WILLAMETTE FARMER: PORTLAND, OREGON, DECEMBER 22. 1882
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imuco every Week by th
WII.I.A1IM1 K FARMKK PI HLIMIIftU CO.
ThRMS OK SUUM.'HIITIO.V :
Oneear, (I'ost&Ke palii). In adtance t 2C0
3li nontlia, (1'ohUjo paid), In aorancr .. 1 25
Leas than lx month will be, per month . 2
ADVLKMSINU KATES:
Atvertlaemeritawlll be Inserted, providing tr are
reapoctatile, at the following table of ratca
ine men oi n ire iter roouui c z w
Jhree Inches of space per month
ftit half column per month
in column itr uionui
TSamrjle tooiea sent free on application.
Publication Office. No. 6 Washington Street
lairs, rooma No. and M
(M
16 00
JO 00
Up
l'l UUXUr.lV A.OI MF.MKNT
The following are authorlzod to receipt for atiliacrip
tloni to this paper. Ml Where we liao no agent re
mittance MUhT Imi nw.le, (expense ptlel), to ua by
Reirltterpl Irftter, Of Money Orders, or Klprewi.
ALL I'Al'ERH IlISOONTINUM) AT THE EX I IK A
TIO.N OK THE TIMK PA 10 TOIL
Amity
II I. Sliiipon
Aurora Geo Miller
Lebanon O W Umith
Lewlavllle.IICMuTlmmonda
ooklnff Qlaas. M CxKbran
Lincoln. 7, Abratua
Ufa tile IWStrawrti
McMinnvillc J McI'MIIIim
Mi-Coy. 1 Rolil.ina
Mtl'Iuuant r 8 Thayer
Marl ,lt II Rutherford
Mohaw k J S Churchill
Monmouth W Watertiouse
rftonnavllle. .W It Kirk
Butieville .Johnllatcheller
Slitto Creek E hiltcrvln
Urooka . . W II Harris
IVIlerue Jeffllaila
ijawforilslllle Itobt Olaas
Uottaire Or .J II hhortrUVo
Uonallis Mritr Harris
Champotg A Jettoj
Jtninasttis r.
Ilavtori
Drains lion J U Drain, Pilot Hock.
ULu Jllhiiillli
llufur A J liufur, Jr
Kola Tliotnis l'carce
fflktnn Allllilnta
Eugene lion I II MttluiM
I'. enainin; Hon M llllcy
Forest (.role S llit-'lica
Kot Vail I II fianln
loahui J llirolaaktr.
lesion C lUtnioml
;enili MMIUhill
Gnlltn.lile It I SitlurV Uo. Uiigtnt
Hirrialinv Hon II smith Wilbur
If itiei III u.k, I carl Coi ill untile I' Nil llklna
living A I' feniilii.rs'Willts A IV illUinrn
lul'peinlcnie W I. Ho trill VWaton I, SWonil
Ju.hintillii Mix lliilkr Waltnl.ur.' W hnu'li
7ltn tK.n W II II ib. r Wall i Walla Jim Is
Jnfcrsoii ll Ito'wil 7iuv b1-mi i i
ForlHinlNolaiiihlll OWSannlnirton
I! U Hadawaijl'nwell ValUy Thwllllaius
. K tillllalil
Pendleton Itoi Liverwort
I'errydjile J Vt Mellrew
I'lcasantlllll UWIIanila liter
lliiirsliie CKhnwlw
llosthurg S K luivmoim
Sweet Home II Mosa
Salem S W Uiunli
Miiyton V liOiirilmr
iililiintty Jno llownln
Sno I h Morris
Shulil W 11 Potn
John Lupcr
if Oil IliOtf Mlllll
" 'I'm u inira ntw lo'f" and eci mv
iitiiy huh ii iiiiifl ,ii Kul)cii'nrR y cm gi-t to
tliia fiiiinuiH' paini iiiul fiiLiid, the S'iilm
mi 1'jAi.mik.
Souk iiM- very kindly lit ua two iarr of
coin, wmiicil in n copy of the Kaus-8 Citj
Doily Jou) mil. Ilicy caiiin ronin neuk nj;o
U'littliii tln'y canio from Kiiihih or from
aoinu pirt of our (iimi niou iroliivu no nidi
1 1n- tuiitlir kinilly jiaiil tontiilcrnlilu pom'iih
HII lllllHt I mi Iiml an nlijict in m tilling ilo
com. An no nottuccon nniiil it or w.i Kill
jftiiwiuili, wo nihkc Hint notiii' to tall out
Jiifoin .it kiii
CIVIL SEI VICE KEFOHM
No'i tlint tin' uii Ii lint n inllt tti 1 a! tut
polla tin it iliiHiimf n tinii with t'llatuig til"
iniiia in iliiii, llitrn will liu ii raco httwtt i
thu two pirtii'i to how tnriiiittnos.ii in tin1
prosecution of Ciul Sorvito ltofonn. Tlutii
-Jlit iliti'ttioit to which tho popular ott
point", nil. 1 politicium will ntlivu with out in
ocliur to tlniin aii.ttiily in tho rolo of rufoiiu
ara. Ciniines la lianllv in numioo htfoiu
nieuBiiri'B re introiliituil InoLiny tow arils nitli
reform That any acrious anil tlisirahlc rtforni
will ho attoiuplialioil ib not to lio vip cttil,
tliounh thini will ho plenty of tilk. Many
will, without ilouht, liCHinCiro, hut the scaaion
la ahon, lusting only to March I'.li, at wlin.lt
timu this C.iiiHUus witula up ita circir. Ail)
pine ii'al refoi in in audi iuipartant iiuostiou
will ott'upj lonaiiUrul'lu time, morn than tin."
