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VOL. XV.
0m0mlcnc$.
SENS IK CORRESPONDENCE.
We have always felt that the most
valuable portion of our own or any
other farming journal is the communi
cations from practical farmors concern
ing their own farming experience. We
feel that our columns should contain
much of this reading. We invito free
correspondence from our readers on all
topics of interest to the farming public.
Let us hear from all members of the
family, young and old, futhers and
mothers, those who hold the plow and
those who hold the needles. That is
what we are for and we hope to receive
j great many such contributions.
After Three Years A Visit to Polk County.
Salem, Dec. 17, 1883.
Editor Willamette Farmer:
Xot having been in Polk county for
three years I took a spin over to Sheri
dan on Saturday Inst and could but no
tice the improvements in that time.
The fall sowing of wheat was to bo
seen on every hand looking as green as
in Slay. Bethel, where there was once
a nourishing school, looks exceedingly
dilapidated, but McCoy seems to have
much improved in the erection of a
number of substantial residences and
other buildings ; then Ferrydale, a short
distance west, appears about as three
years ago. Ballston, a few miles farther
west in the distance seems to bo put
ting on quite village airs as a railroad
station. Then wo passed on to the
classic Yamhill river at Sheridan, this
httle town is improving -quite fast and
lias made many substantial improve
ments. Among the late improvements
I may name Mr, James Morrison's flour
ing mills which is about ready to start.
This is a wator mill and is in good hands,
as Mr. Morrison is an old mill man,
having for several years, run the mill at
Dixie. This is supplying a long needed
improvement, ns this is in the midst of
one of our best agricultural districts,
then there is a now and seemingly very
substantive bridges over the river nt that
place, then thoy have hotels, stores and
shops numerously and am sorry to say,
one or two saloons. W. C. W..
Letter from Umatilla County.
Cexterville, Or., Dec. 11, 18SH.
Editor Willamette Farmer:
Centerville is growing rapidly. Cen
terville has one of the best public schools
in Eastern Oregon has about l."0 schol
ars J. M. Taylor, principal. Center
ville did a wise thing in building n good
school house.
This has been a beautiful fall ; no
snow here yet, and the best i-o.nk I over
saw. We have just had enough rain to
mnko loads but hardly enough for good
plowing. The majority of us will summer-fallow
our land next year.
Track-laying has commenced between
Pendleton and Centerville.
I read with pleasure in last week's
Farmer the story of the old blue-backed
speller. I mastered that old book about
twenty yeras ago and learned that Ann
fed the old hen, nnd we also learned
when we got as far as "Amity" that ".Jol
lity" was spelled with two Is. Ye, the
pages of that old look will be long le
membered by many of us. W. M. S.
The Penalty for Killing the Imported Pheas
ants. i Lebanon, Or., Dec. 17. 18S3.
Editor Willamette Farmer :
I noticed in your paper of December
7th, an article stating that an Albany
man had seen somo ring-neck pheasants
' supposed to be some of the same that
O. X. Denny tent from China. Also
stating that the law protected them
until the first of October, (or until Octo
ber). Now right here is where I want to
correct that article, Our last Legislature
passed a law protecting these birds for
the period of five years, under a penalty J
of fifty dollars for any one killing or
having one of these birds in their pos
session. I am very certain if I sew any
one with one of these birds that they
will be informed on, for my brother
went to the trouble and a groat expense
to get and send them to this State. He
rent two lota of-them. The first lot,
I seventy in number, -BUrtiog- and only
eleven hral to Teach '"Portland They
were turned out below Portland. Out
of the other lot of thirty, twenty-six
reached Linn county alive. Thoy are
called the Langshan or golden pheasant,
and if thy are let alono for five years
they will be quite numerous and I
think will bo scattered all over the val
ley. I hear of them now being at Sweet
Home, Jefferson, and also hear of them
being seen close to Salem nnd Oregon
City. The males have white rings
around their necks and a very beautiful
plumnge. They are a good deal larger
than the native pheasant.
