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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1882)
WILLAMETTE FARMER: PORTLAND, OREGON, MAY 5, 1882, m E v. m, I wMsmmB jmiuvi rvcry Week by the iixtnhni: i-.nsMi.it i'iiiumhm; to. TCKMS OK 8UBSCRirTI0!w Oic tir, (Ita;re paid). In advance t 2.60 Sv r,hf, fP'stajopaM), In advance . . 1.2J Ls than six months will he. per month 25 ADVKRMH1NO HATfcS : rtlemi nts v 111 ho Inserted, proilllntn are niff tahlo, ut the following taMc ol ratcn . )n n eh ot up K.0 per montl Mr Inclm ol space per month . . o half column per month Ij JJj D-i luiun per month ,, ' WOO to.'bMipt copin sent free on application PuhhcatlnnOlllir .No. 6 VV ashinjrton Mriet. Up tairs. rooms No 5 and H , I'l IILIMII.HN tMl M. I.Mi:M Tlic fotlovtliur are iiithnriml to receipt lor mti.rlp tions to this piipT rlnro vveliavann aireiits re mutinies MLriT U mule, (ixpenmn paid), to us by EtRUttnU Lcttir, or Mom Orders, or hxprcss All. I'AiTllHiinsiONriM H AT Till: KVI'IIU tio.v ok Tin: tijii: i'Aii i oh. Amitl Kl.SliiiiwoiilUlmiion (! W finitli Aurora fl,o vfillcr I eiilsillh HCVIilliniiinnds finmnatlllc VV II hlrk Lookliu,' Mass M Cochran Bultcvilll JolmlllUliillir lliieoln I; Ahri'lis Bnlte Crcik I! irt n McMleimillc J Mcrhltlips Brooks It llarrlslMic.) H KoM.lns Bcllivue JiltlUlIs Mt Pleasant r 8 Thaur Cnifnr.lilll. llobt (llwIVarloii II II lliithirti rd (fcttagoGr .J II hhnrtri.lfcviohiuk .1 h C'Iul-lIiIII Unn dlis Mijcr IUirisMoiiiiioulh VV VV atcrhoiiso ('hamlmrc A Jrlte SnVauihill (I lMp.ln,'ton Saniwi-ui I! IVirbcill'OMtll iille T K Willi lino Diivton I'. I' lliliavrilot Itock .11 (lllliiiu Drains lion .1 (J llrjlnll'inillitoii Lot Mviliiioro iv-lli. MihiiirUi.rcmiUlo I vv Milircii Dutur V. I llnfnr, Ir l'l ianlllill (IVVIIandsikcr KoU Thomas P.iree Itlumde (' I Knowlcs Elk.on Allllilncs llosehuri; S K llavuionl sutt Homo . II Mom Bin-cnu Hon I II Milliner ni.nJinr.' Hon SI llllil Mil. m 1 WCImrcli Kortkt (.roic llujlies Fox Valley V l I.ir.hnr ttohlun I llandsiker sir ton A II fl inlner sublimit) Jno l)ottiihi,r J S Mnrrli Selo Oaston A (' llnnionl Aerials UVIItihill hiild M Powers lotin I upi r 1 anoint Uoldcndile II I HiylorV.ro imr 1- s il itlcson Hitrnsnur' Hull II Sill til Ui hlir Hull 'I h"i Smith Habit llll. U, l'e .rl A Cu 111 uuetto I M VV ilUns 'tvlixr ' .luiiilii,'i Welles A A VV 111! iinoii Irwltliendenie W I Hod-rlli Weston I.SHno.1 Jukanmlllo Mix Huller Wultnl unr W.N S nl'li Jlllittioll W II llll). r Wlilll Walll .Uienlis Jellerson 1 W Ito'and em bSIllmb'o OUU EAUTJIQUAKE The iartli(iiiko lint vimtcd this city Suu luy night, nboul twelve minutes bofotceluvcn o'clock, was the innit novel fclii ok oiei known north of Sin I'rnncisco. The nxpci itnce w itli as was that at fiiit ii m iibling found pre Tailed, that we thought wis n cirri igo pawing by, but it R.mii prnvid soniethnig uuiisiiil. The tirnihi iiifieisod until the linuso .ictually jluwk as if Home ,i mt Ii.iimI hid giacpul and jwayeil it luck .uul foith. 'Die windows rat tli d; tho bids sw i id and oirakul; lookniL' ijtttsses swung Ini'k and forth and cm lything tlint it was in ml mt bicilii" a peiiiliihim It eintiiiiied 80 long tint tho family aronul fimn sleep and gitlurcd to di'cii's the plit'imiiiiMin It comnirneiM g. nlly mil grew stiongor, wi'h an nctiou somen li it i.mt and west. Its shah ing was so peifictlv Hte.i.ly that It causiil lit tin ahim, nud itilml aw.iv as it c-iine, listing fiom ipiirter to half i iiiinutf. Tim day In I 3xcn sultry and close, legiihu oiiIIkiii ike weather. A Indy of our uuUuiiit men got up oarly Monday iiiorning to see if Mount Hood WA attending to its liguhr wilih mil wa lather dlippointcd to fceo the old pe.il. as asiial. Wu liuvi Ii irued ot no gnat commo tion i New hi in mil no il imige his nee'inieil in (XiustqiifMiro Tho A oi lit is h iMng a louh of it, with tciiilin btoims at tho I'vt, and wi ro in I ih k to gi t on" w til simply a up deriito iliaking iii,tlun uu uf the pniln liine'liuiix. FRUIT 1TEHB- When trcvulnig up tho Columln.i liver the other d ly, wo met an old friend, Mi. llu ken jt, of Albauj, who told the evpuii'iieo of an Id gentli nun of that eountj m flint dicing that may he Milinblo to oui reulcrs. "Unile Uiorgu llugliis" is uyu 7" jears old,Mid does not do liny heavy work, but lt ear ho pro urvd a jauiily fruit duer, mid siul and driul tho upplns III his oichaid. While lui lull the drier the old lady uieil the npphs. The bad no assistaueu and kipt up fiuitdiyiiig for threo mouths. Not long since a sp eiihtnr cauio along ami bought , his driul fruit foi a thousand dolhus. To show tho alue of tlir business, wo call