they do, they do not
sell or advertise it. What becomes of the poor
or inferior flour made from red wheat I Are
our mills and millers so antiquated, so far
behind the times in skill and "modern im
provements," that tbey cannot grind to an
advantage red wheat! Will they admit
this ? If they will, let them explain what
becomes of the red oheat flour made in their
mills. Why do merchants in Eastern mar
ket prefer the wheat, rejected by our mer
chants here? Do our exporters gauge Eng
lish millers and mills by those of Oregon ?
If the milli of England are made to grind to
advantage the red wheats of Minnesota,
Dacotah, Manitoba, Iowa, Wisconsin and
Michigan, can they not grind and make as
good flour out of red wheat raised in Ore
gon? Can our exporters of wheat explain
why the red varieties of wheat from every
natin under the sun, except Oregon, find
readv sale and pass current in the markets
of England, There are localities in Oregon
and elsewhere where uo known or tried
variety of white wheat will succeed, and as
the unfortunate settkrs in such places strive
honestly to live, and can make lair crops of
red wheat, it is but fair that they should
have an honest snd honorable chance to do
so, the merchants, tbe millers and ware
housemen to the contrary notwithstanding.
To this end and in their behalf I respect
fully submit the question to you, and hope
the Guard and its exchanges, interested in
agriculture, will give tbe matter a general
airing. Your bumble servant,
H. C. HDOT0.V.
Carp Wanted.
Yoncalla, Dr., Jan. 15, 18S2.
Editor Willamette Farmer:
I want the address of some person in Ore
gon who has tbe German carp fish for sale,
T. W. Cowan,
TSK'vy y$r ? -- -', vt
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1882.
NATIONAL ANTI-MONOPOLY LEAOUE.
We have received from tho headquarters of
the National League in New York a statement
of principles, etc., srhich cover declarations of
principles and proposed methods of proceed
ings to carry them out. We have also re
ceived a proof sheet, denouncing as injurious
to rights of the many various monopolies,
including the Standard Oil Company, which,
by connivance of great railroad corporations,
places an undue tax upon all the kerosene
used by the world's millions; the Clans
Spreckles sugnr monopoly that we suffer from
on the Pacific Coast, and which has been fully
written upin the Farmer. A1o, concerning
undue growth and exercise of corporate
power throuuh the United States. The lately
amended declarations of pnnoiples reads as
follows :
declarations.
The Anti-Monopoly League earnestly calls
attention to the relations of corporate and
publio rights as the most important question
before the American people at this time.
Steam, electricity and machinery, control
ling factors in the industrial world, have been
largely monopolized aud the public taxed un
duly for their use.
Corporate life, practically immoral in its
duration, wielding those great powers, has as
sumed an importance never before known or
contemplated, and it is not only rapidly con
centrating the wealth of the nation in few
hands to the detriment of the ma'ses, but to
perpetuate this state of things it has sought
nolltieal nnver and enrrunted our elections
and legislation to an extent that not only im
perils public morals, Dut endangers our ires
institutions.
PRINCIPLES I
Anti-Monopoly
We advocate, and will support and defend,
the rights ot the many as against privileges
for the few.
Corporations, the creation of the State,
shall v controlled by the State.
Labor and capital allies, not enemies;
justice for both.
In accordance with these general principles
we affirm that the publio welfare and publio
safety demand the following specific measures
of relief :
1. Laws compelling transportation compa
nies to base their charges upsn the "cost and
risk of service," with a fair profit added, in.
stead of the new theory advanced by them
"what the traffic will bear;" laws to prohibit
the establishment, through construction com
panies or other devices, of a fictitious cost for
works of a publio nature; prohibiting unjust
discriminations against both citizens and
localities; Railroad Commissions, State and
National, with adequate powers to see that
these laws are enforced; a liberal policy
toward our waterways, which, during the
season of navigation, are potent in preventing
exhorbitant charges by raiiroads.
2. More efficient laws against the crime of
bribery, and for the protection of the purity
of the ballot. A prohibition of free passes.
3. A Public Service founded on capacity
and integrity,
4. Publio Lands, the common inheritance
of the whole people, should be reserved for
actual settlers. ,
5. Currency, the measure of values,
whether metallic or paper, should be equal to
coin, and be isjued and controlled by the
Government only.
6. TboTtnown benefits of the postal systems
of other countries to be adopted in the United
States; including the postal savings bank, and
the postal telegraph and telephone,
7. A free press the bulwark of our free
institutions must be maintained, Leading
journals have been purchased by monopolists,
who are endeavoring to control the thought of
the Nation. The journals which are not thus
controlled should be suttaiped by the people.