John Denxev.
A Difference In the Digestion of Animals,
Almo3t every one thinks that animals
of tho same species, being animals, are
all alike. Upon this supposition thoy
are generally in lots, or Hocks, where
each one gets its portion as best it can,
the stronger robbing tho weaker. The
truth is, there is a great difference in
animals of the same species in their
ability to fully digest food. One animal,
very often, gets as much again as another
without any injury, but on the contrary,
it may require double the amount of
food to keep all its organs in healthful
action. There is always more or less
difference in tho ability of animals of
the same sort to digest and assimilate
food. When they are fed in lots, or
flocks, these differences cannot be well
observed. When it is noticed that an
nnimal is not thriving, it should imme
diately be separated from tho others and
put by itself, and a careful test should
be made of its ability to digest food.
Most of tho sickness of young animals,
nnd older onos also, comes from a dis
ordered condition of the stomach, and
this is gradually caused by over-eating.
In order to test the ability of an animal
for digesting its food, a comparison
must be made, not with tho amount it
eats, but with its excrements compared
with those of an animal perfectly
healthy nnd vigorous. If undigested
portions otjits food are found in the ex
crement, then it is apparent that it is fed
too much; if the excrement is in n looe
and watery condition, it is probable al-o
that this animal has been over-fed, and
in cither caso there should be a redue
of food. By reduction of food I do not
mean a lessening of tho amount of hay
nnd grass, but tho feeding of more coa
centrated foods, such as grain or milk;
beginning with a small amount and not
increasing tho ration beyond the degree
of perfect digestion. This system of
feeding will always insure a healthy
condition and greater gain than with an
excess of food, unless colds should inter
vene by allowing the animal to become
chilled either by exposure to storms or
cold drafts.
A farmer should always remember
that it is not the amount of food which
goes into an animal's stomach that
makes the largest gain ; but what it can
entirely digest and assimilate. The-o
differences are so great that exptri
ments in feeding can never be made in
fallible tets in tho values of food, oi
different bieeds of animals for fattening,
or, indeed, of clussos of animals of the
eame breed. As an illustration of this
point, one calf may consumo a quart of
linseed-oil meal and wheat middling
and bo in perfect health ; while another
of tho same ago, on this amount of food,
would have scours; whereas if this
kind of food was reduced to one-half or
one-fourth the amount, it would do well.
The same law will apply with equal
force to young pigs or lambs, nnd also
to full-giown animals.
I have learned that the growth and
fattening of animals do in it depend upon
the abundance of fond so much as upon
other conditions ; the most important
of these, as I hae herein stated, being
the digestive powers of the stomach.
Tho tono and ability of tho stomach to
perform its functions may be maintained
and strengthened by mixing less nutri
tious food with that which is cooling in
its nature, such as roots nnd forage,
which may bo cut fine with the grain.
When thus mixed, there is a tendency
to cloying and to fermentation. There
will also be a better secretion, without
which there cannot bo perfect digestion.
The stomachs of tome animals require
more rest than tlio-o ol others, ana
without it theio will be continual disor
der and a feeble gain. Tho los-es accru-
to farmers from indiscriminate
fettling rcgardle of the raculiaiitk-s
of tin animals, are enormous. .-hep-
herd- Journal.
What is that which everyone wihes
to have, and which every one wishes to
get rid of directly he obtains A good
appetite.
Josh Billings has this playful applica
tion of "sec-saw" "I taw a blind wood
saner. While none ever saw him see,
thousand have seen him saw."
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER
STRANGE JERIAL PHENOMENA.
The scientists of tho world are inter
ested because of strange phenomena in
the sky of the rising nnd tho setting sun.
