Willamette farmer., June 08, 1883, Image 1

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VOL. XV.
orreonilcnc
IS THIS SCIENTIFIC FARMING?
Salem, June 2, 1883.
Editor Willamette Former :
The grounds adjoining the State Insane
Asylum at Salem is being cultivated.
The work done is about in the following
manner: During the early winter the
ground was plowed very well, this spring
when when the ground became dry
-enough for working it was4 plowed and it
was in a condition to pulverize very nicely,
but after it was plowed it was allowed to
lie in the sim until it hardened into clods.
After the clods were well dried the ground
was cultivated with a spring tooth cultiva
tor bringing all the clods to the top. Then
with a double team and shovel plow the
ground was marked oft" in deep furrows
about four feet apart, then the corn and
beans were dropped in the bottom of the
furrows and covered with line soil when it
cold bo had. When there was not enough
the clods were pulverized with the back of
hoe. A part was planted with onion setts.
this part was not furrowed but the setts
were put in among the clods as best they
could. A part to the east of the building
was in potatoes, tins was plowed last fall in
narrow lands about seven or eight paces
thowing the land up in ridges so it would
drain well ; when this was plowed for po
tatoes it was plowed crosswise, cutting it
up in small rectangles with a dead furrow
around them. Then tho potatoes wore
planted in furrows opened with the shovel
plow.
Is this such farming as wo are to have?
fq&JU so I think it is time our commissioners
'ipp. They had letter rent the ground
, S&ot Pl,t t i grass if they can't find a man
"ggto work it who knows some of the sim
i r plest things about tilling the soil. At the
" -end of the season I would like to sec a re
port of the money paid for cultivating
mat ground and tne value ol the crop
.raised.
JJexteu Field.
Weather Report tor May, 1883.
Eola, May 1, 1883.
Editor Willamette Farmer :
During May, 18S3, there were 5 days
during which rain fell and an aggregate
of 1.62 in. of water ; 9 clear and 17 cloudy
days, other than those on which rain fell.
The mean temperature for the month
was 55.80 deg. Highest daily mean tem
perature for the month was 08 deg. on
the 29th. Lowest daily mean tempera
ture ii deg. on tho 10th. Mean tern
pcrature for die month at 2 o'clock P. M.,
oi.ot deg.
Highest temperature for tho month 77
deg. at 2 o'clock P. M., on the 29th. Low
est temperature 40 deg. at 7 o'clock A. M.
on the 2d.
The prevailing winds for the month
wero from tho S. W. during 5 days, south
7 days, north 18 days, X. W. 1 day.
No frost during tho month at this point.
During May, 1882, there were 7 rainy
days and 1.51 in. of water ; 14 clear and
10 cloudy days.
Mean temperature for the month 53.35
deg.; highest daily mean temperature 70
.deg. on 31st ; lowest mean temperature
42 deg on 13th.
T. Peakce.
Late Cabbage.
Salem, May 31, 1883.
Editor Willametto Fanner :
During Juno and July late cabbage
plants .should be set. Tho most of tho
time it is very dry, and many think that
thev cannot make the plants live. I wish
t to call the attention of all who are putting
sucn plants out to tne pian l auopt,
which has proved very successful every
year : I put out a great many plants of
both cabbage and tomatoes, and I always
set them when I get tho ground ready,
oto. matter what the weather. It will not
to set plants of any kind in dry soil ;
is only a waste ot time, rrequent
iwing and cultivating tho ground will
ip it moist no matter how dry a season
it is. It will be dry on tho surface, but
down from one half an inch to an inch it
will always be moist. When you are
4o
'Mf
Be
A. ready to set your plants always do it in
, tho latter part of the day. Take tho
( plants from the lied, or if you have
urougiit.uiein ironi tno lxji or KicKugu in
which they are, put them in a dish of
water and carry them in that to where
they aro to be set. Ojien a hole for tho
ilant witn a trowel, ana place it in me
thus opeued, tilling in with the
fresh soil and pressing it down firmly,
always remembering to scrape the dry
soil off, setting the plant in the fresh,
niojst soil. Use no water except that in
which the plants are carried. If it is very
dry and hot, it is better to break oil" all
the outer leaves, preserving only the
crown or center. In setting plants I use
a trowel altogether ; I prefer it to the dib
ble. In using the trowel there is no dan
ger of leaving a hole under the root of
the plant, whilo in setting with the dibble
there is much danger of leaving a hole
under each plant, letting it dry up and
die in a very short time. Plants set in
the way I have described will hardly miss.
