Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887, November 24, 1882, Image 1

Willamette farmer., November 24, 1882, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextfwwifW'P VOL. XIV. PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1882. NO. 41. orrc0tti1cnc Hop Growing. Bceka Vista, Or., Nov. 16, 1882. Editor Willamette Farmer : If you will permit me space in your paper I will answer inquiries from many wanting in formation in regard to the hop business. First, kind of soil And situation required : You must havo good rich soil sandy loam is preferable, but any soil rich enough to raise good corn or potatoes, without any clay nearer than three feet from the surface will produce good hops if the soil is dry; but the richer the soil the better; but do not flatter yourself jou can raise good hops on your old, worn out fields, for yo i will be losing your labor if yuu do. Situation : Your hop yards should be sheltered from the wind as much as possible, and yet not shaded too much from timber so as to prevent the sun from shining all davunon the vines. Kich river bottom land, either sandy or loam, where it does or does not overflow, is good for hops if the soil is rich an.l does not wash too much from the current of an overflow. Time to set out roots : We think the best tinn is in the month of February or .March, although some prefer to let them out in the fall of the year. Before letting oar roots plow your ground good and deep a foot deep if you can. After tho roughly pulverizing, clod mash, then lay your ground off eight feet each way, so that your hills will be just eight feet apart. Each hop et should be about eight inches long, and contain two sets of eyes. After laying off your ground in this minner, in each hill plant two sets, and from four to six inches apart in the hills; dig a bole about four inches deep, and alter placing the sets in, cover with about four inches of dirt. Hop sets are slow about " coining through the ground, and it may be as late aa the first of May before your vines bs gin to shoot through the ground. After the flrst year they will come through the ground about the first of March. Many do not pole the first year, but you may raise, by tending well, from three to four hnndred pounds per acre the first season. But whether you pole or not the first year, bo sure to keep them clean and the ground loose and mellow. Hop poles should be from twelve to sixteen fett long, about two and a half inches through at the large end, with the knots closely trimmed, s that the vine3 can easily be stripped from the pole. The male hops, I had almost for gotten to say, should bo set in every tenth row, and every tenth hill in that row. The remainder of tho row is act with the feraalo hop, which alone bears. The male hop only impregnates the other vines by the polon blowing through the yard. The holes for the poles are ma.de with an iron spnd, about four feep long, with a knob on the upper end, the lower end sharp pointed, with a gradual swell about ono foot from the lower end to the thickness 'of about three inches. The hole hould bo eighteen inches deep, then, after sharpening the polls, job them down into the holes. The poles should be about tight inches part at the ground, and about eighteen inches apart at the top ends; this is to prevent too thick a cluster. Two poles to the hill is sum cient. It is always better to set your poles before the vine comes through the ground in the spring. Train the vines after they are about.a foot long; rap them arourd the pole with the sun, as they will net go opposite to the revolution of the sun, then tie them with good yarn or coarse burlap lavels, not with thread or small twine, as this will cut the vine; tie only a half, knot, so that as the vine grows the string will give; train in the heat of the day, and not on a oold or rainy day, as tho vines are then brittle a?d wjll easily - break. Train two vines to each pole, pulling --or breaking the others off, and do not allow any more to grow during the season. After the vine has grown almost to the top of the pole it will send out suckers; these limbs must be cut off four or fire feet from the ground, as they sap the strength from the vine. Culti vate as you would corn; keep free of weeds, ground loose and mellow, surface as level as you can. On good soil, if you follow this method, you can raise from twelve hundred to two t jousand pounds to the acre. In my next I will give method of picking; kind of boxes used; method of drying; and the best method of constructing dry house. The coat of bop seta is from five to six dollars per thousand, boxed ready for shipment, and it will take about fifteen hundred sets to the acre. B. F, Wills. ne Tax Question PUcmssfi Four. CoPHTr, Or., Not. 20, 1882. Kditor Wilhmette