attention to thu fact that at tho present time bujeis are going thintigh the country and taking evir) thing of this kind, that is ollered at fair price, which is an im pTOU'liiMit on the past, A young mill who has genu about lui) nig up all sorts of piodui U telU i.s ho found an old lady, w ho hud thud themes. He didn't know what they weie orth, but took them at 1'.' cents, selling tin in at I'oitlmd readily at X cents, and probably they would brum fit) cents a pmiud Here. Mmy of our leaders might diy cherues this) ear. When returned fiom tho upper couiiti) .f ern told about a heavy float that leeuried in ur absence, and many feara were vxpiossul fur the safetj of tho fruit crop. When at i kin I'rula), Apul '.'8th, we iuiuiud e.iiifull) ud could not liuir of uuy danngu to flint Suuniuing i berries in our own urclnrd, wi faau.l them all toiiuil. They were 111 full Moom.aud tho genu of the mining fruit with ai tho bliKini was sound and ported ' lr wc can Inru tlu prospect is ginnl for n hi. i) jield of all kinds of fruit. Mr. I.uilling, of Uihraukte, thinks the bloom of tho Ko il Anns in his oiehanl is injured, but sin his aot the vase in nuhaids up this v ille) crop ritosi'Ecra Crop piopeeU for ISs'J aroxciy fiuuabli !tr a heavy ichl all ucr the I'aciltc rt'Ciou. California rejoices in abundant rams, and wiM f rodnce nil iiiinu nso eiop ot w hett The tune has come whin they fnl secure al out the le suit, lleie, in the Willamette alloy we will about hold our own with last ear and may possibly fall a little short, Wnlli Walla and KatUru Umatilla will do their usual put. UiuatilU, ow iiiu to railroad extension towauls tUker City, willlw able to send het retuius from regioi.s lnret.ifiirobv)oiiil reach ol liaur portatibn facilities. Alou Da) ton, and towauls U'wuton, from 1)h Assotui country, close to the mouth of Grand ltonde ri er, ami newly set thst Uuda tontli of Snake rim; from the I'otUtih conn- try north of Levviston and the whole Palouse region, there will be a great increaio of pro duction, enough to add about fifty per cent. to tho surp'us product of wheat east f the Cascades, which result will be agisted by re turns from Klickitat county, north, and Was co county, soutli ot the Columbia, where many have settled and opened farms during tho past two years, but hate not yet had much surplus to sell. Tho region along tho line of the Northern Pacific road towards Sprague, Cheney, and Spokan Kails, will produce enough to keep largo flouring mills busy at Cheney and the Kalis, and supply seed for the great immigra tion that is expected to come and commence farming thereabouts. If that region can raise wheat enough to keep the people along the railroad eastward, it will do well. The ISrrth cm Pacific will have thousands of men at work, and new towns are springing up along tho line. In addition to this, they expect to have some wheat over to sw ill tho export sur plus of the Columbia river. GRAIN AND GRASS to Wc cm strengthen tho po llion wo hac laken, that gras Lombincd with grain grow ing is tho true thing for farmers by quoting Mr. W. S. IIIkiiH, of the real estate firm of Klkiusj and Do I,ashmut, Dallas, who ad er ti'es in the KvuMUt that ho has $"jOO,000 in aluoof lands for sale m tho Upper Vullcy. Mr. Klkins says mmy wish to sell out and chmgo tluir bii'iness, or their locitimis. for various reis ms Many joung men prefer to tiko aihantago of tho new regions pening up llistof the Cis a lcs. .Most of this land is moitjiircd. It is his eierienco that tlic lieiMest moitgiges aio on tho great giaiu farms, and that tho most indipenibnt men aio thoao who are stock raiders. Ho went at Homo length into particuhrH to sho tint this is tho case. 'Hit-fict is cwdint that when a man mtcstsall his iiieigics and capitil in laising n cro of gimp, any failure lit jiild or in pnte is a licay set-Inch, while the stock man has less expense, and, with orduiaiy piudcnce, a more icliable income. Mr l'dkins al o agrees with us tint it is not tho soil that is to bluno for tho want of success of many futniis. 