May 28th this year I set some 500 nenner
plants ; they were growing in my green
house in a temperature in the day time of
120 degrees. I set them in the morning
to test this method of setting plants, and
the most of them stood up perfectly
straight, not wilting at all. This satisfied
mo that it is not necessary to wait for
cloudy or rainy weather, but set out
plants when the time comes and wo have
the ground ready. I have also put out
10,000 tomato plants during the last two
weeks and have had no trouble about
their dying or wilting. For fall cabbage
set out the plants in June, and for winter
cabbage set the plants in July.
Dexter Field.
From Eastern Oregon to Northern California.
Mr. Solon McCoy some time since very
kindly furnished us a brief account of his
journey through to California. Ho says "I
left Walla Walla in company with Capt.
Grim, of that place, with each a riding
and packing horse. Wo passed through
Centervillc, Pendleton and Heppner, ford
ing John Day river and going up Bridge
creek, and crossing tho. western spur of
tho Blue Mountains. All this is a coun
try that you know and I need not describe.
One can cross this mountain spur if so
misled, or go around. We struck the
head waters of the Ochoco river and went
down it to Prineville, county seat of the
new county of Crook, that was taken from
Wasco. We then passed over what is
called the Juniper Desert. On this there
is considerable bunch grass and juniper,
but water is scarce, so it is used exclu
sively for winter range for cattle and hor
ses by people residing near by in
the lake region around it. One can
get water at 20 to 35 miles distance and
wo found very good stopping places.
Around Summer lake there were some
lino farms. Near Paisloy, which ison the
Chcwacan river, that flows into Albert
lake, are also some excellent ranches.
Then wo passed over tho mountains to
Lakoview. Wo could liavo cone around
tho mountains. Lakoview is a vcrv nrcttv
place, the county seat of Lake county,
situated at tho head of Gooso lake1, near
tho Hot Springs. Then wo passed to the
east of somo very fine ranches. Leaving
Oregon we entered Modoc county, Cali
fopiia, where we obtained tho first view
we had of Mt. Shasta, whoso snow cap is
to California what Mt. Hood is to Oreiron.
Thence to Oden, in Big Valley, where aro
somo good ranches. Crossing tho Fall
river mountains we came into rail river
valley, Shasta county, California, where
there are excellent farms. A regular stage
lino connects Lakoview, Oregon, with
Redding, California. Along this route
there is a succession of low ranges and
settled valleys. '
The Seattle Chronicle of Monday has a full
account of progress made in construction of
the railroad between Seattle and Tacoma.
Twenty-one miles of new read are to be con
structed, and the work is well under way,
From Tacoma to Seattle by this route, the
distance is forty-one mile. The PuvalluD
extension from Tacoma, commonly known as
"the coil road," will be used for ten mile,
and ten miles of the coal road from Seattle to
Bhck river will also ba utilized ; so that the
total length of new road (from tack to track
of old roads) will be u above stated. Much
trestle work is required on the line four or
five miles in all besides bridges across Black,
White, Stuck and Puyallup rivers. The
Black river bridge will be a single span ot
160 feet ; that over White river a single span
of ISO, and those over the Stuck and Puyal
lup respectively 160 and 320 feet. Now that
fine weather has set in the force on the Una
will be increased, and it is confidently ex
pected that the road will be finished before
the 1st of September.