C.iligliHH c in allonl. Tin Ii thu iUt'stiou iiivih,
win-tin l tin party that Ima liocn out of pown
or oir t.ienly yearB, ami lionm Utat ita ila
of hiKicaa ii until, will h willing to forti;o tho
Jjukni'in in tliin.ry in ollioe-lioliliii: "To thu
TiMora I. flung til. i Hjiniti. " Umlor thcae eir
iiiiuataucea, wo iln not uxptct that Civil Sir
ticu Kuform will iiiuku pennanoiit a.h.inoc
mt'iit iluiin thu alu.rt Miaaion now in progrtaa.
CO-OPERATION.
The only poaaihlo relit t ami aiturit foi
pro uciia inuat oonitf throih cti opt ration.
Ono in tit with alitiu.ltut ineaiiH may aucieeil,
hut oven ho cm Mitt ceil l.i-ttor if nil Ina tlaaa
oo-iipitutu with him foi mutual iooil, 'I he
farmua of thu luuntry hao power to away
p ilitict, in ciiitrol trailo ami 1 1 aocurc ttouoin
ioil ami litiniHt (.uMinmeiit, 'limy tlo neither.
'1 hoy nie, (.tut i ill) apcakiiiK, nine tools of
oh I mul ili'lit mat political paitim, who allow
Jim to ho tlttttil to tho h gialutuu: once in
awhile if he philt'i Itinuitilf to mil) out ml
chiiiuiulo. I'.uini'ia biiinutiiiicrt mini inouli
of tin in to ill fett their pirty otiolccti m ilny,
hut that la nil okuptlon. At to toiniiituu
they taku wlut apcttititora niu real) to gio
too often, mul give whit thi.lniuliint h.ta a
uiiiul to ih.ugii. rooofto. ' y poor in tna;o
nifiit, tin) iltm't oun then urtnD, ilou't own
thttrptiHU', ilou't own thomaelvt a, .uul can
not m) tluir ttoiila aio then own, Then to
opu thin la not p .aiihle. Shall we gm it il.
lihtll we iliop the gringo ami nil farunia'
eltiha' hlia'l wt alwaya oitip ami neiei go
alum It louka like it, aurclv,. ith all the
talk of the lot ten )oir, a'nt no leaulta foi
liming it, It truly looka aa if Co opmtion waa
ai.t poa l.le,
THE N1CANA0UA SHIP CANAL
Our got in ut'tit can will atFoiil to omoiu
go the piO'luctlMi power of ita I'acitio Conat
ttl a hy riuitinatilc expcmlituiu cf milli ua,
if ii email t Tho aupport of any out. rpnai
tint i tu Koniiipllah tlna will coiuu ill the
range "I nation il tint) If it Otn ho atcoiu
pliaheil a r-aa able coat The I'ltimu i ahip
caii.I will nut In an Ainoricm ontirpiiae, ami
ciiiuot p rf mi for thn Ojluniliit iner wlut
a t.i nl can that will alii.rten tho o.'ian route
aa tin pmpoaiil N t'Aiiigua taiial will, CIl
ftirua I- iiiiiing tln vcheuii', ami Otngoii la lu
ititiitatiil Otii ulnat protltietiou iltpnida on
faciliti a Uii.g luriiiihrtlf. t iti trtiiaportatioii
otlni t nn the Imi); voyage nrumul the wotlil
I In N i.uii'gu.i telitiue la praetuahto ami will
le u nation it tnumpli. It will aci-ouipliali all
that ta i h iluoe for punliicfra. When it la
coinplit.il ilcMiioia ran Ii'al in the Coluiiiliii
ritei, an. I, in a mouth, ho uiihalug at aome
Kim pom port. The wotl I will iuoeti put
ua if we tlo not rvtuo iural(a, m a nation, fo
keep pace with it. Wo complain that tho ex
oeaa of national income is a hundred millions
annually over our needs. Why not use some
of the national wealth to increase the power
of production, and strengthen the national
prestige ahmad, as the construction of itich a
canal would do ?