'Ihey owe their failuiu to poor cultiJtnm and wild oats and weeds, llu speaks of a farm winch has been cultivated steadily for twinty-fKo jeais, without the plow going down overlive uichis Many aio ciiclcss about getting clem seed, and soon hud their hml put down to wild oats that aro not'isily ei idicated. (iood and thoioiigh cultivation will biinga eeituu icwaid. All thu earth asks is to have tho plow go down and bung up fresh soil, that is waiting to be called i n. I'.ut it is not the pro) cr tlimg to dnvo cultivation continu ally, with ut icctipciatioii Combining stock growing with griiiii-farining is tho nitural course to puruo for lelhblo piolit, and to sus tain tho firtility of tho soil. The lesson tiught by tho ceiicuco of gt.nu farmers should not be lost. '1 liey seem to bo more certain customeis of inouoy lenders than all o'hers. The succiss of stock interests, even Hi this vallej, teaches us that It is bett. r to have "two strings to tho 1 ow." EXHIBIT OF PRODUCTS. Iii the rooms of tlic Immigiation Unrein, near the coiner of Kiont and K streets, this citj, the collections of giains and grisses ills pi ied is a t cully ireditib'o exposition if the products of all this N'oitli I'aufic couutiy. (i.iiiis, clnvei, glasses ami llax in the slu.if are shown troni loin cueular cxliilntiou tauds The lust colli ction of any ono man's growing cimo lioin too I.um ot O. 1. llurk- halt, K,'i , near Alhmy, who has Hindu a test of a gieat variety of giains, as wo have re peatedly noticed. An tleg.tut stind, valuable as a specimen of Portland cabinot work, as well ns showing tho beiuty of Oiegon woods for such purpose, was used for the Oiegon ex hibit at the Pa-is Imposition. It contains gliss jars placed on shelves and in alcoves, and thi'so contain shelled grain of all varie ties of w heat, oats, bailoy, llax, etc , gathered fiom Wi stern Oiegon and Hastcru Washing ton. Displav cd about this hall aro also speci mens of corn in car, tobacco in leaf, llax m ule into tow, liber and twine, potatoes of mam moth size, one specimen that weighed 111 pounds; rota bagas that aro monsters. There are slabs of Oregon miple, polished, and otlur woods native hire. Wool giowtrs will bo in terested in several cauls, on which aro dis placed washed and unwashed wool, I). M. (luthiie, of Dallas, has contributed beautiful specimens of tleeces fiom Leicester, Ciitsvvold and Merino, including full blood and graded sheep. Those specimens are, many of them, ou'v i. months giowth, as he had no last ) ear's lleeces on hand, but he pioposos tosave wool fiom his best selections this spring. Mr. tiutlme is one of our most experienced and sunessfiil sheep nud wool growers, and these samples nrogieatly to his credit. There is a card of wool there that W, T New by, of Yamhill, showed nud took premiums on at tho State Pair of KsSl. Mr. D. II. Sanborn has attt uilctl to this display, and has not t got nil his vwol specimens ready for exhibit. Some of the lino Merino wool samples ihovv n eomo from tho Mocks of Well known sheep grovurs i f Umatilla county, and ho has other specimens to prcpaiu in due time. " l.irn K by little a better grade of stock is finding its way into Klickitat. Somebody bungs an extia horso, that induces another to import n cow brute vv ith superior blood, and then home entei prising clup thinking our swine could bo improved has tome blooded pics ttttufertcd to this soil. And now comes 11. P. Sajlor with a trio of Plv mouth Kock rhliktns, and uot utistitsl with that he also brought from Portland three choice Itiuwii la-iihorii fowls. What about the line ducks. tuikuvs, cubical and sich like. Who have anv or proivoso to help stock the eouutv with thim? If jou have an improved quality of grain, grass, vegetables, stock, lariu ma chiuery or an) thing else that may bo a benctit vo out vuuuiv, lev us Kiiun iu vv v iiiieiiu aim expect to make this psper a medium of ex change, ol kuow Uxlc-o. ideas and ideaiini! and useful luforiuatiou Uitwaan the pecpU of this oouniy. fxnfrsxv. ON THE UPPER COLUMBIA The Northern Pacific Hallroad-Tne BpoSan Country and the Bis Bend of the Columbia. At the present time a largo proportion of the immigration that conies to Portland goes on"ip the Columbia, tickets hiving been pur chased at the Kist throuch to Walla Walla. Arriving there, they find they are in an old settled region, and that Walla Walla itself is a town that would do credit to the older States they have left. They inquire for new land, to be directed further on, and take pas a 'go tor Dayton, thirty miles beyond. At Dayton they learn that the land is held nt a good figuic, and remark that they could buy land w here they came from nt the same pn c. Many are at first discouraged, but acting on advice, they purchase cayuse ponies, or a team and outfit, and start off in search of new laud for homes. Even near this comjaratiiely old settled community, land can be taken w ithout going far. Somo locato in foe fertile hill country between the Touchct and Snake river, a sction of Columbia county that was never appreciated until of lite. It was sup pos ilto be waterless, but water is sometimes found in springs, and can usually bo had for digging Mr. Hange, of Cneney, came to Diyton some vcars