As the season advances the prospect for an
abundant crop in Walla Walla county, says
the Waitaburg Timet, tho coming harvest im
proves. A vry large acreage lias been sown,
snd the frequent warm, seasonable rains are
bringing them on in the most rapid and satis
factory manner. The only fears that can now
be entertained are, that the cold winds wbioh
sometimes visit this country in the rronth of
June, may visit us this year and inflict some
damage. inese winus, nowertr, do not in.
jure all the crops, but are confined to certain
localities and do not cause a failure. All
things considered, we regard the prospect as
propitious and confidently predict the largest
yield this country hat ever produced.
PORTLAND, OREGON,
TO THE WOOL GROWERS
STATES.
OF THE UNITED
At a recent meeting of the Ohio Wool
Growers' Association, at Columbus, Ohio, a
committee of nine was appointed, charged
with the duty of taking the initiatory steps
to organize a National Wool Growers' Assoc!
ation, and said committee, as part of their
plan to secure suoh an organization, have de
cided to address the wool growers of the
United States on tho situation of our industry
caused by recent adverse legislation, and also
to urge the necessity and importance of im
mediate organization, defensive and offensive.
The Tariff Act of the last Congress, ap
proved March 3, 1883, changed the wool
schedule of the Tariff Act of 1867, by striking
out the ad valorem duty on wools of the first
and second class. This amounts to a direct
reduction of 20 per cent., or from three to
four cents per pound, besides leaving the win
ning card in the manufacturers' hand, which
he can use at any time to effect still greater
reductions. Such is the situation, and we
are persuaded that if Congress had made cor
responding reductious on all other industries,
we would have meekly borne the reduction
and its consequences. Or, had tho redact on
been in the interest of the greater number of
wool consumers of the United States, then
also would we have quietly submitted. But
an examination of the law shows that the
woolen manufacturers not only suffered no
corresponding reduction, but had, on the
other hand, secured a substantial increase of
duties on many kinds of woolen goods. Thus
the 20 per cent, reduction on wools is legis
lated out of our pockets, and into, not the
Treasury of the United States, nor into the
pockets of the consumers of woolen goods,
but into the pockets of tho woolen manufac
turer. Without going into detail, let it be noted,
in passing, that while the wool grower has,
under the present law, only a specific duty
of ten to twelve cents per pound on wools of
the first and second class, tho manufacturer
has an ad valorem duty of from 30 to 40 per
cent., etc., and in addition a specific duty in
no wise less than 20 per cent., ond in most
cases 30 per cent. (For other examples of
unjust discrimination see law).
Can any one give a reason, founded on jus
tice or patriotism, for such discrimination ?
Does not the wool grower need a tariff for
protection as much as any other industry?
rim slightest knowledge of the pastoral
wealth of many foreign countries, particularly
South America and Australia, wil
ill compel an
affirmative answer. Those countries and
others have unbounded pasturage, no winter,
cheap labor, no taxes, no civilization and its
incidents to support, and shall they come into
our markets which our civilization and taxes
have created, on an equality with us. With
the question whether a tariff should be laid
for revenue with protection as an incident, or
be laid for protection with revenue as an inci
dent, we have nothing to do in this address.
We recognize the fact that the government
for years to come must raise from customs
duties a large revenue, and only ask that the
American wool grower receive the share ot
protection to nhich, on the principles of
fairness and justice, he is entitles.
If the woolen manufacturer or the iron
manufacturer cannot compete with the cheap
can wool grower to compete with the produc
tion of the cheaper, banished, convict labor
of Australia and tho uncivilized ami semi-bar
barian countries of South America !
Will the new Tariff Act afford sufficient
protection ! We answer no. The growing of
wool under the old law has been for many
years barely remunerative in the older State,
and margins were only realized by those who
kept the better grades of sheep, and the
practical result, it is feared, will be, sooner or
later, to send the flocks of the older States to
tho shamble. Is this a consummation de
voutly to be wished for by cither the patriot
or statesman?
Does not the woolen manufacturer, most of
all, need the home-grown wool of the older
States?
Does not the American consumer need the
wool grown from sheep bred with care and
skill and carefully handled ? The American
farmer needs the sheep too, for in every well
protected system of progressive agriculture.
sheep husbandry is, or should be, an im
portant factor. Whenever so-called high
farming is practiced, the sheep is always
present to prevent the deterioration of soil
and to restore the fertility extracted by the
crops removed.
