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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1883)
m A TllMsBBBBhfc. Ytaft fctT T S?I!S';Eiff'"'rHTtihffT f im pbk?v L jf v tsssn. sLsr MlwSaBa. sL' Llin a' 1F Laii SsssV ftB T i f Vtt I C y C1" ' iji ""7""i ' - l f C " ''llBSBi S Sk B VOL. XV. arrtfytmtltntt. THE OOHINO FRUIT IHDUBTBY. St. Paul, Minn., April 10, 1883. Editor Willamette Farmer: Your favor of the 4th received asking m for a letter upon the prospect for the fruit business next autumn, when the Northern Pacifio Railway will have made St. Paul trio utary to the North Pacific Slope. We view the future of thi trade as of great promise. The crreat Northwest, so rapidly peopling with the better class of settlers, a very Urge portion of whom are from New England and the Middle States, is a non-producer but great consumer oi fruit, and the want of it is re garded as the greatest of their deprivations. The complaint is almost universal. We are positively certain that St. Paul can be made a distributing conter for a vast trade in fruit, north, touth, east and west. Atready a very large bns'ness, to extreme disadvantage, is progressing in this market. The fruit from the south and east, excepting apples, comes to as largely disordered, and where reasonably fresh and bright looking commands extreme prices. Notwithstanding the unjust discrimi nation and high tariff rates of the Central and Union Pacific Railways, a considerable business was done in St. Paul with the fruit growers of California last year. In our re cent conversation with Mr. John Muir, of the Northern Pacific Railway, we found him dis posed to pursue a very liberal policy and wil ing to do all in his power to foster this trade. Not having had in our market a quality of fruit equal to that you mention, it is difficult for us to say whether or not your green fruits srill stand the $800 per cir charge for trans portation. Apples certainly will not, but plums, cherries, peaches and pears should,, if they can be brought here from California. We doubt if you could realize on the dried fruit in quantity the prices you say you are now getting. The pitted fruit, like sample tent us, wonld bring, at wholesale, about 18 cents In our'market at present. The prunes would pro"obly sell at 12J oents, as the Ger man, French and Turkish prunes regulate the price on these good', and they are in turn regulated by the apple and peach crop of the South. In canned fruit an enormous business can certainly be done. Excepting, possibly, Denver and Chicago, our city is about the largest distributing point for these goods in the United States. Your goods will come di rectly in competition with those of Curtiss Brother", and the Oneida Community which stand the highest and alongside those of Cali fornia. We also think that a fine busineii oan be done with your coast in canned vege tables, which we understand are grown in great quantity with you and are of a fine quality. We shall be pleased to furnish the growers ot your State with any information they may require regarding the style of pack ing beat adapted for our own trade, our terms for handling, eto. Yours very truly, Drake Brothers. "Give the Boys a Chance." Portland, April 14, 1883. Editor Willamette Farmer : Your correspondent carries the idea all through bis article that I have held my boy up as an example, as a pattern for immitation, as a sample copy; such was not the intention and such is not a fair interpretation of the case.-1 have mentioned incidents in his career as they ocoured; mentioned his faults, not as worthy of imitation, but to illustrate our manner of treating them. The boy has his faults; where is the boy that has nonet If we allow him considerable lattitude and free dom, he acts free and natural; the faults crop out, he commits them unconscious of wrong, or of any wrong intention, hence does not try to deceive or conceal them. It gives us the opportunity to learn their faults, of showing them to the child, showing the difference be-, tween right and wrong. It gives ns the oppor tunity of imparting a practical lesson and when done In kindness and love he will not forget it; it will be far mote effective, for the good of the child, than the system of "send ing them off with a flea in their ears." Hour boy eommits a fault, he is frank to own it; does not try to conceal it. But how is it with the boy that, at a general rule, gets a flea in his ear for every nffence ? Does he not try to conceal it? Doe he not stoutly deny it so long aa be thinks the denial will avert merited punishment, thus adding to the origiual offence the rice of l)ingT The one method tends to develop frankness, truthfulness and honest) ; the other, prevarication and deceit. Somebody I don't recilltct the author has amid : "Self preservation is the first law of nature." It is a principle recognized by law makers and in our coojrts of justice, and is often quoted as a universal principle. The plea of self defence if honestly made, is the strongest plea a man can make in court. When oar boy was set upon by superior num bers, he felt that he was in danger and on the Impulse of the moment acted upon this prin ciple and tried to defend himself, and became hr was successful