ago and found a chim in high bills near the town. Hero ho made a firm, and succeeded in grow ing the Le-t kind of ciops. After to jears cultivation, lie sas two spiings iuokc out in his plowed 1 mil, I ho fact that spiings do r.ppear after cultiva tion is well pioved in mail hill tactions of the Upper Couuiry. It is also conceded that as cultivativa ion bccomesgoneral in the couutiy lionlu'inj tho Columbia and .Snake rivers, thu clhct is appal cut in ameliorating the clnuite. An evident lcsult is that lams no in. le ten oral through the spnnir months thin was the oiso before tiie country was in cultivation I'lireforo crops aio o iiiidcicd moie citain thin in foimer yean. In tins manner tho couutiy above Dijton, between the liluo Mount uns and Snake river, is beiii gradually occupied by pirmai.eut set tiers. Many find their way to tho Assotiu country , situated mulct thu base of the Illue 'Mountains, Lclow tho confluence of the (Ir .ml ltonde liver and Snake rivet, a bcauti fid region if count! v tint is well wntcred, with timber not far oil, in the mountains. Sumo pass on towards Lewistou, and cross ing Snake river make their way to the Pot 1 itch couutiy. They loiatc along tho Western bisc of the Canr il'Alene Mountain", in which diiection there remains much good firming lmd jet unclaimed, tint is w.ll watered and near tii'bcr. There is aUo an inviting legion southeast of Lcvviston, on tlic Sulh Clearwater, cast of the Ass tin countrv, that baa already somo population and loom lor many moie. Whilo there is still vacant land east of Walla Walla, in tho vanous localities we line dtfeigmtcd, it is a question whether the new -coiner cannot suit himself with even less trouble in a more convenient locality than an) uow to bo taken south of Snake rivci. It was to bo able to answer this question intelli gently tlint wo lately made an excursion upon the iNottheni I'acilio Railroad. The Palousc couutiy 1 as been thoroughly piiispccted, and bus now quite a largo popula tion. It contains a solid body of rich and prolific soil, and oHirs many ami great a 1 v uitiiges for settlement, l'roin inquiry, we leain that much good land, ow mil by the Oie gou Improvement Coinpanv, is et unsold fiovcrnuient land is mostly chimed, but a mill with moderate means can always buyout tome locator's claim and his impiovcmcnts at alcasoiiablo price, That is usually the case in a new country, and can be done all thiouL,h thu Upper Columbia region. North of tho Palouso tho waters of thu Spokan liver gather and run north. They do not materially differ in chiractei from tho Palouse lands, to which they aio adjtcent. The valley of Hock Creek, a branch of Hang man Creek, is pronounced by Chief Knginecr Thielson to ho one of the most beautiful ami fertile spots imaginable. It is w ell watered, and not far from abundant good timber. West of it is the Spinglo rocion, unsurpassed for fertility. This region contains (south of the Northern Pacific lino and extending to Snake river) nearly two million acres of mostly good aiming land. The beat land is bordered by the Cieiir d'alcue Mountains, rt aching almost to Snake river south, bounded by the main Palouso stream on tho west and towards Cheney is six to ten miles of tho railroad The w hole Spokan region is naturally tribu taiy to the Northern Pacific Railroad, and tts tiado will go to Sprague, Chenoy and Spokan Kails. Theto places alrealy do a good busi ness. Last w inter the snow laid on tor ninety days, ut was not viry deep; neither was the weather exceedingly severe. Stock wintered without feed or shelter. Farmers improved tho smooth and solid roads to haul their graiu to the mills. They came from Farmington to Cheney, fifty miles, nud got 70 cents per bushel for their w heat. It is easy sledding over this beautiful rolling country, and the loads mo perfect. While the lands from Snake river to Spo kan Palls are m great part ilaimed, it is prob able that many claimants have practically ahaiidouod the land they have tiled on, by lion compliance with the requirements of the law. 1 he truo policy for a home seeker it to rent a piece ol lamt somewhere, or find somo occupation, and not to be de tor.-ed by reports he may hear, but remain quietlv observant until lie Kama the condition of lands claimed ami unclaimed, and after sutlicient deliberation, make Ins location. The maps at land ollicea are uot alwajs to bo relied on, U-caus they merely show what lauds have been tiled on, and uot what are legally occupied. The fouthwttteru portion of Whitman county, on both sides of the road, consist oi lands uutuited to agriculture, as we shall hereafter specify, 1 he Ilivr lWnd of the Columbia is the region that now comineucca to attract attention, and offers inducements of a high order to tcttlers. This is an extent of country bounded by tho railnatl, which extends northeasterly frun Ainsworth to Spokan Kails for one hundred and fifty miles, thence easterly for almost the same distance, and thence follows tho bend of the great river down to Ains-vorth. It con tains about six thousand square miles, or four millions of acres.