These have boon observed nil over Ameri
ca nnd also in England. Those who
have noticed our beautiful sunsets, this
clear weather, may remember tho pecu
liar roseate glow that has remained in
the wiMcm sky after the sun has set. A
San Francisco journal suggests that this
is caused by smoke, high in the upper
air, from the Alaskan volcanoes. It also
discusses tho possibility that it may be a
reflection from meteoric dust, in the
same way suspended. The Xew York
Sun says :
" Whatcvor tho cause may be, there
have certainly bcon some most surpris
ing atmospheric phenomena in the last
two or three months in several quarters
of tho globe. India, Ceylon and South
America have recently been treated to
the spectacle of a green sun and a gieon
moon, and now in more northern conn
tries we are having the evening skio
set aflame with strango reflections. The
inhabitants of the earth sometimes be-
hold mnrvelous sights in their liavels
through the universe under the guide
of tho journeying sun."
This red glare has lasted for some
weeks. Dnring the past months, too,
the world has known terrible convulsions
of nature in the Mediteranian, in the
Java seas, and near Alaska. Such con
vulsions as occurred at these places have
seldom happened in the woild's history.
It is suggested that the smoke of theso
volcanic disturbances has ascended to
the upper air and causes tho reflection
we see vv hen the sun has set. It is a
fruitful en use for speculative inquiry
and will hardly be understood.
'Some weeks ago, in making a journey,
we left tho train at daybreak and waited
at n railroad station up tho Columbia
for the coming of the day. At an enrly
hour we noticed the eastern sky to bo nil
aglow. It wns a peculiarly beautiful
sight and corresponded exactly with nil
the reports wo read. Xo doubt it showed
better cast of tho Cnscndes than in this
valley, because the ntmephere is so clear
and pure there ; so much less damp than
it is here. Tho sun camo up behind a
hill-point and the sky was peculiarly
illuminated for quito a while before the
sun actually rose. What seemed strang
est of all was that when the sun did rise
it came up in its ordinary way without
an attending glow or rndinnco to mnik
its coming.
This radiance is nccounted for on tho
ground that before the sun is up tho
angle of reflection makes this overhang
ing dust or smoke, or whatever substance
it may be, visible. Let tho sunshine
pas.- through it, directly, and we do not
know that it eits; hut when the sun is
below the horizon its rays come back
from this cloud, or atmospheric dut, by
reflection. There nro more things in
heaven and earth than our philosphy
dreams of, and philosophers are engaged
trying to read this riddle of tho skies. Jt
comes from some nntural cause, hut
that cause i- invisible and only seen by
reflection, and that only because the
mynaii oi particles oi mntter that aro
no obstruction to sunlight, furniOi a re
flecting surface ns a whole and give tho
skies their iiulily tinge.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR' WHEAT.
A correspondent writes from Cotton
wood, Lincoln county, W. T., (north of
Cheney)- 'I have 100 acres that Mas
broken two year ago last spring. It
raised a heavy crop of grain tho first
year, (182) and alight one this jear
(15&:!). Would you advise mo to summer-fallow
it next year? Suppose I
should cultivate it to flax, corn, sorghum,
and vegetables, would it not bo jut as
well for the next crop of wheat as if it
laid entirely idle." Our friend had a
heavy crop tho first year, and would, no
doubt, have done fairly the second only
for the excessively dry summer. It is
a common practice with farmers east of
the Cascades to put in the ground two
years after breaking sod, and then summer-fallow.
If W. II. lets the land have
a good rest now he will get a good crop
in 1885. Summer-fallowing puts the
ground in order, rests it and cleans it,
too, and it is ready for early fall sowing.
From what wo see nnd hear it is evi
dently a great advantage to sow land
enrly in August ; some say sow in July.
Early sowing is very impoitnnt. That
is the reason summer-fallows do so well.
As to planting to coin or sorghum, that
will put the land in first rato order for
October sowing. The land cannot be
cleared off much sooner. Many farmers
say corn pays as well as wheat, and is
almost entirely clear gain as a crop.
Mr. Blalock says corn will do well
without any working, but working the
ground helps put it in order for the
wheat crop, If corn will turn off 2.")
bushels, and is worth ns much or more
than wheat, it will certainly pay well,
but if there is any danger of an early
frost tho corn crop will not be very
certain.