Farmer: As you are generally very fair toward those who may happen to differ with you on any abject, will you allow tho undersigned to riticiie acme remark made in the Fabmxh. of November 17th on the new "Tax Law.' Wo will pass over and say nothing o' tho huge cry and lamentation set up last week by some Portland papers in regard to this very law of taxation, as the farmers of this valley well understand the aim and object of that paper, but tho day of its influence is past among tho farming community, but we, ns a friend of the Farmed, had hoped that its ed itor would at ltat say nothing until the law was tried in the ou-rts of this State. But now, yon, too, state that the "law is-inopera-tivo as regards money loaned in this St ite from Scotland, and that such loans are gov erned by the laws of England." "That com pany (the Scotch) cannot be made to pay taxes on such loans, neither is it regulated by sub usury law, etc." Great Scotland 1 deliver us ! I see we shall have to fight the battles of the revolution over, as our forefathers left a sap down, and wo didn't gain our independ ence from Scotland, as we cannot tax their money, though invested in real estate. Gocd heavens t what a blunder we made of it when we set up for ourselves. If that be so, Mr. E litor, are we not in great danger of having all of the money invested hero t come from Scotland? What chanco would an American stand here to lend money and pay taxes on the same when, as you say, Mr. Editor, Scotch money cannot be taxed here. But we boldly deny the premises, as there is nothing exempt from taxation except public property in tho United States. What is money, if not the very best of property? a property thst is recognized and accepted among all civilized nations The second sen tence in that article hits the truth from be ginning to end. You seem to think, Mr. Editor, that taxing money at its face is vir tually double taxation, because real estate is not assessed over half its value. Well, I am informed that the Scotch Company nly lends money on bait the value oi tne rai esiaie, secured by mortgage, and, as you state that the borrower will have to make up the taxes, so I can't see where the .wrong conies in, as he only pays on one half of the value nf the real estate. But in our estimation the weak est argument of all is this : Money loaned represents land generally, and as it is bo easy to conceal it, or to find some way to evade taxes on it, tho effort to tax it pro duces fraud, demoralization and corruption Why do Porthndera ketp their stores and shops open after nightfall, as it is so easy to steal and conceal and evade the police, especially your liquor shops cause much de moralization and corruption, why not order them to shut up at sundown f As I under stand it, "the law was made for the evil doer, but not 'or the righteous man," it pro tects him in his rights. The wholo argu ment seems to hinge on this : What is money f If property it mnst be taxed wherever found, if not property, w.e should not attempt to tax it. As to tbo present law, we have not seen it, only what we have heard from its coofessed enemies, it may need ameliorating, but its main feature, vice taxing all property wherever found in the State, will hereafter stand forever on the Statute Book, for it is based on justice, and the people will see to it, that it is exe cuted. Nobody desires to drive money from the State, but if money cannot bear taxing like auv other property, then let it slide and we will try to pet along without Scot land. Tax Paver. farmers and fruit growers of Oregon and Washington hope soon to have railroad con nection with the mining and wheat growing region east of us, and to find a good market for our fruits all tho way to St. Paul. These markets will call especially for apples and pears of the late fall and wiuter varieties In planting pears for profit there should bo such a variety of kinds as will inclu le tho best kinds for each season, from the earliest to tne latest'; but tl planting to supply distant mar kets, there should be but little of the very early kinds, as they ripen fast and decay soon. For such maktts tho Bartlett, C'app's Favi'rite, Flemish Beauty, Beurre d'Arjon, Winter Nellis abd Beurre d'Easter will be found reliable and profitable. I would give these varieties rank as follows : First, Beurre d'Arjon; second, Winter Nellis and Beurre d'Easter; third, Barllctt; fourth, Clapp's Favo ite and Fit mish Beauty, I place Beurre d'Arjon first because the tree is very hardy, well shaped and of vigorous growth; the fruit is htndsome, of good size and d-licious flavor, also a good keeper, its season being from Oc tober to Januiry. All things considered, it is without a peer among our pears. Yours truly, ,F. C. Yeomans. THE SHEEP INDUSTRY. BOW BOMS CAN AND SOME