- Those who have prospected it describe one-third as rich soil and well watered; another third as rich soil not well watircdj and tho remainder not consideicd agricultural land, is docribed as deep canyons running into the Columbia on the north, the Orand Coolee of the Columbia, which was once the old bed of the great river, crosses the llig Rend and leaves a worthless scope of tountry where it passed, and to the soutli the maps show a section of "desert sago and mil." Rut even this "sage and sar.d" is not without its value, for it pioduces bunch grass, and it is an axiom of tho Upper Country that where hunch f.rass glows wheat will glow. Water is fcarce in this rigion, and that is suf ficient condemnation for the present, but time, we believe, will prove that much of what is now pronounced worthless will have its uses. Right in Ainsworth, as wo mentioned be fuie, a garden spot, without irriirition, pro duced watermelons and potatoes. '1 lie results of cul'ivation in different localities will have much to do with the futuie of these supposed distrt lmds. To give as minute a desciiption as possible, in bnef spice, of the whole region north of Snikc liver and eit of the Columbia, we will stite that the eastern portion of Whitman county, W T consists of the Palouso le gion, of which it can bo said that no better country wis ever known. Thisiigion extends eastward into Idaho, to the biso of the Curur d'Aleno Mountains. Tho western portion of Whitman county is mipped as "desert of sand and sige." The central ortion of the county is watered by Cow Cicek, and is nos jet occu pied as farms. It is called a "pot holeiegion," because it is "scab land," withoccaional hoi lows amid the r cks where stock shelter fiom st inns. It has excellent bunch gi.i-s, and will so n prove the availability of scab lmds for grazing purj oses. Wo havo spoken of Lake Colville, that ex tends eight miles soutli of Sprague. Tins lake disc-bulges into Cow Cietk, which inns into tho Palouse. It runs through scab lands, but back from it one to three miles is good lmd that has scuceanj p pulation, which is really inviting. When the tinibei and lumber trade commences on the railroad it will supply the want that ptcveiits this distrct fio u being thickly occupinl. The scucitj- of timbci has been its drawback hi tin i to. Jlitzville is bo miles abovo Ainsworth, and la her a dry region. Mr. Rit7 is said to have put in 110 acrts of giain to test Hs capacity, for production. If it can l'iow wheat it will cmso the set lement of much lmd alopg the i ulroad. There was quite a "boom" in favor of lands n round Ritzville, two jears since, when the rail load was being constructed, and much lmd was filed on under the timber-cnl-tuie net, or other claims, but tiie locators ailed 1 1 carry out their obligations and the lauds aro vacant. This is no doubt true of many locatois of lands el uwhere, recorded as tak' n on the plats of tho hind offices. '1 he Spokan country, in the southeast cor ner oi Spokan county, is equally desirable with the Pa'ouse countrj", and cot so thickly settled. Hero wo find Rock Creek Valley, the Pino Grove or Spangle settlement, the Rosalia and Pine City country, all within taentj-Iivo miles south and east of Cheney and Spokan Falls. Through here some extent of good government land lies vacant and con sumable railroad land ii still unsold. The Hangman Creek couutiy has good land not distaut from the places named. This creek rises fifty miles south and empties into the Spokan river below tho falls. About Spokan Falls the ground is gravelly, but not far distant aio good farming districts It is claimed that the gravelly soil close by is productive. Five Mils Prairie, northwest of Spokan, is all settled and good land; Pcone Prairie, seven miles noitheast, contains 10,000 acres of good laud that is mostly occupied, with still room for locaters. Moran Prairie, five and a half miles southeast of the Kails, i small in extent but contains very good land. Westwood is a few miles cast of Spokan, on the railroad, and bctw een that point and Civur d'Aleno lako there is two townships of good land, line grav el and rich loam, vv hich is only partly taken. It