Tho great advantages to result to the I'a'ifio
Statta, and the nation at larce, I y this enter
prise, can be aecurtd by the pledco of govern
ment aid to insure payment of 3 per cent, in
tcicst on the reasonable cost of the wonc. At
the most, to spend some two millions of dol
lars annually for twenty jears will set the en
tcrpnse on its feet. We can do that without
miasing the money. It ready seems, then, aa
if all the two Houses of Congress need do, in
rcsponnc to the united demand from the Pa
cific States, ia to organizo the matter on a safe
basis, and give government aid in the manner
asked for, in return for which our government
will receive constant benefits by having the
use of the canal for carrying mails, and for
passage of government vesse's without charge,
dive us this canal, ard the wheat fields of
the Pacific will be more prolific than ever;
they ill attract moro emigration; the whole
Columbian region will be more prosperous and
have more certainty of prosperity for all time.
The sum called for is a trifle compand with
the benefits to result.
Let ns suppose as would bo the case that
teamen carr) ing 5,000 tons could 1 'ad here
or in California ports, and make tho voyage
via Nicanaua to Liverpool in a. month, chart!
ing the tame that we now piy for a fout
month's voyage around Cipe If in. Tho sav
ing in time alono will ho millions yt.irly, for it
will iiinouiit to thrto or four n'UitliN' intnst
oi fifty millions of dolltri. The raving in it
au ante tltargo will hu aa ninth more, anil
gi tin .mil II ur will mike ths sin rt voyage m
ninth htttti nliipe than the longer one that
cios-sis the I'ljuitiu t-vice. Anitic, wona
Hiilijtct to sui'li lluttuttiou in tcnuagu supply
ami fuight charge .is iit'cuired lial year, when
nliips made fully 'J."i ctnta a liushtl inoru than
a fair price on atvtn nullum IjuhIi.Ii of our
wht at. That was two millions' lo-sto(ur
acciion in one season, as much .is (.ou nuiiint
ii afked to piy to niauru thu canal. With the
canal to (Upend on, wo could telegraph for
tonnage nu.l oxpttt it heie in n month, win re
is, now, wc cannot ttll what tonnage is on the
way in time, or taiiuot lonii, to a ttrtait.ty,
how much whoit we have to ship. With this
tauil to dipeiid on, we should ho al lo to do
Iiiihiikss to (.'renter a Ivantig. in nil resptct",
o .nl. I an id In nig chalgul t xor! itnut fitights
n tl possess ctitiinty in plncu of the untti
tainty that now n t uds our commtrc.
II t vt a an lutt with the aSMiimn that thu
Paulina tan tl is in touri.e of tniMruttiou, and
whin tompluted will .iiiawir nil nulls. 'I ho
Panama scheme ih Punch ami not Auiiiiean,
Our eugineeia lino always favored tho Nl?an-
agua loutt', lliu saving m tlisinuto in the
voyage to New Yolk or Liverpool will he a
thouaand links. Thu Aiiwiian nloa si ould
prciail in this repict, and givu our nation
prestige and Btrtngth. ltrsnle", some way,
wo tlo not have faith that tho Panama canal
will be speedily built, and when l.mlt it will
he iiuihr no nnlig ttion to fav. r ourcomu crce.
It ceitainly will lellett no trtdttonour na
tion. Lit us show the world, ami our own
ptople, that wu cm taku care of our own in
tensts.
of a fair yield. So it ia with everything on
the farm. Some men are naturally apt and
succeed, while others blinder in evtrything
they touch. Some learn of tin lr neighbors,
and improv e by every ono's experience. They
even read newspapers and gain somt thing
from them. We have had this snit of mm 1. 11
us they read the Farmfk with profit Indeed,
they well may, for our mission ia to glean in
formation fn m hi se w hose experience ia al
uable and publish for the benefit of all.
Seriously, if thtrc is i o prosperity to the
farmer now, when wilt it come? Millions ate
spent in carrying forward great public enter-
p ises, and the country has much benefit from
those sources. Wheat is not dear too mant
I in all their hopes nn that one staple. Mixed
firming ia the solution of that tiouble. Every
nun who farms well and judiciously prospeis
Ihe fact is, as we have stated before, gros"
navs btttcr than wheat. The fanner who
practices mixed farming with good judgment
will thrive mvrc certainly iu the Willamette
Valley, one year with another, than his friend
and neighbor who places all his hope and im
pendence on wheat growing.
Enillaie.
DOES FARMINO PAY 7
Mi. ,1, 11. Knapp, last week, asked what
oiuse havu furintra to coiupl.uu? Ho euu
inuratid thu going prices of farm products to
back his inquiry, called our current prices and
showed that the prosperity of our farmers
should unial that of funnel n nlnio-t anywhere
on the fncu of the earth. Wo will work up
that matter a little more extensively, follow
ing his idea,
Wheat is worth now a dollar a bushel at
Portland, sacked, Thnt gives an average of
80 touts a lundiel over the w hole Willamette
Valley, and CO to "0 cents oast of the Cas
cades. It is estimated that wheat can lie
grown and piy uxpeusca and interest on land,
in Western Oregon, for ,10 cents a bushel; and
Ktst of the Mountains for .'10 to 10 coats. If
that is so, fnrmtrs of both sections can tlo
modtrattly will, raising whoit at piescnt
puces.