against numbers your cor respondent jumps at the conclusion that he is somewhat of a pugilist, when the troth Is, it is very seldom that he ever has a quarrel with his playmates and was never known to be the aggressor. As to his moral status, he attends church and sabbath school when he has an opportunity, learns and says his prayers, Is fond of good bo-k and papers and is a favor ite with all his teachers. Bad boys are rarely favorites with their teachers. I agree with your correspondent in teaching the boys and girls too, all the good things he has outlined, but I would not "put so many fleas in their ears;" I would treat a child Of six years very differently from one of sixteen, for the same offence; use other means rather than coercion, but coercion if it be necessary to secure proper respect and obedience. The boy or youth that persists in wrong doing from malice or pure cussedness, should be re strained within proper bounds by strong coercion. Such cases are rare if the better course has been pursued. Children and youth are ambitious to do right when their better natures are prop rly appealed to. (Concluded.) J. B. Knapp. Winter Wheat Balm Grove Farm, Or., April 16, 18S3. Editor Willamette Farmer: In reading over the last issue i saw a piece in regard to winter wheat, which stated that the Farmer did not know of a piece of winter wheat in the valley that stood the late severe froat. I know of two pieces in this put of tbe country that stood the winter well. A variety known as the Losen wheat was brought from Minnesota four years ago. Mr. G. M. Qisendoffer sent for it by mail, and has been raising it ever since. He tells me that it stoid the frost well, while other kinds sowed by the side of it were all killed our. I sowed four bnshels of a variety called Odessa which was not hurt. That was all I had left from 120 acres. Those two kinds are all that I know of but what was killed in this part of the oountiy. The farmers are almost through seeding. They have a few acres to put in when the rain ceases. Orain looks fine that was sown on the first of March, and there will be an abundant yield if no heavy frosts occur. Linn Count Farmer.! " FARMIrTO NOTES. . (Crop prospects ire fairly.good in Western, and all reports from east of the mountains speak of an outlook that is at good as can be desired. In this valley the cold rains of early April kept the resown wheat fields back and caused some apprehension as to the fate of wheat sown on low land that had been over flowed to aome degree, but now we see every where we go that, wheat fields look well, and hear from all parts of the country that wheat fields promise a good harvest. The Willam ette valley may not realize as much as if the fall sown grain had stood, but we may expect as much or more than last year's surplus, with a fair prospect that the surplus 'will equal that of 1881, which'was over four millions of bushels. The old wheat 'fields were not only resown but we understand that a large acreage ot spring grain has been sown in add.tion. We had hoped that onr farmers would take ho'd of ensilage this season. We have shown, often, that the expense of sowing ensilage need not be' heavy, as rude means answer the pur pose ; also, our country can produce corn for this purpose to good advantage, at there are many large growths of corn that cannot be depended on to ripen with us that will grow enough to make ensilige. Take this view of it, and also consider that we grow clover, rye, peas and other crops that work well into ensi lage pits and it woald seem not only possible but very easy to make ensilage here, and when made our dairymen can make sweet hulier from it all winter and keep California butter nut of our market. This matter of ensilage deserves first civs notice of diirymen and stock men generally. When our people com mence it in earnest they will think strange thev neglected it so long. Before leaving this subject we will add that the mature exper ience of practical men, at the East, is almost entirely in favor of ensilage as cheaper and better than any other system of winter feed ing for all kinds of stock. Mixed farming was a difficult matter to deal with here, only three years ago, but, as usual time and circumstances have decided the question. Changed conditions have made it necessary to change the system of agriculture. The man who cannot change to suit tbe times will be badly left behiod. Mixed farming is already inaugurated and those who conduct it wjth prudence will succeed. We are experi menting somewhat in that direction, not ex pecting to succeed in even-thing, but doing it to teat different things for the benefit of farmers. The fruit prospect teems to be good all through the vallev. So far there have been no frosts to do injury since February. It is possible that the cold rains have damaged aome irons nut our own prospect is iair lur heavy field and such teems to be the general rale. It is early vet for Hardens, meadows and late town crops to make a showing, but tbe season promises enough moisture to guarantee gooJ crops in all directions, we venture to anticipate a successful year for agriculture all through the far Northwest, and have no doubt that this season will bear out our