As to flax, wo have heard it said that
wheat follows Unit crop to good ndvan
tnge. The trouble is, tho stubble must
be plowed, nnd that requires waiting for
min. Good Eastern farmers assert that
it is unsafe to stir dry stubbles. Sum
mer-fallowing leaves tho ground in con
dition to sow at any time. While theio
are other wnys that promise well, to
summer-fallow is the surest nnd safest.
Our friend is in good shape to try nn
experiment thnt will be worth something-
for run nnd,for tho whole country.
Lcfliiin plow up twenty-five acres for
summer-fallow ; plow tvvonty-fivo acres
for corn; put twenty-five acres in ilnx,
nnd put tho rest in sorghum nnd vegeta
bles. Let him take good care of all tho
land. Save his crop ns early as possible
and put in whoa t next fall as soon as it
can be done, and then ho can tell which
pays him tho licst. To do this to advan
tage he must keep an exact account of
all his expenses for each crop, and s.io
how much each twoety-fivo acres yields
of wheat the succeeding year. This will
give him satisfaction and tell him cer
tainly the best way to farm in the fu
ture. Carp.
TheT. S. Fish Commsssioners have
sent out their car here and supplied
many people with little fish, but George
Leslie, of Salem, lias lots of two-year-old
carp in his ponds that aio six or soven
inches long. Helms thousands of last
year's fish, tlnoe to' four inches long,
whereii"- tho-e sent' by tho Fish Com
missioners aro little fellows, fifty in a tin
pail. Mr. Leslie sells his twv-ycar-old
carp at a dollar apiece, yeailings at. 50
cents each. He shipped to-day (Dec. 12)
ten of the laiger uizo to Mr. Scth Luel
ling, Millwaukie, Or., who proposes to
engage in the buine-s and grow his own
fi-h Theie are many who could invest
a little to advantage to stock their ponds.
here a man can airange to make a
pond he ought to have fish.
The Three Champions
I'm". F. T. Merrill, the champion
bicyclist of America, and Win. K. War
ren, the champion of Oregon, in con
junction with Mr. Manciett, tho cham
pion skater of Oregon, will give some
thing never before seen in this country,
a "Bicycle K.hibition." They will ap
pear at JCculn Opera Mouse on (.'Jinn
mas afternoon and evening, Dccoiuljer
2.1th. Every ono should take advantage
of this rare treat, as they will n6ver have
the opportunity of seeing mi) thing of
the kind again, the 11. A. (,'. ImihI will
f urni-h lively music for the riders. The
admiion is placed very low so that all
should attend. Admission all over the
house .10 cents ; children 2.1 cents.
Wo call the attention of our made-rub)
tho fait that McAfee it Hawkins have
one of th-' neatest, best stocked and )st
arranged ill ug stores in tho State. They
have recently icceived a supply of toilet
goods, fine ca-en, cut glass Untie-!, and
jK'rfllinery that is not excelled in the
State. If you want to get something for
a Christmas present, something nice and
vet not expensive, call at the National
Drug More, in the New Bank Iiuilding,
Commercial street, Salem.
Whenever possible, remit money to uh
lit- I'oHtuI Order or Postal Note. Send
direct and get a receipt from the office.
31, 1883.
ST.'CK K0TES.
ThoDrovcis' Jumna, of Chicago, III.,
says : Ono of the most interesting
things to be seen at the stock yards, in
connection with the live stock business,
is the maneuvering of trained dogs in
driving sheep from ono point to another.
The sagacity of a well trained shepherd
dog in this lospecl is something wonder
ful. Frequently ono sheep will stray
away from the"flock and start ofl" in an
entirely different direction. Tho mo
ment tho dog sees this he scnupeis after
tho straggler, runs ahead of him, and by
dint of barking and growling (but with
out violence) succeeds in turning tho
wooly wanderer toward tho gang nnd
compels him to rejoin his companion'.
Such a dog, for that kind of business, is
truly valuable.
Parsnips, carrots, Sweedish turnips
nnd mangel wurzol will all fatten pigs.