must be remembered that in this region timber is close by, cedar, pine, fir and tama rack. All through here it is well watered; saw mills are at work everj- few miles afford ing cheap lumber. In tho lakes about here fih abound and pleuty of deer in the forests. The White Bluff prairie commences 3$ miles west of Spokan, and has fifteen miles square of good arable land, containing 150,000 acres in one body. This rich agricultural region maj' be said to be lioundless, for it extends west to the Grand Coolee, or former bed of the Columbia, and crossing this, still to the west, the bunch grass prairies roll on to the great river. North of the railroad, 8J miles fiom Cheney and 1.1 miles from Spokan Kails, are the Med ical Lakes. The village so-called is becoming an important point for supply of a good agri cultural country; also, as a resort for invalids who seek relief from cutaneous diseases, or rhueiuatio and nervous affections, by the use of the waters. Of these healing waters we hive spoken before, and shall at some future time refer again to the wonderful results that have followed their use.. North of Spokan Falls and Cheney is the Colville countrj-, that is at present rather dis tant from tho liue of settlements, but pos sesses good valleys anil rich soil. Cheney is situated at the very edgo of the broad and fertile district, stretching weaUtrd in unbroken extent for fifty miles, which is conitantly attracting immigration, and is probably the most valuab'e region now un settled, in the whole North Pacific territcry. Through this there aro occasional patches of timber, as about Medical Likes. The north ern part of this region Is well watered Close to Cheney, where land was cultivated last year, they noticed a rank growth in spots, and digeing down a short distance let out hidden waters that became living springs, and whero wells were dug they sometimes found water quite near the suiface. At the N. P. R. R. Co.'s land office at Cheney, wo learned that a great deal of land is now being sold. Sales for March aggregate 1 5.10,000 at 2 CO per acre, cash. On credit sales ai e made at S4 per acre; SI down, the balance, without interest ill four annual pay ments. Government land within a short dis tance of Cheney is all taken. Within a radius of fifty miles of Cheney and Spokan Falls it is estimated that there is still a million acres of good government land unoccupied, besidis, fully that quantity of inilroad laniU unsold. The present policy of tho company is to sell IGO acres to actual settlers. Tho land nortl -west of Cheney is mostly black soil, and ot very excellent quality. Tho visitor nt the Cheney Laud Office will find a beautiful di-play of grain nnd other products, grown in that vicinity, that carry assuianeo of the productiveness of the soil. It seemed to us that no display of grains and grasses of equal extent wo had over seen sur passed that gatheied from this new region, and tho jiild of 1SS- will undoubtedly gieatlj' increase it. Among the rcstwono t ced heads of timothy that show what cr is of hay this country can produce. Coming down therailroal fiom Cheney, the good country comes .almost to the track. The mad follows the sinks and depressions of old water couis.es, so does not explore tho beat siiu.atcd localities Onlj' a few miles distant the rolling surfaco is smo ithand soil rich We can safelj' put dovv n a w ide region to the w est as agricultural bill nlmo-t entirely unoc cupied. It has been appreciated by stockmen who haw gio.vn rich thcio. Their headquar ters is on the w aterVbf Crab Creek, w hich runs i-outh and dUappcats in an alkalino lake. Oc casionally the severe winters cause loss of sto.k to some extent, but tho three months of snow last winter left the exposed cattle and horses in fair order. Odd is not felt severely in this diy climate, and tho tall rjo grass which they reject in summer becou es verj acceptable food in winter. Without going into what is known as the Rig Iknd of the Columbia propel, thero is a section of good grass country bordering tho Noith Pacific road on the west for one hun dred nnd fifty n-iles. It may bo considered that tho upper poitiou, 100x50 miles, is sen erally well watered and very rich soil, adapted almo t universally to fanning purposes, fully ablii to sustain the lcputation of tho upper couutiy for pioductiveness, and as healthful a region as can be found in the world, unless for persons with very delicate con titutions. This region is piactically unsettled and open for loe.a ion, and seems to promise settleis far rcater advantages than do the distnets to w hich wo first referred. Wc hear it often asked : Docs