favorite assertion, that "Good Farming Pays." Weak muscles and nerves. tluorishnet of thought and inactivity, cured by Brown's Iron Baton. PORTLAND, OREGON, HARNEY VAILET, Its Situation, Besewrees suad Fmtmre Pre peelst Climate, ete. From the Lakeview Examiner. Recently, in company with a couple oi Alturasites, we paid a hasty visit to the Hsrney valley, and will give the readers of the Examiner the benefit of our observations while in that section. The Harney valley is located about 160 miles northeast from Lake view, and is distant about 24o miles from The Dalles, from which point it draws its supplies. EXTENT Or THE VALLET. Harney valley is about twenty-five milts square, is nesrly level, and embraces some of the finest land in tbe state. Probably three fourths of the entire valley is swampy in character, and two lakes, Malheur and Har ney, lie in the so-ithern part. Sylvia's river, a stream of no mean proportions, puts into the valley in the northwest corner, and flows southward to Harney lake, and is the southwest boundary of the Malheur reservation, which has but recently been re stored to the public domain. The swamp land referred to produces hay in abundance, while the mountain ranges surrounding the valley are covered with a thick growth of bunch grass, recognized by all stock men to be the finest of wild grasses for stock. Nu merous small streams put into the valley from all sides, affording abundant water for irri gating purposes where needed. CHARACTER OP THE SOIL. In the northern part of the valley, the por tion visited, the bottom lands along the creeks are a rich blaek loam, covered with sod, while on the higher ground the same soil with a liberal sprinkling of sand is found. A heavy growth of wild rye and rank sage brush is found on this, and the soil has the appear ance of being able to produce anything with proper care, and we are confident that ceretli of all kinds can be successfully cultivated, and that they will 'yield astonishing crops. No attempts at farming have yet been made in the surveyed portion of the valley, though we heard of several who intended to make an' effort in that direotion this season. CLIMATE, ETC The olimate Is much the same at that of Goose Lake, Surprise and other valleys in northern California, the temperature last win ter falling as low as 25 deg. below zero. As this was an exceptionally cold winter through out the state it will be seen that the Harney valley compares very favorably in point of temperature with the southern valleys, in many of which the mercury fell several de grees lower. The most serious drawback the country now has to contend with is the mis representations of its climate by parties hav ing large stock interests in the vicinity, aa these are desirous o! keeping out settlers that they may reap the full advantage of the mag nificent range. Every suggestion heretofore made in rerard to raising grain or other crops has met with auch a storm of ridicule from those interested in discouraging such indus tries that no attempt at cultivation has been made. When it is considered that there ia now in the Harney valluy and the adjacent mountains something like 150,000 head of cattle, and that the ranges is of such extent that it is able to furnish feed for this vast number of cattle for years to come, it Is easy to see why the cattle men are so anxious to prevent the settlement of tbe country. TIMBER RESOURCES. The mountains to tbe north and northwest of Harney valley are covered with a dense growth of pine, juniper, mahogany and other woods, but on the south and west the timber is very scattering, and what there is consists of scrubby juniper and mahogany, with a few stunted pines. The timber on the north, how ever, is of good quality and makes excellent lumber, posts, rails, eto. POPULATION, TOWNS, ETO. The population of the Harney valley is es timated by those best calculated to know at about three hundred, and is increasing rap idly. The principal settlement is in the northwest corner of the valley, where the thriving little town of Eagan is located. Eighteen miles to the east is the settlement in the vicinity of old Camp Harney, now aban doned as a military post. Eagan has two gen eral merchandise stores, two saloons, a hotel, a blacksmith shop and a livery stable. It has been in existence as a town hut about one year, and owing to the fact that lumber was acitce, there being but one mill, distant twenty-five miles, and no planing machinery, the buildings do not make any pretensions to elegance either in finish or design, but they afford a shelter, and the inhabitants are satis fied and thankful for this. The business men of the place are courteous and aflVile, and have a way of miking the traveler feel com fortable and at home, which can not be im proved upon even in older and more polished communities. They have an abiding faith in tbe future greatness of their town, and are ready and willing to give the prospect ve set tler all information tending to help him in bis selection of a home, and will even go with with him to point out disirable locations. They all pull together, and work with a will for tbe interests of their town, and there is no better or surer way to build up a prosperous community