Theso roots ought not to bo given raw,
but cooked, and mixed with beans, peas,
Indian corn, oats or barley; all of which
should bo ground. When pigs are fed
on such cooked food tho pork acquires a
peculiarly rich flavor, and is much es
teemed, especially for family use.
"Xo animal of the pig spceieo," ays
Joseph Harris, "clirries so groat a pro
portion of flesh to the quantity of bona.
or flesh of so fine a quality of as tho
Yorkshires, or can bo raised at so small
a cost per pound, very docile, quiet in
habit, excellent brooders, can bo fattod
at any age, no matter how young, and in
quality of meat very sweet, tender juicy
and the lean meat well marbled with fat.
Tho best of hams and shoulders to cure,
very small bones and offal when dressed,
(he thickest back pork for packing, in
fact, it is tho ideal pig."
Itcgarding tho feeding of horses, tho
Germantown Telegraph says : For fast
driving, oats may lx tho liet food for
horses; but wo hold to thoold fashioned
mode of feeding horses, which was gen
erally in vogue from forty to sixty years
ago, and is still so among a groat many
people, oven livery stablo keejiers that
is, regular foods of br.in and short cut
straw, mixed with a suliiciont quantity
of water to mako it palatable; half a
dozen ears of com per horse daily, when
the weather is not too warm, and plenty
of good buy. AVo have known whole
stuhlosful of horses to keep tho best of
health, and bo capable of doing the hard
est work n hnrso can bo pnt to by this
mode of feeding.
Xovv oatR are not good fowl for hoises.
Thoy iclax tho bowels, and often if the
change from old to new is sudden, the
value of tho oat ratio is nlniowi entirely
lost. As thoy shrink a good deal in
drying, tho old oats, though nominally
dearer, are usually cbeapor as well as
belter feed than the new crop.
How to Build up a nock.
A Michigan eoriespondent says:
Four years ago I bought thirty owes -grade
Merino culls from a flock, for
which I jmid thro dollars each a
pretty steep price I thought; but they
were round, heavy-bodied and short
legged. The first season they sheared
on an average a little over livo pounds of
wool, and I uiiseil twenty eight lainln
Could not buy such u nun as I waqted,
so I gave livo dollars for his service.
Have done tho same twice, because I
could not buy such ns 1 wanted. Have
lost but nine sheep in the lime (four
jenrs) j have sold foity-six for 211, in
cluding culls, and have at present a
(lock of seventy-one. Sold my wool the
2!tth of June, which averaged nino and
three fourth imiiuds per head, wit shed.
I use, none hut thoroiighbied lams.
Hnv,!) just bought one which sheared
twenty-seven jiounds. Am not given
to boasting, but my sheep are tho won
der of the ni-ighbnihnod, and i:y miccc-h
something they cannot iiinloi-stand. I
have but one motto "Kternal vigilance
is the price of success." I wu oll'li"!
early this spring, for all mv Inmhi (coin
ing one year old), -f 7 apiece.
When you buy a fifty-cent or dollar
bottle of 'AtnmenV Cough Syrup, and
have taken the outside wrapper o If, see
thai there is a strip over tliec.nl; heating
the signature, of the manufacturer, which
to cuiiterfeit i felony. Any friend wjio
will furnish us information uj .n which
wo can convict ono of tlw-o thieving,
fraudulent imitators, we will pay the
sum of live hundred dollar'. We have
a good remedy an honest jeinedy the
best remedy in the world for tliedi-eac
for which it is lecomniended, and it is
too valuable a remedy to mankind, and
jeciiiiiarily to the maiiufactuier, to
jiermit any dishonorable scoundrel to put
a worthless imitation on tho market to
injure its reputation. When you have
a cold or cough, ask for Ainmcu't: Cough
Syrup, and do not suffer yourself to be
talked into buying any other prepara
tion.
4 Mi
.NO. 45.
The i "oiiioul i xn atlons of hlna.