For these objects we declare that citizens
should, without regard to party, vote for can
didates pledged to secure the adoption of tho
above principles and objects.
That if existing political parties are S3 con
trolled by monopoly influences that they will
not give the relief which the publio interest
demands, then it will become the duty of all
good citizens to form new party which will
give the desired relief.
That' the Anti-Monopolists recognize the
rights of capital as well as of labor; we appre
ciate the benefits which corporate organization
has conferred upon the human race; we will
labor as steadfastly to maintain the rights of
corporations as to enforce observance of' their
duties, but tbe time has come when the
people must organize to restrain the power for
evil wielded by a few unscrupulous men, who
have obtained control of the great forces ol
the century, and who, in their use, "recognize
no principle of action but personal or cor
porate aggrandizement."
METHOD Or rROCZEDINO.
To organize State, County and District
Leagues.
To influence, so far as possible, tbe nomi
"" iWrt' " ?." VPTJ,
nation by existing political parties of candi
dates who will support our principles. 'Where
such candidates are nominated, the League
will notify its members of this t fact, and in
such cases leave each member free to consult
his individual or party preferences; but
where one candidate will and another will
cot support pur principles, then all party
affiliations to be laid aside by members of the
League, and a solid vote cast for the candi
date endorsed by tho League. If neither party
presents a candidate favoring our principles,
then the League will nominate aud support a
candidate.
The Seattle Coal Trade.
The Post-Intelligencer of Jan. 1 contained
an artlclo on the coal trade of Seattle, from
which Me make the following extracts :
Tho co d trade of the past year has been
eminently satisfactory. It has been quite
steady, with no violent fluctuations from!
month to month as in past years. The exports
considerably exceed those of any previous
year, and go far towards establishing the ex
cellent character of tho product of our mines
in the only considerable market of our coast.
The total exports for the year 1881 amounted
to 147,418 tons.
The output of the mines' in this vicinity
cannot be exactly stated, but it must have
been in tho neighborhood of 160,000 tqns last
year, the twelve thousand and over tons not
shipped being sold to steamers at the docks,
used on the road and in the supply of Seattle,
Newcastle and other places, 300 tons going in
one shipment to Walla Walla alone.
The coal trade of Seattle has now enjoyed
an existence of eleven years, and in that time
has attained enormoui proportions" Going
back to- the beginning, and enumerating by
years, we find it to have amounted in the
matter of direct exports alone to the sum
total indicated in the figures following t
1871 4,918tons
1872...-. r 14,830 "
1873 13,872 "
1874 0.027 "
1878 70,181 "
1876 104,886 "
1877 "1.734 "
1878 128,882 "
1879 132,263 "
1880 138.497 "
1881 147,418
Grand Toobil 876,558 tons
Of all this vast quantityof coal, 78,893 tons
were from the mines at Ronton and Talbot,
and all the remainder 797,665 tons from
the Seattle Company's mine at Newcaste.
We have reason to believe that this coal
traffic will go on increasing year by year in
the future indefinitely. In this (King) county
are the most extensive and best coal deposits
on the Pacifio Coast, from which millions
of tons per annum can be mined for centuries
to come.
To approximately estimate the shipments
for 1882 we have only to look at tho prepara
tions already made, to say nothing of those
making, by the company in whose hands
these great interests are mainly placed. They
have four steam colliers' in the service,
These vessels lightly loaded oarry 8,780 tons
in the aggregate per trip, and tbey can easily
make twenty trips each per annum. Their
cargoes alone will foot up 175,000 tons. In
addition may be included the prqbable ship
ments of tho Renton Company 18,000 tons.
The two companies may reasonably be ex
pected to plaoe on board ship in 1882, 100,000
tons of coal.
Other concerns have extensive coal inter
ests in this county, and no less than four sec
tions of railroad, tapping more or less veins,
are said to be in early contemplation. Several
more steam colliers are building, and it will
not be surprising if tho large exports pre
dicted iu 1882 are doubled in 1883.
Bunker Hill Hog.
Scio, Or., Jan. 19, 1882.
Editor Willamette Farmer:
Through the request of some friends, I
would be pleased to have you publish the fol
lowing weight ot a hog killed by me on the
17th of this month. The net weight of this
animal was 490 pounds; was of Polan-China
breed, and bred from the stockof G. Downing,
in Marion county; was three years old and fed
only eight weeks. I fed this animal twelve
bushels of wheat from the time I put him up
to the time of butchering. I would recom
mend this stock of hogs to the farmers if this
part of the country. Hoping you will publish
this in the columns of your valuable paper, I
remain respectfully yours,
Samuel Kino.