than this. The principal shipping point for Eagan is The Dalles, from which gro ceries and other merchandise are freighted. The distance is about 240 miles, and freight is 4 cents per pound. Flour, bacon and grain are hauled from Surprise and Goose Lake val leys, it being more advantageous to ship from those points. There is bat little gram in tbe Harney valley, and this is worth six to seven cents per pound. Bough lumber is worth $20 per M at the mill, and th. cost of hauling it it 20 per M. Th Utter fiture it higher than FRIDAY, MAY 4 there is any necessity, at it oould be hauled for less with a guod margin for profit. SETTLEMENT OF THE VALLEY. The principal portion of the valley, lying as it dots within the limits of the reservation has not been surveyed, and settlers, of course, can only have a squatters right to this lsnd. We have heard of many who are intending to go there and take upland, and doubtless there will be considerable emigration to that section in the next two or three years. An effort it being made by land grabber! t' make the en tire valley a twamp land district, ana this will tend to discourage emigra tion to a considerable extent. The line of the Willamette valley and Cascade Military wagon road company passes throu h the valley, and while theie is no doubt that this thieving corporation b s no right to claim any of the land formerly inoluded in the Malheur reservation, it is certain that it will attempt to do so, and this will likewise have its influence in discouraging settlement upon the unsurveyed land, WILD HOWL AND OTHER OAMC. Every kn.wn variety of wild water fowl is found in the Harney valley in innumerable swarms and having been hunted but little they are comparatively tame and would be a bonai za for the sportsman who has been ac customed to the disgusting shyness of the birds in older settled communities. Of land birds and animals there is but little less varie ty, deer, antelope, elk, being found in large numbers, while mountain sheep and bears are occasionally met with, rabbits, coyotes, beav er, otter, marten and numerous smaller spe cies ot animals are found. Looked at from the sportsman's point of view the oountry is simply a paradire. i MAIL FACILITIES The lack of adequate mail facilities is an other serious drawback to the settlement of hit section. There are at present two mail routes to E'gan, one from Canyon City and the other from Prineville, both weekly. To Rot a letter to San Francisco the time occu pied is about sixteen days provided all con nections are made, but when this, as is oftrn the case, does not happen, it takes from 20 to 29 days, and to get an answer to a letter to the laud oiiloe at Lakeview occupies from six weeks to two months of time. Should the mail route from Eagan to Lakeview not miss fire, this difficulty will be obviated as com munication between the places will not then consume one fourth of the time now required. That this route is badly needed theie is not a doubt and it is to be hoped service will be put on at an early day. Schools In Klickitat County. In seeking a new borne, on. of the first questions the better and more desirable class of people ask is, how about the facilities for education? is in all new countries advantages generally are atlil very Inferior to thoie of the older aettled regions, still we are not half so far in th. backwoods as our Esstern frieuds seem to imagine. Very few neighborhood! in the country are without a fairly conveniend and tolerably oomfoi table school house in which school is maintained from 3 to 8 months in the year. Tbe capacity of our teachers and tbe brightness and intelligence of our scholars will compare favorably with those oi almost any other section of the country. It ia a rare thing for a parent who is not anxious to give his children all the educational advantages he can, and aa the county becomes more thiokly populated our schools will become larger and better. Here in Ooldendale we have a good two-story school building with four well furnished rooms a ad can offer educational advantages equal to almost any schiol below the grade of a oul lege. Thaking into consideration the healthy climate and the moial atmosphere that would surround children, it would be hard to find a more desirable place at which to educate them. VtUtndaU OateUe. What Enterprise Accupi.isnxs.--Among all the foreign companies doiug business in Oregon none bsve been more successful thsn the Pacifio Mutual Life Insurance Company This is mainly due to the energy and ability of the agent, Mr. A. McKennie, who has had charge of the company's affairs since it com menced business here. It hss to day more policies in the northwest than any other, and among the best and wealthiet citizens, Patrick Hogan. who died a short time since, hsd a policy of 95000, and the late Charles Hodge, one of $10,000. These policies were promptly paid on the proof of death having beeu filed, The management has never tx peiienced the least trouTde in its settlements, and the affairs of the company are so system atically managed that tbe policy owners have the utmost confidence in tbe agent aa well as the soundness of tbe company, A company that deals fairly with its policy holders de serves the success which has been met by this company, II II I I III! I IISH ,1 IB Nerveless Men, Is there under the face of heaven a more pitiful sight than a man who has lost nervt power aud vim t And why is the tad specta cle so common? Became diseases of the kid neys, bladder. Hirer and urinary organs are so prevalent I There is no need of ir, either. Hunt's Remedy, the great kidney sod liver medicine, Is a positive cure lor even the worst maladies of this class. Many a man who has lost nerve, vigor, manhood, enerary every thing that makea lit. worth living has been quickly and fully restored by Hunt's Remedy, Sheep shearing baa commenced in earnest in Umatilla county. If tney will only put it up in good order, it will greatly increase its value. 