RAISE SHEEP. CANNOT Great Profit on Moderate Capital Bneep waiKs in Oregon, wasningiou ana nuu- tann High Price or Heat and Its Effect Upon Sheep Husbandry. Lane- County Pomona Orange. Irving, Or., Nov. 20, 1882. . Editor Willamette Farmer : Line County Pomona Grange will meet with Grand Prairie Grange in their hall, two miles west of Irvine, on the second Saturday in December. Patrons from a dis tance invited. Basket dinner. A. J. Jennings, Secretary. Factories Heeded. Planting- Pears for Ptoflt' Nov. 10, 18S2. Wasuocgal, W. T. Editor Willamette Farmer : I have read with much interest your article on "Fruit Growing in Oregon Opinions of a California Expert;" and I noticed that, in common with most of the California fruit groweri, Mr. Haydeo has the Bartlett fever, and feaiing that some may take the advice he gives, and follow the California exsmple, I would give a few words of warning. Ten years ago, in the peach-growing section of New York there was found to be a considera ble larger profit in raising Crawford's Early than any other variety of peach. This led to a demand for trees of that variety which the rrmserymen could not supply for scvtr.il years, although they increased their st"ck each year. It alto led to an over supply bf the fruit, so that they were a drug in the market, and from being the roost profitable it became the least so. This bit of fruit hutory is being repeated in California to-day, only it U another fruit Last year there were not enough Bartlett trees; from the size of a witch, np to the use of a ipade handle, in California, Oregon and Waahington, to sup ply the California demand, and I fully believe that the result of this boom will be thst, ten years hence, the Bartlett will prove to be one of the least profitable of pear. The Bartlet ranki first for canning, and will, perhaps, always find a demand at low prices, but we The following taken from the Seattle Pott Int'Uirjencer is so appliable to this city, that we endorse every word of it and hope its sug gestions will not fali listless on the public ear; Factories are quite as much needed here as railroads, and more. Railroads will bring people into the country, but if there is noth ing for them to do they will go away again. Factories will give them that something to do. A few of the industries needed here w ill be found in the paragraphs following: A match factory has paid in Victoria for several years past, and one or two in Portland also. Why will not one pay in Sjattle? W have the boit of wood for tho purpose, and a demand at homo for matches almost sufficient to keep a factory going without citside orders. A. wood pulp mill for the making of paper. The wood is going to waste all around us in in quantity sufficient to make all the paper used on the Pacific slope. Pulp paper mills are springing into existence all through the wooded regions of the East, and ere many years there will be a dozen on Puget Sound. Who will build the first! A boot and shoe factory is imperatively re quired. The 60,000 inhabitants of Western Washington weir out (50,000 worth of shoe leather per month, 140,000 of which go to California and eastern manufacturers. The representative of a leading San Fiancaico boot an I shoe house who did the Sound up list month, showed the writer his order book. During his last visit he took orders to tho ' amount of $33,000. To compete successfully a factory here should havo nearly or quite a hundred thousand dollars invested in machin ery, stock, etc. A hundred or more op. ra ti vts would be employed, anl an addition mode tj the town at once of at least a thous and inhabitants. It is really singular that a tub and buiket factory lias not been set up iu this wcodeu country before. That aiticles of this descrip tion should come all the way from the east, is shameful, as may also bo said of other wooden ware, as bowls, washboard', handles, etc We may also include brooms. We have repeatedly, in previous issues, di lated upon the business and profits that await the future makers of beet sugar. No region under the sun is better adapted to the cultiva tion of sugar beets and the making of sugar than this, and a second Claus Sprlckles for tuns awaits the capitalists who will prop-rly undertake the business Sevtral of the enterprises above referred to are within easy reach of our. own citizens, in dividually and unaided. Others will require united effort, and still ethers need the help of outside capital. We can get some of them with little effort, and, by persistent trying, we can get them all. Let us try. We had friend say to us a few days ago: "I never do anything for a cold; just wear it off" That is exceedingly dangerous; one m ght do that 19 times and the 2Utb time the cold would settle en tho luns.1 and lead to consumption, and thus cut line's