If the above views are correct, does it not
suggest the immediate necessity of a National
Wool Growers' Association, to correct the
evils of recent legislation at the earliest
possible moment ?
It will be recollected that the tariff of
1867 was secured in large measure by
tho live National Oranization then ex
isting and presided over by Dr. Randall,
who was supported not only by the wool
grower, but by a large majority of the agri
cultural product of the United States. Un
fortunately, after the passage of the Tariff
Act of 1867, the National Orgsnizition was
allowed to disband, and except the Chicago
meeting in 1678, of four men. who elected
themselves to the offices of the National Aso
ciation, there has been no meeting of the
National Association sines, and no one au
thorized to speak fir the wool growers of the
United States. We mutt not put all the
blame on the men who assumed to represent
the National Association, and failed to as
FRIDAY, JUNE
sert and sustain the interests of the wool
growers of the United States, Lut rather our
selves for not keeping control of an organiza
tion that had accomplished so much, and was
still capable of continuing to guard our in
terest. In this connection we beg leave to refer to
tho report of Hin. Columbus Delano and
Secretary A. K. Sprague to the Ohio Wool
Growers Association. It will be recollected
that they, almost unaided and alone, fought
tne wool growers' battle in the last Congress,
and almost to a successful issue, too, notwith
standing the difficulties with which they had
to contend. In their report they make the
following statement: "Your committee feels
the great need of au organization of the wool
growers of the nation, and one fully reflecting
lug the wishes of the producers in every sec
tion of the country. Our effoits were much
himtered by the lack of such an association,
whose representatives would have spoken
authoritatively as to the wishes of this im
portant class of the agricultural community."
And thev further say: " We call your atten
tion to the fact that in the Senate debate on
tho wool schedule, the fact was used in argu
ment that the President of the so-called
National Association was in favor of the re
duction on raw wools, and we found it d Hi.
cult to counteract this inuuence."
It is evident that if wo secure the protec
tion which tho magnitudo and importance of
our industry demands, we must organize at
once a National Association, officered by men
who know our wants.and are willing and able
to advocate them, supported by State and
county organizations, auxilliary thereto. By
thus organizing other industries prevented
adverse legislation, notably the woolen manu
facturers, who had their salaried attorney at
tho head of the Tariff Commission, and at the
head of a large, expensive and influential
lobby, which remained in the halls of Congress
to ils close. Organization showed their
strength, whilo the waut of organization as
manuesiiy suowea our weakness. Had the
1.000.COO flock-masters of the United States
(see estimate of J. R. Dodge, of Census Bu
reau) presented the solid, compact organiza
tion, presented by the woolen manufacturers.
it may bcoufiJently affirmed. that no serious
atten pf would have been made to change the
taritl ol 1S67.
Is such an organization possible? We
think it is. It is true we are scattered over
every State and nearly every county in the
united otaies, ana our very numbers ami the
justness of our cause make us feel secure
against unjust legislation. But let us recol
lect that the "gods help those that help them
solves," and go to work at once in the support
of our State and county associations, and
where these do not exist, take immediate
steps to form such organizations, and let
inesc state organizations send delegates to
the meeting of the National Convention soon
to b called, and where time or other circum
stances prevent tho calling of the State asso
ciations, let each individual wool grower
communicate with the executive committee
for his State.
It is every way desirable that we form such
an organization, for only thus can we effec
tively make our wants known or secure tho
attention of our legislators to the solid facts
and intelligent arguments on which we base
our claims to just recognition. Besides, it is
very probable that in tho near future economic
questions will largely engage the lime and
thought of the nation, and when this time
comes, wool growers must, by conferring to
gether, be prepared to assert and enforce
their rights, and intelligently present the
facts on which they base their claims. This
time has been hastened by the incongruous.
unfair, discriminating Tariff Act of the last
Congress. Said act was pasted in hast.-,
without due consideration, and its wait of
harmony and fairness in unwisely reducing
the duties on some industries and unnecessar
ily increasing tho duty on others, will compel
the next Congress to open the qusstion again.