1883. THB rOTURE OF THIS REGION. The other day we heard an intelligent man deliberately argue that we have a tew years of good times before us and then may look out for a reaction. In about three years, he thought, Portland would be deserted, or on the wave, and t.:e country generally be in a state of decline. We are going too fast and have so this oraole of the pessimists thought to receive a tremendous chick. It is fortunate for society that "it takes all sorts of people to make a world." Some oro kert are needed to remind us of possible cal astrophy. But if any region of the known world has an eminent tnture before it, such a future awaits the Far Northwest. We do not join the ranks of the optomisto, for whom no enthusiasm has too much exuberance, or the pessimists who revel in doubt and are pro phetio of disaster. There is a sensible course, founded on experience and consistent with fact, and we shall call the history of our own country to mind to aolve for us the destiny of this section. It is not claiming too much to believe that this portion of the United States is about to assume importance of the highest degree. Old atttlers have lived here in blissful ignor ance many of them of the progress the world is making. Our part has been unevent ful. When we became exporters of wheat and wool and sold cattle to be driven East, it was an epoch in our history. Now it is only1 a matter of a. few weeks and we shall have immediate connection with the great world and fill an important place in Its commercal interests. Some men are nationally great and possess comprehensive minds, with organizing power and executive force to accomplish vast results. Such men became connected with Oregon in terests and enterprises a few years ago and to day wield tremendous influence and handle immense capital for the development oi the resources of our region. Tbe croker, who im msginet that all this enterprise is ephemeral, cannot comprehend the views or the efforts of such men, but work and progress will go on at their bidding even if we shsll all fail in comprehending it. Years ago one man studied this region and saw here unbounded resources that only needed to be handled1 right to de velop into population, culticition, production, manufactures and all the results that make nations and States great and powerful else where. Tbe touoh of Midas, according to Grcciao fable, turned everything to gold. We see the touch of a fellow man inspire slumbering and inanimate regions to become populous and productive. His suggestions secure the con struction of great lines of railroads. When he favors it, great steamships tsll th ocean. Mines of coal and iron are already worked and wilt create for all this region prosperous manufacturing industries. The whole oountry of the Pacifio Northwest and the line of States reaching eastward, feel the impulse of this man s will and energy because unlimited cap ital bat confidence In his judgment and re sponds to hi appeals. What does capital see to justify the vast enterprises he has placed on foot ? Is he a mere visionary or is he a man of wonderful nerve, whose prescience can be depended on t That be is net a visionary is to be Inferred because men of superior judgment follow his counsels and furnish the mesne to conduct all these vast aid various enterprises. He Is simply a man who realizes the value of this Far Northwest. He has faith in its wonder ful resources. He has the courage to under take the development of this region and deal with the greatest enterprisees modern science and art have made possible, as other men deal with the common incidents of every day life. Let ur look at the capabilities and resources this country possess that have enlisted mil lions in such profusion. First, there is a country extending from the Pacifio to Lake Superior that will richly repay the conttruo tion of railroads through it. There are arable regions in Oregon and Washington that will well repay the construction of branch roads required to develope them. The railroad system for this region must prove a valuable property and will develop Portland, its natural center, into a magnifi cent metropolis. Philadelphia Is as far from the ocean as Port, and hat extensive Portland commerce, but to connection with railroads creates its obief importance. There will be prosperous cities on the Sound, and should be, but Port land will be the chief distributing point. The action of the capitalists who are developing the resource of this region