life short many j ears. Is it not better, and more sensi ble, to go to your druggist and get a bottle of Ammen's Cough Syrup, than run any risk at alL SHEEP HCSUANbRV IJtr-ORTAM EVERYWHERE. Wo have recently taken a fresh impulse to become partial concerning a very important iodustry, that represents a great amount of capital invested and pays a larger per cent, of profit on the investment, than is earned by any r-ther staple produot known in this region if not in the wide world. We propose to re late two days experience with sheep growers, and in the outset give notice that wo shall sur prise conservative minds by statements t'-at astonished us when we heard them, but we find them srundly supported by testimony of manvcood mtn. and as we know the men well in many instances, wo accept their statements as reliable, and give them to tho world. Shoep husbandry grows in importance in every section of this country. The wheat farmer learns that he needs sheep in the Will amette valley to glean his suinrntr-faljow, to utilize his waste land, to supply meat, and when he has made the most use that is possi ble of them as scavenger, he finda that his band of sheep have proved the most profitable and lea.t troublesome item of farm stock. They also find that they do not keep nearly as many sheep as they ought. It is Bife to say that Western Oregon doeB not Buppoit over one half as many sheep as coul'l protita Wy be kept, and that the loss of possibleprofit is a great item. Wheat fields that grow too rank because they were not pastured nt the proper time, afford an example in the loss ac count. S1IKEP BREEDERS OF WESTERN OREOON. Thero are many wheat grpwere who keep sheep in such a way that they deteriorate, thouph still profitable; but they get the use of them in weeding their fields at tho expense of half starving tho poor sheep. Thoro aro some who take gord caro of their small flocks and see them improvo for so doing, and get good pay from them. We have shown that there is more profit iu keeping sheep on well im proved pastures than in growing wheat. In Western Oregon we have tomo men who are noted breeders; such men as Minto, Guthrie, Cros, Davidson and F. R. Smith. Several good bretders live in Linn county. There aro good breeders in Yamhill and Washington, and a fair share live in the, Umpqua valley. Those generally itick close to Merinos, the Spanish and French being most popular, and some show good American Merinos. Some breeders are interested in Lciccsters, Cotwolds and New Oxfordshire!, while of bte Mr. G. W. Hunt, of Sublimity, is importing Shrop shires. The high grade Merino has been the favorite, but meat is now so scarce that good mutton is far more of an object than heretofore and must henceforth dispute the palm with good fleeces. While quite a number are breeders of thor oughbred sheep thero are also some who keep rood sized bands. S. W. R. Jones of Gerva- is, has probably 2000 sheep. He has made a great put of his furtuno by that means, hav ing a mount lin rango as well as I'rcnch prai rio pastures. M. Wilkins and sons, and oth ers in Lane county, lift p mny sheep besides cattle and horses. Wilkins has COO to 800 New Oxfordshire!, and c uaideta them far better wool producers than Cotswolds; they are as heavy in carcais and as good in quality of flesh. While a Merino wether weighs CO pounds New Oxfordshire of his Ian I averages 100 lbs. As they sell by weight they are profitable; as they arc hardier than Merinos they have a decided superiority. J hey pro ducc combing wool that is ten per cent, value above common. The hatdiueaa of these sheep can be seen from the fact that they have nev er sheltered or fed tlinn iu any winter, nor have ever met with heavy loss. These sheep run on the foot hills of the Cascades and ou rich bottom land. They have pasture made up cf nstive grass chiefly, into which timothy, orchard grass, etc., have largely taken hold. As the pasture is not overstocked, the grass improve! rather than deteriorates, SHEEP IN 800T1IEKN ANII COAST COCKTLEH. One of the most successful sheep men in Western Oregon is D. M. Guthrie, near Dal las, in PolkVounty. He not only grows Cue sheep for breeding purposes, but has quite a bind of them, common stock well graded up from which he derives a gocd profit iu wool and mutton. His Cotswolds and New Ox fordshires come into market a extra choice wethers. These are the wool groweri of im portance in this section, though they do not often keep sheep by the thousand as they do ait of the Cascades. Douglas county, which includes Umpqua TiUev. is a famous shetp region, though its Here, in tho Willamette, tho nVlve grasses are nearly run out, but sheep pay large inter est on cultivated grasses, and mixed grain makes excellent pasture. The hills of Ump qua produce a short grass