Th- en. 'i.i,. i s consumed in China,
are, neon 1 1 , tieimnu commercial
publicuti n imporied fiom Knglnnd,
America and Holland. The sources of
tho different articles are as follows:
r'ngland furnishes the principal part of
the jeans, drills and sheetings, a small
portion of which is also obtained from
America and Holland. Tho ordinary
plain cottons (sh rtings), T cloths, jeans,
drill, sheetings, eomo almost exclusively
from Kngland, while America furnishes
tho better giades. Drills of a fair qual
ity, only moderately sized, como also
from Holland. It is a matter of specu
lation whether Holland is able to manu
facture sufficiently cheap to compete
with England, or whether it simply
throws tho refuse Dutch India upon tho
Chinese market. The same is also true
of the cambrics and jaconets, dimities,
twills, muslins, lawns, also long cloths,
and yarn. Turkey red cloths como from
Glasgow, (Leydon) Holland and Swit
zerland. It is n matter of record that only tho
English have hitherto understood how
to cater to tho Chineso taste as far as re
gards printed fabrics, furniture, calicoes,
chintzes, etc. Tho Hermans make a trial
with their velvets and velveteens, nnd it
appears they will bo likely to succeed.
The consumption of colored damask is
unimportant, and supplied entirely by
England ; also cotton Listings nnd blue
mottles. Tiillcchelas is originall a Jap
anese article, and is manufactured best
in Switzerland; its consumption is very
Hluiill. Colored cloths come occasionally
from (lerinany.
The consumption of staple cotton
fabrics in China is exceedingly large, and
under certain conditions and favors tho
Chineso government is capable of as
suming such gigantic proportions Unit it
is well worth a serious eflbrt on the part
of our American manufacturers to gain
a firm foothold in thnt country. Textile
Record.
What an EgK W1U Do.
For burns and scalds nothing is moro
soothing than tho white of an egg,
which may lie poured over tho wound.
It is softer as a varnish for n burn than
collodion, and, lieing always on hand,
can bo applied. It is also moio cooling
than sweet oil and cotton, which was
formerly supioscd to lie the surest ap
plication to allay the smarting pain. It.
is the contact with tho air which givs
the extreme discomfort experienced from
tho ordinary accident of tins kind, and
anything that excludes tho air and pre
vents inflammation is tho thing to bo at
once applied.
The egg is considered ono of tho best
of remedies for dysentery, lloatcn up
slightly, with or without sugar, and swal
lowed at a gulp, it tends, by its rmollieut
qualities, to lessen the inflammation of
the stomach and intestines, and, by form
ing a transient coating on these organs,
to enable nature to resume her healthful
sway over a diseased body. Two, or at
most tin ee, eggs per day would bo all
that is required in ordinary cases ; and
since eggs aio not only a medecino but
food as well, the lighter tho diet other
wise and tho quieter the patient is kept,
the more certain and rapid is the re
covery. For Bale, Cash or Trade,
An old fashioned drover & llakei
sewing machine, in good order -tho
works having been recently sent to San
Francisco and put in lirst-rate order, Jt
is the beht machine for general family
work, l'rodueo will bo taken in ex
change for it. Enquire at this ollice.
Lost.
Some timol.iht summer, n nice Inoclm
shawl, which fell from a carriage whilo
driving in the vicinity of Salem, A
handsome reward will be paid, for the
return of said shawl or information of
its iieiii'' found.
A boy of eight years was askid by his
teacher where tho zenith was. Ho w
plied: '-The siot in the heavens directly
over one's head." To test his knowledge
fuither, tho teacher asked "Can two
poisons have tho s.imo zenith at the same
time''' "They can." "Howf" "Jf one
stands on the other's head."
At a Bargain
A line fur set, collar and muff, of tho
very handsomest of mink, entirely new,
made in tho East; the owner will sell it
for $18, and which could not bo bought
at a store for double the money. Kil
olitre at mis oincc.
A Western editor has a libel suit on
his hands simply because he alluded to
the church choir as the lyres of tho town.