not all this country have too much alkali in the soil! But tho presence of alkali in moderate quantity .seems to stimulate production. Where land has too much alkali cultivation reduces the supply, and alkali seems to rise to tho surface Horn below as cutivation absorbs tho surface supplj-. Tho effect of alkali in proper Qrau- tity is described by an observing gentleman, who has tested it m farming operations, as sim ilar to applying unleached ashos to the soil, and is favorablo to the production of good o ops. Tho question is also asked : As this whole legion along the Northern Pacific is destitute of forests, how can the settler procuie a sup ply of fencing, lumber and fuel ? Tho anw cr to this is : The forests of tho Cci-ur d'Alene Mountain region commenco just beyond Spo kan Falls, and offer an unfailing supplyof the hest of timber. Ihey possess in abundance cedar, fir, tamarack and pine, and the pine of that section is raid to be fully equal ti the best Kastern pine. The mills at Spokan Falls supply lumber cheaply at the present time. Competition will create an immense trade in material for building, fenc ing and fuel. It will be the policy of the rail road company to do all that it can to supply this agricultural region with these necessaries at the most reasonable prico possible. The niture oi me country uepenus greatly upon this being done. At the present time the rail road delivers lumber at Cheney for 810 per thousand feet, and at Sprague for 17, which is a reasonable price for lumber in a new country, but competition may be expected to lower it. With the growth and development of tho upoer country, there must come a de mand for such supplies that vill create an im mense business in manufacture and transpor tation between tho forests of the far North east and the population of tho treeless plains. Tho country, west of the N. P. R. It., is a quietly rolling region that lies favorablj' for agricultural development, not flat so as to let water stand, and not steep hillsides that can not be cultivated. So far wo have only spoken of tho lands ex plored by the North Pacific road, but before elosiug, we will invite attention to tho region along the Columbia river, outside the limits of the railroad grant, west of the Grand Coulee and the Crab Creek Countrj-. The Columbia has rapids that impede navigation in several places above its confluence with the Snake river. Priest's rapids are not far above, and separ ate the navigable waters below it from exten siv e agricultural regions that lie in the Big Rend. It is the intention of the O. R. & N. Co. to construct portage roads around these and other rapids that impede navigation, and so establish connection direct with the whole country to the Britiih line. The effect of this will tie to secure the de v elopinen t of a great farming region, and make available much good land on both aides of the river that is now used only for stock range. Timber abounds on the west and north, and a great trade for fuel, fencing and building material will spring up on this river reach. This branch of our subject is important, but wo will eav. more particular description for tho not distant future With regard to the transportation facilities for the Palouso region, a railroad is now nn. der contract, to bo constructed by the 0. R it N. Co., commencing at Twin Weils, fifty miles from Ainsworth, and to run easterly through the Palouse country to Colfax, with branch roads deflecting from thero to Moscow in Idaho, and to Farmington, and north of there on the line between Tdaho and Wash ington. This route has been selected in pre ference to crossing Snako river at Texas ferry nnd penetrating tho Palouse region from that direction. In this connection wo will n'ludc to the Btock interests anil tho advantages of the scab lands and other sections not well adapted to agriculture offer for conducting stock farms. Tho day of tho great ranges is over. Stock men who own thousands and tens of thou sands of cattle must give place to the wheat grower, and practical agriculture IllU3 super sede tho reign of the Cattle Kings. But from a higher standpoint wc say the era of true stock raising is just ready to commence. This whole region offers advantages for combining farming with improved stock raising, We have alluded to scab-lands along (jie railroad and elsewhere, and to the fact that on such linds bunch g.ass shows great perfection. Thero are many localities wheio n settler in clined towards stock-raising can locate his c emption or homestead, or he can pur chase of tho railroad nmpanya tract where he cm grow liayand plant garden and orchard, with safe