that dries up early; sheep thrivo in early spring and do well hen caily fall rains start the grass, but summer pasture is very dry. They should scatter dif ferent grass Beeds including small white cloer and rib grass over those hills, and if they take in thero as they do elsewhere, those hills will soin carry much more stock than naw, and do it better. The sheep business in Umpqua has made rich men of many, like Thomas Smith, D. W. Stearns, the Sntherlin'a and many oth ers '"o cinnot name; Umpqua wool has no su perior and few equals on this coast. Sheep and wool arc tlio gn a.t staples of Umpqua val ley, and will bo more and more appreciated when they learn thst improved grasses will givo tlouuie returns in ueiier sneep sua neav ier fleeces There are some flocks of sheep in Rogue river val'ey, where the climate is favorable, but sheep do not yet occupy the wide pastures of Middle-Southern Oregon. There aro sheep in some districts of the coast mountuos, to wards the ocean, along tho south coast, but thero tho chief dependence is cattle, and tho climate is a safo one for cattle raising on a large scale. Sheep are found along the coast all the way to the Straits of Fuca. They, do wellonShoalwaterBiy. Can be found on Clatsop, and at Til'amook, in -tho islands of Puget Sound, as well "as on tho mainland; through the wooded region along the Colum bia they help pay the taxes. It would be in teresting to trace their history through all this region, and we may sometime do so, 'but now we will go to the wider and more 'exclu sive domain which is found in Eastern Oregon where broad plains and wide spreading moun tains give them rich pastur.-all the year round, j EAST OF THE CASCADES. . For some years past sheep walks have been encroaching on cattle ranges, and gradually stock men havo been becoming sheep men. The assertion that sheep pay twice as much profit as cattle and horses is no doubt true, even while it is truo thot, for a term of ten years, cither cattle or horses, well cared for, v. ill yield a full hundred per cent profit per annum on the investment, besides paying all expenses. Tho stock business is simply im- ncnBe, that is, when well carnod on. imt we may as wtll pr miso that while as a stock man lately said one mau may understand horses, an 1 another may be good and success ful with cattle, it is seldom any one man is well ablo to run sheep, horses and cattle all at tho samo time. Sheop men aro not so com mon as they might be, as has been provid by the want of success of many who have at tempted it. To hear those who have suc ceeded state their case, it seems easy enough to manage the business. HORSES ON EASTERN PASTURES Beforo commencing on sheep we will look at horse raising, which are the easiest of all stock to keep. Turn your band of horses out, ou any good range, even in tho Eistern coun ties when snow laid for ninety da s last win ter, and you nted only lock them up once in a-whilo and thoy wiUtake care of themselves. If tho snow is deep they paw it away to get at the standing bunch grass and keep in fair order on it. They can paw for a living, when split-hoof cattle will starve to dtath. Tht.ro are great herds of horses in Northeastern ago wo wrote up thecajllu business in Southern Wasco and Grant and Biker counties, so it is not necessary to rtpeal. suffice it to say that while cattlo are high priced and far more profitable than ever beforj in Oregon history, thoy still lack much of bou-g as profitable as the nimble-footed sheep, whoso l.oof is handed down in a Spanish proverb as shod with silence. Before wo leave tho horse, wo will say that he thrives on tho big bunch grass. He gains strength and bone and inutile from lecdmg on the rolling plains. This grass is of several varieties, with similar characteristic!. Iist week, when riding and walking over the high, graaay ridge close to the Columbia, near its junction with the Join Day riier, we closely inspected tho standing bunch grass. It had ni t been pastured but stood as it grew, its seed fallen off: stalk and leaf w ere withered and dried up and apparently mouldy, but that was only in appearance; despite appearances, this grass was neither mouldy nnr damaged; it had dried up but savtd aH its nutritious qualities; had cured a! hay cures, and is valu able as feed when other grasses have no value, or very little value at all. This makes the bunch grass very important as winter feed. When snow is on the ground tho horse will dig down to it and make a good Hying. Even tho sheep will scrape the snow away to get down to its stem. Washington, whera they havo tew cattle ami not many sheep. Stock died so in 1880-1 that cattle are very scarce in that section, but horses are more plenty and more ccitain us profit. Horses aro numerous inallpaitsof Eastern Oregon and