O its are 00 to (15 tents heie It needs no
ell. ut to show that oats nio n good crop, at i0
tents, up the valley, 1 hey tould he sold for
has and ho a fair business for the product r.
Hay ia high priced uverywheie. Oita ami
hay wire inthei tl 1 ght tlop l.lat buiiiuiu, but
hay at 31- to f 15 a ton piy a well in any coun
try. Potat ua aie woith fiO iiula lui.'ll) , "i.ish
up and no giuiiiUnig. ' Win n you have 'JOO
lui'licls to the atru and tan nriko an aero pay
$7f to $100, you .no doing well
llutier ami clueae, egs niitl poultry, aie all
high .riio.! lliey toat so much that a pom
ii mi, or any liboriug man, finds it tlillicult to
get along on hia $1 fiO to $:) a dni ami pay tho
piieea for living the fanner rtieuralor the
mcekstrios of life. lteif la 7 CiliU per pound
I y the caroars p irk the anno, tu niton fi to tl
tints, The coat of plain living, of course, la
incnamd b the utiilei'a profit, but tin re ia
no dt'ii)iug tint till film products biaralirm
and hialtliy price.
Win, then, is not the firmer hpp nu.l
conti litul ! Why are limes hard ill 1 lili'ltey
hard to get Time la a leaa -n fur it I'litre
la a reason for v. ry thing, I he solution imut
I e tint pour farming and poor luiingiiiieiit
ar so pn vilent that they ijilait thu prosper
on j 1'oinlition of tho country. It is a thauk
le Iiiolni as to talk plain aud be. unpLaauith
intiral; but if, when the ciuutry Imi at good
priira for its products, a uow, faiiuers com
pi mi' of' t ard tunes, how will they mitam
.euu. Kea whin litter puces rule?
We luw in tic til in rou n try or in town that
prudent iiiiluatry places ou o iu the hail,
"(ioid farming pays," The linn who culti
vates wheat will, alwaya has a goexl yield.
Sjme yiara p) In tttr than otlieit and yield
Utter Oropa,bt.t proper cultivation never faila
The report on silos and ensilage published
by the Department of Agriculture gives re
turns from records of practical tets made m
vaiiouB parts of the United States and Can
ada. The summary say s the silos are gener
ally built with reference to convenience in
feeding, in, under, or near the fecdiiig-rooms
and may be above, below, or partly below
the surface. The form of the silo is gtnerally
a rectangular horizontal siction. The cylin
drical f..nn 19 retommendtd, Uipth is im
portant, bctausc less surfito is exposed to the
air, but if too dot p theio is danger of expitfs
ing juice from the tnsil.tgo at the bottom.
When the contents are cut in a veiticat sec
tion tho narrow silo has thu jih.ii.tigi; of i.
po-ing little sulfate to the air. The capa iti
of thu nlos laiiitl fiom Ildt to 17,200 tulut
fitt 'I ho 1 trgist would hold about -180 toi s
Practically the capacity is loss to tho cxtuit
tint ensila e stttles under picture. 'I hit.
should notixtetd one fouith. Stone, brick
at tl couciett are ustd for walls under giound
In til in soils that do not become, saturated
with watei, wall aie not ctseuti.il to preser
vation of eni-ilage. Abov aground, two thick
ousts of inch boards, with sheathing piti
hetwrtn, if support"! apain-t side pressure
w ill answer, lio, mis gi ntially covtr the toj
put on trni sieisely, so 'hut a pait may 1
uncoil r d wlulu the weight lcmaius on tit
list. Anything lit ivy may do for the wu ght
The cost of a silo i una from ,r0 cents to $." a
ton.
Of thu crops for ensilage, corn takes the
t.i I, hut oats, sorghum, clover, Hungarian
grass almost any ciop, can ho used. Corn,
iorghum, and similar ciops, should be plauted
in rows, the quantity of seed com varying
from eight quarts to a bushel and a ha f for
an acre, The common practice is to put crops
in the silo, whin they have reached their lull
giow tli and r. pening begins. Corn yields pei
acie ah ut twenty tons of fodder. The larg-
tat van ty of corn is piefeirttl for ensilage.
Sweit corn by many is valued the most,
though it does not yie.lt! large crops. Vanoua
cutters are employed; finn cutting a half-
inch or less being in favor, because the ensi
lage packs elisor and is likely to keep better
tli. m if toarse. While tilling the silo, the
enai age should he kept level and w ell trodden,
li.ipiil tilling is probably the lust. Tlic cost
of tilling tho silo is fiom ten to thirty-five
ttntB for labor, and S'J at tl over per ton in
cludes the entile tost of 'lie crop. The ensi
lage Bhould remain under pressure till cool.