cilculition tint thousands of adja cent acres will not be sold foi mmy j'oirs. Kavor.abl ) spots ameng the scab-linils can be cultivated to advautngo, and the locator can uso the outlj ing range to his profit. So we claim that the stock interest can increase w ithout existence of immense herds in a few hand". Sheep husbandry can bo carried on to good advantage, but the safo way for all stockmen hereafter will bo to piovhlo food and shelter for stock in inclement seasons. There arc not many sheep now in tie portion of territory we have described, but tho wheat farmer can combino sheep and woo'-grovv ing to advantage with farming and so realise more certain te turns and piesetve the feitility for which this legion is famed. The intending lirimigi ant may w ish to know something of tho Indian tribes that onco peo pled this region. About Spokan Kails there ar pei haps 150 left of the orieinal Spokan tribe, cnoutrh to sustain tho reputation they alwaj-s bore as a shiftless and worthless peo ple, incapable of material progress. .They are in strong contrast with the Orur d'Alene tribe who have n reservation south of the Falls, n ar tho Cccur d'Alene Mountains. They bav e improved farms and livo with some regard to civilisation. Wo hear of ono of their chiefs, Saltce, who drives a fine carriage with a well matched team and loans his money shrewdly, on good security, at two per cent, per month. If that ieii't a sign of civilization we don't know where to find it. But truly, the Couer d'Aleno Indians are a superior raco of red men, who ovvo much of theii advancement to the education and example of the Catholic church, under wlncli teaclnnt's they have remained tor many j ears. In giving information of the region we have described wo have received assistance from a number of persons, including Judge Lewis and Mr. A. S. Aberuethy, of the Cheney land office, and Mr A. M. Cannon of Spokan Falls, and more ospeciallj' of Mr. J, W. Range, of Cheney, who was able to state particularly tho clnrac tens tics ot vanous localities, as ne had peisonally visited all parts of that country- ENSILAGE. We have been publishing, for some time past, reports of different persons to the Eds'1 age Congress. We have other information concerning ensilage, mostly favorable to its value as winter fodder. The great mass of evi dence is in favor of this system of preserving green crops, aiul furnishes the strongest argu ment in favor of it. What has been thorough ly demonstrated is that fodder so preserved is at worth double the valuo of ordinary hay. It does not co't much to handle it, and silos can be built above ground at very small cost. It is demonstrated that even pits in the earth, in which fodder is put without being cut up, it covered properly, will keep well and answer a good purpose. Tho mere construction of a frame above ground, boarded up and then filled, tramped and subjected to pressure, will answ cr all needed purpores. We fully believe that in a short while silos will be as common as hay mows aro now, and with this impression strongly formed, we are giving the readers of tho Willamette Far mer solid information on what we believe to be an important subject. Firmers must keep up with the age, and the coming time will be an age of silos. Crop Prospects. We do not remember, during a long resi dence in this valley, any season when a more abundant crop was promised than at present. Farmers have strained every nerve to plow and seed an extraordinarily large acreage, and it has been put in in goo I season, just in time to have the benefit of the late rains. All grain has now a irplendid start, and nothing but a most extraordinary drought will prevent the harvesting of the largest crop ever known in the Rogue river valley. The fruit crop prom ises exceedingly well also. In a few localities it is said that peaches have suffered a little from f-oat, but generally they are unharmed. Plums ami apules will bear heavily, and with the prospect of a good market in the railroad camps for the ensuing two years those of our farmers who have anything to sell should feel very comfortable next M.Jacisonxil!f Timet. Off the Rocks. Henry A. Sumner 4 Co., publisher!, Chi cago, will issue April 22d, a new novel in their "Hammock Series," entitled "Off the Eocki," uy Toler King, and it it believed that it will p.-ove a more satisfactory story than any novel of late years. It is refined iu language, ex citing in plot, smooth in action, and rich in society characters. It will be iasntd as a 12mo of SCO pages and printed on fine laid paper, and bound in cloth in handsome style. The pries will be , 205 Wabash Avenue, Chicago.