It would be a reflection on the intelligence of
the nation, three filths of whom aro farmers,
to suppose that a tariff uniformly discrimin
ating against their productions could long
stand. In this couflict we will be cither tho
victor or the vanguihed. Which shall it be?
If the former, we must organize at once, and
use every legitimate means in our power, and
so cast the ono and one-quarter million votes
we represent as to control c mouses and con
ventions and legislature. If we remain
supinely icle, and trust to others to take care
of us, it will assuredly be the latter. "To
be, or not to be," is the question. How will
you answer ?
Believing that you already see the neces
sity of prompt and decisive action,
I remain,
W, N. Cowpe.n.
Chairman Committee.
QOAKKU ClTT, O.
Statue's Prosperity.
The assessment of King county, W, T.,
for the year 1883, has just been completed
and is now in the hands of the board of equal
ization, from it is developed the fact that
the county has made extraordinary rrogrcss
during the past year, amounting to nearly 150
er cent., surpassing anything of tne kind
eretofore known in that part of the North
Coast, and placing the county, for the fiist
time in its hiktory, in the lead among the
counties of tho territory. In the following
table will be found the assessment of King
county for the present and each of the past
four years: 1870, $,097,070; 18S0, $2,120,
835; 1851. $i.454,705 ; 1832, $3,085,065:
1883, $8,801,200.
The fruit crop of Grant county will be fully
np to the average nnless severe frosts ccme
alter this date, lays the A'eun. The buds are
uninjured so far. Nearly all the pt-ach trees
were killed by the severe cold loat winter.
but other kinds are all right. The peach crou
of this county does not amount to much at
best.
8, 1883.
Questions Answered.
The following letter written by ono of our
citizens to a correspondent in Kansas answers
the class of questions so frequently asked by
persons East of the Rockies that wo give it
space in theso colums :
WAlTsntmn, W. T., May 17, 1883.
Mr. J. M. Anthony, Kansa :
Dear Sib : I will now attempt to auswor
your letter as briefly as I can. It would be
almost impossible for mo to describe this
count: y so that you would got a correct
idea of its topography, as it is unlike any
other with which you are acquainted, and
will therefore simply say that it is very hilly.
The mall streams nearly all take their rise in
the Blue mountains on tho cat, and running
in a semi-circle, empty into the' Columbia or
Snake rivers. There is no timber after Ieav
ing the mountains, except what borders on
the mall streams, and our lumber, rails, mints
and most of our fire wood is brought from tho
mountains a distance of from one to thirtv
miles. As a rule, tho land is hotter as you
near the mountain. The soil is not rnckv.
and is easy to cultivate. There aro no grubs,
hazel brush or anything of that kind in the
way.
The price of improved land in this vicinity
is from $20 to $40 per acre. There is but lit
tle government or railroad land in this imme
diate vicinity, but I understand that there is
considerable government land yet to bo taken
in the I'alouse, O.-ab Creek and Big Bend
countries, north of Snake river. The only
kinds of timber wo have aro pine, fir, tama
rac, a'der, birch, balm and willow. The
whole country scorns to bo peculiarly adapted
to the raising of wheat and other small trains.
Corn does moderately well. Vegetables do
remarkably well. The climate may be termed
mild, yet we occasionally have extreme cold
weather. The past winter was the coldest
for eight years. It was nuito mild until thn
first of January, when it changed suddenly to
UU1U.
AppleB, pears, plums, grapes and all kinds
of berries do exceeding well. Water is
abundant and of the best quality. Springs
abound, an-1 good water can be obtained by
digging, at a reasonable depth, say from ten
to fifty feet, Fish are not plentiful, except
mountain trout, and at this time of year
Chinook salmon,
Cows are worth from $30 to $50; horses,
from $60 to $150; good large mules, from
$300 to $500 per span. Laborers get from $1
to $2 per day, according to the time of year,
or from $30 to $40 per mouth and board.