determine, in great part, the point that will be the com mercial center. The expenditure of millions in constructing a dry dock, building wharves, depot, warehouses, and in forwarding many other important enterprises at this joint hows that ia their opinion this city will b a NO. 12. great sea port at well at the chief point for inland commerce. The destiny of Portland If to be decided by railroads. Capital is always on the outlook for oppor tunities, recognizes the value of this North' west county, its immense resource, th latent wealth 'that only needs the rdldaS touch of enterprise to turn to gold, and hastens to reap, the , profit that will remit development. Wejread of the working of coal and iron mines and .the eatabliahingfof works' for reduction of i iron ore and manufactur of iron. A great ship will be bnilt and launched here within the year made of Oregon irosV This means that millions of capital will be in vetted in a business that oan be tucoesifull otrried on and will redound to the great ad vantage of the whole county. Coal 'and iroa do not exist elsewhere on tbit ooatt as with ns. They are the greatest known factors of national and general prosperity th world over. The' development of such, '"resources means a great deal for the future of OrepOal and Washington. i-K, We shall also soon see the unlimited watsf powers that exist west of the Cascades coa verted to manufacturing uses. Populous towns will spring np everywhere that a woolen mill can be operated. Th completed overland railroad and cheap fare will bring thousands of working people here and rusk it possible to mamufaoture everything needed by the States and people of the Pacific Ouf vast forests will be made into lumber and 'lipped to all the world. We have woods that can be manufactured into wooden wsrsl of every description. Furniture oan be madsf here ard sent to all Pacifio countries. Befoftf long manufacturer will see th folly of folly of farming implementi to a oountry thsl hat tuch forests and inch iron mines, and all the farm machinery needed thi tide of tht continent will be manufactured here. With Iron and coal and valuable wood abonudingf with flock of sheep yielding exoellent fieecetf with water power to turn the spindle of tht world; with the ocean to bear our products to all lands, there la great worldly wisdom ia the enterprise that seek to develop our coun try and reap reward for so doing. A to agricultural prospeota then i n room for doubt Land will become mora and more valuable and good farming will reap rich harvests. The summing up of all our resources and the possibility of their devel opment need not be made with expectation of unreasonable profits. Those who engage in trade and manufactures will have to be con tent with moderate rewards, and that i all that is necessary to insure annual prosperity. There need be no speculation, only prudent effort, careful enterprise and well directed industry in (tore, factory, workshop and farm to earn a fail return and realize oomfortabl success. The day of speculative venture is never a happy or healthy time., Th fanner, like tbe rest, must be satisfied with reasona ble gains. II he is alive to hi Interests and does his share to create commerce and supply home needs, he will suooeed. On him ths world depend more than upon any other class. The agriculture of thi Northern Pa oifio region will do it full share to oreatS prosperity. Looking at faots in the light of experience we see that the great cities of the Atlantic) seaboard are making at this time their great est growth in wealth and population, A cen tury hence they will be growing even faster than now, London is spreading out yearly to include miles ot what was farming land. Our country is only commencing to grow at nation, and this Pacifio Northwest ha not yet fairly commenced. What ha been done, looked at as we vlow Eastern cities centuries old, is s;arce a beginning. This country is on the eve of suoh growth and development that its past will be dwarfed, by comparison, into into Insignificance The future will show work In many lines unknown to us, and will handle with confidence enterprises the present dares not entertain. Portland will grow for a century to come, and will then be on ths eve of greater things than we can even imagine. The Willamette valley will In time contain a million inhabitants perhaps1 two millions and be the home of manufacturing towns tbit shall work for all the Western world. This must be to the Western what New England has been to the Eastern aide of tbe contineut. We miubt carry tbe thought of what pro gress ha in store into the regions of Pupet Sound, and fancy what it commerce will be and what cities will line it shores; show bow Vie fisheiies and trade of the North Coast will create wealth; go east of the Cascadet to study its future and look iota its destinies, There are buried treasures m the mountains gold, silver and copper that will be made productive. It is a vast field and au inviting one, but too wide for thought to occupy. Time will see shipments from this Northwest Coast reach in value a hundred millions of dollars annually for agricultural produota alone. The farmer is to do hi part, and will 1 nap bit full share of reward.