Tho losa by decay is neatly always light
Generally the emilage has ktpt for months m
the silo. It ia better to expose a new surfate
daily than to cut down sections. Knsilage
is fetl to milch cows with no unsatisfactory
results. Several feeders consider it equal in
value to ono-thud of its weight of the best
hay. Thero is a decided incicase in the quun
..,.. . t.t ,..1L.
xor a uouoie purpose, .anrougn ine cirain tne
overplus of water is discharged. There is inly
need of a certain quantity of it; the water
shnu'd be down where Ihe roots of plants cau
reach it, and in the shape of moisture, not of
actual standing water. Fill soil with water
ami most plant) wilt b.- killed by it. Moisture
coms up from below. Ditch the soil and the
ditch villi carry of the flowing water. Air will
follow the ditch and convey moisture with it
for the use of the surrounding soil. Plant
roots uecl tj breathe fresh air and do well on
it. Ozone is the life principle, and is in the
air. Land, that is thoroughly drained, haa no
water standing close to the surface, and is
moist in summer. The air that follows the
drains ia charged with moisture, and keeps
the air moist. This is all suoh simple and easy
philosophy that it ia difficult to see how a
man educated, both on the farm and in the
schools, could deliberately write it down that
cultivation is intended to seal the earth's sur
face and keep moisture from evaporating, He
must hav e seen it printed somewhere and sup
posed it was good logic and so used it. It is
always dangerous to use other people's brains
in that way, though natural to some, The
best way for an editor to do ia to study before
he writes, and so save his credit. If he boi
rows, and gives credit, then the author 19
responsible. When our neighbor writes again
about evaporation, and shows his city readers
how to cultivate fauns, he had better borrow
some reliiblc and standard work on the sul
jett, and write from that.
NEED OF MANUFACTURES.
Probably w e cannot grow broom corn here,
but it lurks suspicious to see irr mense piles of
it come up to tho broom factories fiom San
Prantisco.
We can make starch here, for our fiiend 0.
lVterson, of Kast Portland, nco brought us
some beautiful starch made from potat c.
Potitoes are always plenty and cheap, so,
why di u't somebody go into starch manu
facture ?
P rk can be made heie, for we have done it
twe ty liv e y cars ago, selling hoi's at a good
piolit at six cents, while lor a year or so past
pork has been worth seven to eight cents
But our markets are full of bacon, hams and
I ird, brought fum cast of the Missouu.
We 1 avu excellent oak, maple ai d ash, and
yet we bung acios the eontinci t timbtr for
si igle trees, neck yokes, o yokes, wagon
t uiguts, o helves, ox hows and all wacon
work.
Turn whero you will you can find on all
sides in mufatturid .owls that ought to he
made at home. U e could go into any stoic
and call oil' all sorts of canned goods, meats,
fish, fm it and vegetables that c me fi m
other countries that should be made at home.
Tho list is monotonous. It includes every
branch of trade and of household needs; wu
seem to have little independence in auy
respect. We import plows, tools, iron and
steel, farm machinery of all kinds, 'vagoos
aud carri iges, food and clothing, when we
possess resources that only need development
to give us independence and wealth.
No people can buy all things, as we do, and
manufacture so little, without remaining en
slaved to those who manufacture. Let us
commence, in small tlung, to manufacture,
and the great things will como in turn. Ot
couiso a new country has to grow into all
these things, so we gue notice tint enterpris
ing men, with cipital and judgment to use it
well, cau find a wide field here for their operations,
OUR NEW DEPARTURE.
Since, we announced and have practiced our
intention of leaving the field of common jour
nalism open to the secular press of tho coun
try and confine our cflbrts to fanning nutters
and such matters as are appropriate for a
family journal and general literarv subjects
tity and improvement in the quality of milk selected especially for tho entertainment and
advancement of the farming community, we
have received a number of hearty endorse
ments of our course from friends. Among
others, Mr. Meyer, the well known stocn
man writes from Ashland, Jackson county :
Asm ami, Or., Dec. 12, 1882.
Mr. S. A. Claiike. Hear Sir: I see from
the last I'AKMHt that you intend to drop your
cencial news depirtment and devote the
rAKMirt to auiicultural and stock matters.
Tins ino e 1 am highly pleased w ith, and is
w hat I sut'gvsted to you some years ago.
My theory is that in journalism, as well as
in stock raising, or tanning, there are ili-tinct
and butter alter changing from dry feed to
cnsilaga, which is like charging to fitsh pas
ture. Tho daily rations for milch cuws are
from GO to 00 pounds, with somo dry food.
It is not fount! best to feed cows on ensilage
alone. Tho stock fed n this food has eained
both in hi alth and weight. The general use
of enul lge depends, of course, on its cheap
lit sa There la haidlya doubt expre-aed in
regard to its piotitableness.