Lumber in this city is from $20 to $40 per
thousand feet. Our facilities for market are
now excellent. I'rioes of produco at this time
are higher than usual, and I juoto eggs 25
cents; chickens, $4 to$0 por dozen; butter,
30 cents per pound; wheat, 80 cents per
bushel, and barley, $1.20 per bushel. After
harvest theso commodities will bo more plen
tiful and cheap. The present outlook for tho
wheat crop is encouraging, and if the yield is
iu proportion to the prospect wo will send
down the Columbia by railroad this fall at
least one-third more than ever befuro shinned
in one season, which will run up among tho
minions oi uusneis. ir. A. s. in YaiMurj
Time.
Wasco County.
The county of Wasco since the county of
Crook was taken olf from its territory, con
tains a little more thau one hundred town
ships or 2,304,000 acres. Of this land, it is
considered by our best judges, that there is
something more than half of it which has a
soil suited to mixed farming, most of it with
out irrigation. It is also estimated that there
aro not over ten townships, all told, that are
not of great value a portion of the year for
pasturage. This, with its immense timber
resources on the Cascade range of mountains,
extending across tho western boundary of tho
county from the Columbia southward and tho
timber border upon tho Blue mountain range
on its southeastern boundary, makes it ono
of tho most desirable bodies of land in tho
Northwest, especially as the Columbia river
runs entirely across its northern boundary.
The everlasting snows of Mt. Hood furnish
a constant, never-failing volume of water in
Deschutes and its tributaries, which run
northerly across tho entire westerly portion
of tho county and pour their clear, cool
waters into the Columbia at Futtonville, (if.
teen miles easterly from this city. The
westerly and northwesterly water shed of the
Blue mountain range sends its surplus waters
thiough the John Day river and its many
branches into the Columbia, twenty miles
above the mouth of the Deschuttes. Thus
the territory of the county, which is about 00
miles square, has the Columbia waters on the
north, and is divided into three parts by the
Deschuttei snd John Day waters from the
south. The soil between these rivers and
along the whole length of t tit ir aides up to the
timber on the mountain slopes, is of unsur
passed richness, and suitable for vegetable
growth and the productiou of grain, requiring
only man's instrumentality in working and
exposing its top by the plow and letting in
the sun and air to prepare it for his uses.
Years of experience have provod that this
kind of soil which has for ages produced the
bunch grass in the most bountiful manner,
has disappointed the husbandman when he
first turned up the lower soil which had
rested without the suu's rays, the air and the
influence of the frost and rsln, but as these
agencies aro applied, nature answers in all
cases with a bountiful return. The plow is
looked upon as simply a mechanical agent.
So it is, but as its slurp ihcar pierces the de-
jivsiia ui toe uoout ami irs in inrougn a
thousand avenues the air without which no
vegetable or animal life can exist, it becomes
NO. 17.
the pioneer of plenty, and its uso sets princi
plea and agencies at work, the mysteries of
which have no end. Such is the soil which
we have described.
To the thoughtful individual who ridef
through a country with such a peculiar for
mation as that of our great highland valley,
he cannot be struck with its fitness for tn
abodes of thousands of families who may from
natural resources surround themselves with
comfort and plenty. As we have examined
many localities within the county, we must
say that we were struck with tho depth of the
soil, a sure evidence that the floods settled
slowly here and left time for the lighter de
posits to fix themselves, instead of being
forced out with the rush of the waters.
Wo can testify to one fact, that from the
tops of the highest hills on the inner water
shed of this valley on the various benches,
upon each of which the waters rested for
season, tho soil produces, when worked, the
most magnificent grain and vegetables, and
domestic animals thrivo with tho least care,
It onlv needs such records of sliimrimr mnv
bands which we can name to prove that sheep
fiud a grand living, which shear from eight to
twelve pounds per head as an average of soma
large bauds. Wasco Sun.
The Timber Lands or the Mew Northwest.