Bacon It Co., of San Francisco, aro about
publishing a Gazette of the West Coast of
North America, containing the names, busi
ness and location of all merchauts, profes
sional men, etc., of Oregon, California,
Washington Territory, Alatka, British Co
lumbia and Mexico. A general description of
the country and its resources will be i. leading
and interesting feature.
? "'
: iijfM
NO. 50.
Sugar from Beets.
MYRrLE Creek, Or., Jan. 17, 1882.
Editor Willamette Farmer :
Having read in your last issue some corrsv"
spondence in reference to the production of
"syrup" from "Amber cane," whioh I hope
may yet become a successful industry in Jackv
son and other counties of our State, allow"
me to draw tho attention of your reader,
both "farmers and capitalists," to what I ev
teem one of the greatest resources of OregO
and Washington Territory, namely, the pw
duction of "sugar" from "sugar beet." WsT
have alt the essential elements requisite for
the successful development of this branch of
agriculture. An unlimited quantity of suit'
hie land for the production of large crops of
beet no chance of failure, suitable climate
to generate a percentage of sacharine sneb
lands are cheap in Oregon. Wood for steam
and boiling purposes is abundant and cheap,
"water power" for propelling machinery nc
essary in manufacturing the beet into sugar
can be found in every section of our State,
and adjacent to snltable beet lands, and I need
scarcely add, that the home consumption of
sugar may be estimated by millions of dollars'
per annum.
The production of beets is a very profitable'
branch of farming, with snltable soil and ell'
mate, and the uniform high price of sugar af
fords a large margin for manufacturing profits,
while its production within our borders would
rapidly Increase the wealth of our State, try
saving millions of dollars annually. "This is tt9
ollmatical idea." We have abundant proof of
its practicability by reference to the beet sugar
factories located at Sacramento and 8ants
Cruz, in Call'omla. They have been very
successful, yet the value, of their lands is four
times as muoh as ours; their wood ooits on M
average four times as much as it costs in Or'
gon; and In addition to that, In competing
for a market, in Oregon or 'Washington, wst
have the cost of freight on their sugar in OUT
favor. In conclusion I would be pleased ttf
give facts and figures in support of my Idea,
but fear it would occupy too muoh spaoe, and
would prefer now to hear the opinions of other
farmers upon this subject.
Very respectfully yours,
D. S. R. BrICK,
En. Send on faots and figures.
Letter From Wasco County.
Spanish Hollow, Or., Jan. 13, 1882.
Editor Willamette Farmer)
Spanish Hollow is twenty-five miles east of
The Dalles, between Deshutes and John Day's
river. This Is a beautiful, rolling, bunoh grass
prairie; it has been the home of a few stock
men for about twenty years, but is now being
settled by good, solid farmers, who are turn
ing the bunch-grass plains into waving wheal
fields. Last year saw the first grain harvested
here; the result was quite satisfactory.
Vegetables of all kinds do well here. Tbl
year the acreage cultivated will be more than
treble what it was last year, and if the season
is favorable you may look out for some big
yields from this part next harvest. Our ret
tlement extends from the Columbia riter
south, about eighteen miles; beyond that i
equally as good a grain country yet to be set
tled, only lying further from transportation;
but that wilt not bo a drawback very long, U
it is the general opinion that there will be tf
railroad through this country before long. I
have never known a new settlement where
every one was so well pleased as they ar
here. No one appears to And any fault with
the country. We have as good society as can
be found in Oregon, and the only fault that I
find with our good peoplo is that they do not
all take the Farmer; but I think they can all
be led to believe and realize that if is their
frienl and guide. I enclose you one new sub
scription, and hope to be able to get more in
the future. We are having a splendid Wia
ter; all kinds ot stock are in splendid condi
tion. Yours respectfully, J, D. GlBSOX.
Another Fat Hog.
Cueiialis, W. Ti, Jan. 23, 1682.
Editor Willamette Farmer t
Seeing statements In the Farmer occasion
ally giving the weight of hogs from different
localities in the Willamette Valley, I send
you one which I think will compare favorably
with the best of them. The last lot of hog
which wo slaughtered last week consisted of
eighteen head, and made an aggregate net
woight of 6,846 pounds, being an average of
326 pounds each. The three heaviest hog
were full blood Berkshlres, and weighed
respectively 487, 450 and 433 the day after
they were slaughtered. They were fattened
on peas and chopped wheat. Yours truly,
West k Domox.
9
Mr. J. K. Smith, merchant at AumirilU
has kindly consented to act as ageut for the
Farmer at that placo, and is prepared to re
oeipt for all business in our name, Ira
J5
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