LVAPORATION ON PAPER.
The Dii-nemuuilor notices an editorial from
tho OriioiniM, about the evaporation of tie
uiiiiaturo iu the eaith, says lino cultivation
w ill pack tho eal th so cloic as to hold thu
moisture in, and that is why it is uectasary
to cultivate. The (heijoniiiii'n editoutl was
something of that sort, wo t'on't uie.tii.il tu
bo exact. We ii.tictd it at the time, and
didn't caiu to allude to it. We thought vie
lud see'ii it somewhere else'. That intlueutial
j iiirualis u't. n aicust'd of using its sci-s is to
borrow othn people's quill work Without
credit. It probably found tins going tho
rounds, and thought it would lie a good idea
to tl.bblo a little in tho soil, as boys am! girls
make mud pica. Now, the fact cannot be that
haul puked earth ri tuns moisture, litcausu
when you find it solid as bricks on top, you
am go down below and find it dry a dtut all
the w ty I'lio tiuth ia, the air is t barged with
dampness, which coiidi'iiaeis, ami chimb the
lew to fall. To plow aud stir the sml icine
wlut perin.ts the air topnietiato and it far
ms uioiaturo with it, Stirring soil iiublet
tho air ta pom trate to the iiiota i f corn or po
titois, or, in Knglnnd, where they aonietim a
iiil'iiate wluat, it t'irrics down moisture am!
fields tor each, and it piopeily conducted will
result in tho moat goo I to all concerned. It
haa In come a settled poiut in stock bretding
that thu old, haphazard plan of the past is not
what the prist nt age rtquins.
The idei of ge ting in one horse, or family
of horses, an animal that is a good draft hoi so,
fine for the saddle, for tho plow, a fast trotter
or racer, a safe bugy norsu for ladies to drive,
alsaasafo htre for the littlo folks, is no
longei thou.ht of,
Ihe siinu may be said of cattle. It is out
of the quistion to have a Xo. 1 milk art! but
ter cow, as well as a lirgo beef producer, iu
the same race. The same is ttu of sheep.
A man would be thought wild that would
expect to haveaXu, 1 scout hound, a shep
herd dog aud an active rat terrur all in the
lainoi'o.-. W.CMiik.
Theio ar. so many kind endorsements of
tho new departure that wo ftel sure of more
general appreciation of tho Faumhi thin ever
before. Wo shall go on and try moio and
more to identify it with agriculture through
all thia rei. n and be tt-e representative of
firming interests all through the Pacific
Xoithwcst.
Now, friends, send us on names of new sub
sciibna as fast as po.-sible.
Die. n 11, KiUTTAN says: "As a ru's phj
ONE WEEK'S WORK.
We examined the Farmer last week with
considerable intrest to see if it filled the de
sire we have to make it fully up to the wants
of the farmers of thia region aa an agricul
tural and literary journal, While it shows
improvement, we confess it does not quite
equal our wishes. As a farirf journal it is
varied in ita information; as a news journal
it is Irief, but clearly tells all faita of import
ance; aa a family and literary journal it
should be acceptable to all well-in'ormeil
people and to all seekers alter good reading
Its editorials cover different subjects, but do
not quite satisfy us. Taken is whole, we
believe we can arrange it more to our satis
fation, but oiler it as a simple of what may
be expected in the future. The greatest fault
is a lack of interesting communications from
practical men, and that we shall be glad to
have you furnish.
Let us go over that issue and see what it h:s
in it. There are several articles about the
country, from different aources, that ought to
interest general readers.
Page ono commences with a stirring en
dorsement from friend Knapp of our remark
that : "The Farmer must Assert Himself,"
etc. ; a Wisconsin farmer compares California
with our region in a way that shows inde
pendence and ability; Mitchell writes from
Newberg at: out the codlin moth, telling what
fruit growers should know; a lively sketch
from the Seattle Pott Inltllhjeneer tolh about
the oats "boom" on Swinomishllnt; at some
leigth we ask: "Where are our Waste
L tnrts ?" antl show the great extent of valua
ble lind in Oiegon and Washington.
The editorial page tells abiut hops and
gives a sketch of hop growing on this coast;
we also give askttih of boo culture in Oregon,
a'ld tell about the honev dew as well ns
homy; two sketches tell of go nl country on
Snako river, and what a. friend siys about
Middlo Oregon as a good region; a corres
pondent writes about the science of trnckine
by scent or imprint, possessed by animals; the
exhibition car of tno N. P. R Ii. Co.
described on the la't column.
The fifth page has several columns of newt
and triceUany and proceedings of the State
Agricultural Society.
On the inside Aunt Hetty's page is inter
esting for mothers, wives and children as
usuil; it has several nice poems, choice
re ipes, pieces about flowers; how to adorn
hom, 'Self-Control" and tha children's
letters.
Another pie has more poetry, two beauti
ful "tories, and an ii tercsting sketch of travel
in Wa hington and Northern Idaho.