Washington; some bands are of the Indian, or Cayuso stock, that by gradual improvement pay well to tho owners; others are American marts of a low grade, while bands of horses of different degrees of nature can bo found until you come to good carriage stock and high grade! from thorough bred ancestors. Of late, horse men arc turn ing their attention more to securing improve ment in the direction of trotting stock, so as to bring some good roadsters to market. Style and foYin and acti"ii with speed, and fair size is what they strive for. Many old. mares can be found on the bunch grass range that have never had halter or bridle ou, but have raised brg families, CATTLE, STOCK AMI BEE. Cattle were sold off of Northern ranges and went East at low prices in 1880 and 1881, but great bands of them still range the hills and plaini of Middle and Eastern and Southern Oregon. Those regions are remote from the ways of the worldat least from tho railways and waterways and not being available fir agriculture, are utilized by herdsmen, who literally own the cattle ou thousand hills. Beef is beef, now-a-days, and csttle are up in the world at prices that make the cattle kings grasses seem to hive deteriorated of lateyears. I very proud of their prmWou. Not very long THE QRAHSKS SHEEP LIKE. But the Bhcep docs net like any coarse, long grass. It prefers the shorter, sweeter growths and needs variety. Ho helps himself to weeds; he browses, when ho cau, and nibbles closo the shortest grass that grows, actually keeping fat when herbage is scarcely visible, when he would do poorly if ho had to 'wade through tall grass that was over hii back. We had bo often heard mon who live close to the Blue Mountains Bay there was no sheep grass neir the Columbia river, that we took pain to examine and saw that all among the scattering bunch grass there is a smaller growth, known as sheep grass, on which sheep thrive, while Iaigcr stock devour the other grass. Nature has dealt kindly with that region aud before we clcs) it wnl be evi dent that many havo held a mistaken idea in supposing that bunch grass will wear out and leave no successor; that eventually the rnnges will bo barren and worthless. It is not in that w.iy kindly Natuio protects tho world, for from its vust labaratory it continually evolves hidden things; plant follows plant iu cnlfcss succession, though wo cannot say fr in whenco thoy corny. UMATII LA AND 11LUE MOUNTAIN RANdES. The greatest sheep range in Eastern Oregon is found in West.-rn Umatilla county, along the base of tho Blue Mountains, and all through these mountains. John Q. Wilson,- formerly a res'dent of 1ikm, and of late years in Eastern Oregon, where he has been stock raising fir twenty yean, now has a sheep range cast of Hcppncr, and the other day gave us interesting particulars of hii methods and succo a. Last spring ho had 1,850 ewei, that brought him 1,700 Iambi. It was a for tunate year, as he did not feed at all during the winter, and the wool yield was good. The grass caino early iu the spring, lambing time was April, and lambs and ewes did well. Shearing caino iu May, and alter paying for shearing and transporting to market, where he sola at 21 cents, ho realized a full average of 81 50 per head from his wool, which gave him plenty of moans to handle himsolf. After shearing, the olie'jp were driven into the mountains, Sheep eat the small grasses that come up v;ry thickly through all thu foot hills; when these dry up, us happens early iu the summer, the mountains arc near by, aud afford green grasses and temptiuir browso all sumimr, Mr. Wilson says you must put flesh on your sheep in Juno and July to make n aucccss of it; so, when tlio foothill grasses be gin to dry he divides his sheep iu bjnds of 1,800, putting .an experienced herder with a band of that number, and they start by easy stages, driving a few miles every day, until they get to their customary range. There is a sort of pre-einptors right recognized iu these inatters. Tbo mountain rat ge as yet is free, hut the oldest use creates a right that stock meu re-coguiie and do not iuterfere with. Each resumes, year after year, the range oc cupied before. 'Ihe last comer moves on be youd with his sheep, to find unoccupied terri tory. Mr. Wilson says some men drive their sheep ono hundred milei into the mountains to find new pasture; another sheep owner tells ut that of late they go until .they almost meet the bands that come from the other side of the mountains. 'The Blue Monntaina occupy a great territory and spread out ranges in all directions. They are not so abrupt as th Cascades; have little or no underbrush, and among the op:u pine forest graasd every where. There is alio abundant water from springs and small rilU.so that sheep luxuriate (Coutliiuest on fourth page.) HI !