Practically, tho whole country between the
Minnesota prairies and the Rocky Mountain
is bare of timber. There aro little Btrips of
forest trees along the water oourses in Dakota
but they consist mainly of cottonwood, soft
maplo and alder, and furnish only a scanty
supply of ful to the settlers and are of no
value as a source of building material. West
of tho Missouri there is nothing worth sawing
into lumber until the advanced spurs of the
rookies aro reached the Big Horn, the Belt,
the Judith, the Big Snowy and the Yellow
stone mountainins. In the gorges running up
their sides there is sufficient "bull pine" and
spruce for the settlers' purposes, and for rail
way ties and bridge timbers, but there are no
largo well-timbered areas.. On both sidos of
the main divide of the Rockies about the
same conditiou iB found. The pines aro some
what larger, and soma cedar is mot with. For
want ol something better, the timber is of
great value for local consumption, for fuel and
building purposes in tho neighboring valleys,
but this is all that can be said of it. Not un
til I reached Clark's Fork of tho Columbia,
or tho I'end d'Orcille, as it is known to the
settlers, did I see any extensive body of good
timber. On both Bides of tho stroam, be
tween the Ca-ur d'Alene and Cabinet moun
tains, lies a heavily timbered belt of about
100 miles in length by 30 miles in width,
reaching down to and around I'en.l d'Oreille
lake. Tho trees aro "bull pine," cedar, hem
lock and spruco with a little white pine. The
western slopes of the Cuiur d'Alcnu mountains
and the Bitter Root mountains, which aro a
continuation of tho saino rango, aro moder
ately well timbered and furnish material for
fuel, fences and buildings for a wide stretch
of rich, bare country further west. From
these mountains westward, to the narrow val
leys running up into tho Cascade range, the
country is nearly destitute of forest growth.
A few stunted pines grow on tho sidis of the
deepnarrow valleys through which the streams
run. Along the lower coune of tho Col
umbia and around l'uget Sound tlioro are im
inenso forests of fir, furnishing a practically
inexbaustiblo lumber supply. Kastern Ore
gon is almost treeless, but the slopes of the
mountain ranges bear sufficient timber for
local uses, Kastern Washington, fast becom
ing a great field, feels most the lack of forests,
W esteru Oregon, including tho fertile, well
settled Willamette valley, is well supplied
from both the coast and Case ide mountains,
while Western Washington is all a vast for
est, whero tho clearings aro mere specks upon
tho immense expanse of woodland. This
magnificent forest is destined to bo a source
of great wealth for centuries to come. The
lumbering operations up to this time, although
very extemdve, havo only notched it here
and there at long intervals close to the water
side. A'. V, Smally in the Century for lel
ritnry.
What a Giant of our Forest Contains.
Mr. Amos Market, a well known ami relia
ble gentleman, writos us from Mount Baker,
Samish river, Whatcom county, W. T,, under
data of May 7th, 1883, as follows: "You
aro at liberty to publish tho following ftcts in
jour piper: A fir tree was cut and hauled
at Moan & Monroe's logging camp on the Joo
I.tary slough, last Saturday, containing four
logs. Tho first measured 24 feet in length
and 80 inches in diameter, and contained
5,424 feet of lumber, board measure. The
second was 24 feet long and 71 inccs in diam
eter, and contained 4,740 feet of lumber. Tho
third, 21 feet long and 00 inches in diameter,
anil contained 4,214 feet of lumber. The
fourth was 32 feet long and (11 inches in di
ameter, and scaled 3,770 feet, making a grand
total of lumber in this one tree of 10,160 feet.
This is one of the largest trees cut in this sec
tion during tho present seaion, and I took
pains to get its accurate dimensions, thinking
it might be of interst to some of your read-,
en." Seattle I'oaUlntelliii'iicer. x
Sod Breaking.
The amount of sod broken this spring will
increase the acreage in this county fully one
half, Many 100 acre fields now greet the eye
in a days's ride, while heretofore the average
size rangeil from fifteen to forty acres. Con
tracts lor breaking nave been let in amounts
varying from 50 to 200 acres, which are uow
completed, and the face of the country wears
an aspect of prosperity. 'afouse Oautte.