Anothor page tells about the National
Grange, and has several columns besides of
good farm reading.
The fourth inside page is chock full of farm
news and methods. Somethirg about different
breeds of sheep, care of cows, care of a 1
stocck; to cure bruises on horses; Angora
goats are treated of; how cranberries are
?rown over on the Sound; how sunflowers are
valuable; how they reclaim dry lauds in Yak
ima; how trees do well along the N, P. R. R.
above Ainsworth; how they handle grain on
Snake river, besides other short but really
go tl things.
The eighth pago Ins our summary of the
wheat market and tonnage question; Mr.
Knapp's review of the local markets; full re
view of the California markets; the latest
foreign markets by cablegram, 'lhat last
page, to a practical man who knows when he
is well used, is worth the $2 50 many times
over.
This is the sort of Willamettk Farmer we
shall always make, only as much better as
you furnish the means; and while is is not
quite as good as we hope to make it, we don't
concede that any one else has any right to
complain.
Our itlea of improvement is that it shall
come as near as possible to suiting the condi
tions of agriculture hore at home. The
Farmer goes all through Oregon and Wash
ington, antl we collect from our exchanges
whatever relates to the development of this
region. To fill the greatest measure of use
fulness we should reflect in our columns the
agricultural needs and capacities of the coun
try we occupy. So far as possible we learn
from others what isp ssiblt and write it down
for our rcadors, but that can be better done
by our readers themselves Make the Farmkr
what we design it to le, the vehicle for popu.
lar thought among farmers, and it will reilize
our highest wishes for it.
In this connection let us suggest that vcu
can he'p us effectually if you will endorse the
V Rvim tj your friends and neighbors and do
something to increase its business.
yielded well, but he had trouble in saving it
as it was not dry when harvested. The past
season he had a 6plt ndid corn crop, and when
he sold out it looked "as well cs corn grown
any here." We heard a gentleman from
Iowa assert a few daya since that corn can
grow here as well as iu any paitof Io-va. W
find other testimony to the same effect. It
seems thst our climate and scirons are net
altogether unfavorable if the right vatiety ia
planted. There are some varieties that will
not ripen here. No doubt in very wet seasons
it will be necessary to dry the corn in a kiln,
or in some house put up for the purpose. In
the corn growing West they ltt the stalks
stand through the fall and save it in Decem
ber and January often, but here October
bringa rain, and November and following
montha are bo rainy that corn would inevit
ably spoil if not housed. Corn growing, un
der the most favorable auspices, cannot be
conducted here aa safely as in the Mississippi
valley. Still it may be made profitable to
grow corn in place of summer-fallowing land,
and now corn is worth fully as much as wheat.
Wh shall never allow that Oregon cannut raise
corn, and shall contend, henceforth, that
proper cultivation will make a corn crop, and
good management will save it.
Those who have successfully grown corn in
this State and Washington will do the world
a gieat benefit if they will write to the
Farmer and say what variety they planted
and how they did it.
We also of lata hearel the remirk made that
some variety of corn wojld grow hero to an
enoimous sie, but wou'd i ot lipeu. That, we
thought, is the solution of tho ensilat'e prob
lem. If we can import seed and raise stalks
of sie, and plenty of them, we cm imko fod
der as tlnai ly as they cm in any part of the
world. The carrying mi of dtirv work at.d
fattening of stock cattle and miittfii sheep is
oue of tho most impoitint incidents of good
husbandry. To tlo this wo must luve cheap
fcttl. Wo can grow loots, though it never
seems to hav e been ib ne to any great ex
tent we can grow corn, clover and rye for en
silage, and have all tho ability to put meat
on stock not forgetting swine that any
country has.
Now, iu conclusion, who will give us ex
puiiente as to the best km 1 of or rn to plant
aud the best way to tultivato it in Orecon?
Who will tiy to grow coin fodder and fill a
silo with il, and tlo it in a t'lorouji manner
so as to make the experiment satisfactory ?
Asking questions is easy enough, but our
questions are seldom answered. Taking up
the Jluiul 1'iess, of San Fiancisco, and it is
tilled np with interesting communications
fiom the people of that State. Are our read
ers less capable ? or are they less niter sted is
practical m ttters ? Those are tho questions
you can answer for yoursedves.
COMPARING NOTES.
CORN AS A CROP.
It has btcu always claimed that this is not
a corn country. Many things that have been
received as positively certain have become un
certain with the lapse of years. It was as
serted that we could not grow clover here.
Native clnver oorcred the Willamette hills
when the pioneers found them in 1845, but it
soon died out, though it appears yet once in
a while. We well remember experiments
made to grow tlove r, which resulted in fail
ure, but now clover seed forms an important
ti.tde, and clover fields are found in many
places. Th small white clever is taking in
along the highwaya, the lawns, barnyard,
doorways, railroada and through the woods.
Thia spreading of clover Ls very beneficial.
Of oiurse this ia not a corn country in the
lw.t sense of the word, but the WilUmette
siiatiius the i'.t t So with trees dig around sieia.ta d n t by their pn feasiot al nietho.la, Valley, which Is least favorable of all Oregon
them tveaiiouilly and the moiat air wi I nud '""J'1 "P the female con.tituti in, while they for that purp0M cm rrow mm im .v,
the root, and the tree will grow to eorres- f,,,0 cu" ' "-" V',c,,,'t ' .! fX United" SutL Th.il.
, " . liab e 1 1 our vau.ble climate ami under cur , umwci ataves. lne average
poml. The theory of summer fallow ing ia that
the gr. uinl ah mid be leitritlnr 1 rse, and
eun rough, theu the air will penitrata it ai d
convey ammonia all through It, thua feeding
It v liile it is retting from production Moist
ure iu the air slacks the soil am! makes it
much more productive. We pie outy super
filial infoi inition iu thia line, but the gemral
principles are aa we statu them, Drainage la
miperfttt iiuiz.tion, SjHcial reintdi s are ,e ' pld at twenty-five bushels to the
in u r qunyii iu mi ork.i 10 naimoiiY ami acre, ao,i we can grow that much here. East
sirei,tlieii th enfeebled powers of weiman- ,,l m r-,,.i.
hMi.iulfor m..tof theUweare indebted "' c Mountains, nd here too, corn can be
topsisuna outside of tho medical roltiou. fcTOwn in Mac of a summer-fallow and will
A notig th viry teat of the-e remedies I Py well, Wo occasionally hear of good re
a.U..apron.inintplac to Mrs. L, K Pink- suits. Tho past season, wa. rather unuaually
lain igetable Compou tl " '.lt. , . unusually
t ! ( frorbl. a it wsj dry nd warm all sum-
Kl'SsU ahe u the ut.iwail remedy for i mtr Mr. K. L Corner, lately of McMInn
bum., seal is, cut., brui c aud fltuh weund.. viUe, had a ejo;d stand of corn in 1531, that
Our friend Knapp commends to patrons and
others to take the Orange Bulletin, a weekly
newspaper published at Cincinnati, Ohio, for
$1 60 a year. The Bulletin is exactly tho same
size as the Farmer, columns are the same,
same amount of adveiti-ing and reading, only
ho Bulletin type is larger, then fore the Farm
t R contains the most readinir. In every sense
the Farmer is as expensive a paper to pub
lish and more expensive. To sst our type
co-ts more, and the raw ma'er al costs more.
Take it all round and the Farmfb costs one
half more to publish than the Grange Bulletin
does. It is edited with as much ability. Yet
if the Otange Bulletin had to live and work on
the income the Farmer has, it would wind up
in a fortnight. The Bulletin repre-eita the
whole order of Patrons of Husbandry through
the Uniled States, antl must have irore than
ten subscribers to our one, and every week we
find in it stirring appeals to granges to send
more names.
Now, friends, there is no region nn the face
of the globe that with the small pitronage to
offer, possesses as good an agricultural journal
as we make here. Ten years of work has
qualified us for this field, and a'l we ask is a
fair support. Look through tha world and see
what newspapers cost, and then tee what we
givo you, and you will approoiate the value of
the Farmfr and try to do something to in
crease its income. The way to do it is to get
others to subscribe and send its the money.
It is now about the close of tho year, a time
when people renew their subscriptions. Now
is the time to get up lulis for the Farmer as
w ell as for the Grange Bulletin.
STORM AND FLOOD.
For nearly all of Decemlier the weather has
been rainy; at times verv heavy raina have
fallen, accompanie ! in some parts of this val
ley by high wind, though not t ufficient to do
damage. In consequence of suoh rainfall as
have occurred streams have all risen to a high
stage, and considerable damage resulted.
Through the counU-y bridges have been car
ried away and lwjttomj overflowed. For sev
eral days railroad travel was suspended in all
directions, except ru the West bide road.
The trestle work south of the Santiam bridge
was swept away. Tho East Side road was not
operated to Salom for several days because of
washouts and overflow
The travel up the ColumbU suffered from
the same cause. A heavy washout between
Wallula and Walla Walla prevented travel
beyond the first-named place. Otherwise than
that travel is now generally resumed. The
damage dona to tha country, far and near,
must be considerable, bat will soon be re
paired.
' . avnsss!?9s-
Hew Propriator.
Jama Caa-soo, a thorouffh hotel man. ha
tiken charga of the Narrow Gauge Hotel, and
fitted it up in good shape, and prop;, to
eep a notei second to nono of its class In tha
city. It will hereafter be known as the JVf.
ferson Houaa, and Mr. Canon's popularity
will insure it a ood run of custom.
That poor bedridden, invalid wite, slater,
mother, or daughter, can be made tha pictura
of health by a few bottiaa of Hop Blttora,
H i H o li then yfir t when w easily cuiedl
tamumumn