Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (May 7, 1886)
WILLAMETTE FARMER: SALEM, OREGON, MAY 7. ISM, I'l i WBmmm iiauod erery Week by the W TfcilMS OF HUBSCIMTIOM. Onjer,(ro.tAKepald),lndvnco .W IU monthi, (Poitaae paid), In adTanco.. l. LM than ill montht will be, per month 86 ADVER318INO IUTE3 1 AdTertlaemenU will bo Inierted, providing tn ere MpecUble, at the following Uble of rate, t One Inch of ipac. ner month,.. " mi .t.u . nj. mnntlt KJ1IOT lUCIlf ui 'vw ,w .- IRftO inruuwiuuju1 . n iy On eolamnpet month ;, .," Sample copies ent free on appllcaUon. .. ...I. l..n. HA nAnih .... .........a..... Id.' THIS PAPER te-Jiw vniiTimwo (ONTIUCT8 Mr ff lUIIIVi uny Ijo liiuila for It In !" '"" 8PBIN0 CAMS OF ORCHARD. If your trees are just set out from tho nursery you must watch their growth and pinch oir tho buds you do not want; also pinch ofr tho ends of thoso sprouts that aio too vigorous to lot the others grow equally well. Only n llttlo enro is needed and work dono in tho right place at tho right timo to make trees assume tho best i08siblo shapo. This means that tho limhn shall bo balanced by equal growth on all flidos, no central limbs allowed, no limbs crossing each othor and tho center opon rather than tho contrary. Ono important matter is to havo tho branches como out equally at about four foot and lot, if possible, a control stem stand and branches depend from it, if possible. Tho experienced pruncr will havo his orchard shapod beautifully and will not permit 1i!h caro ful work to bo undono by ncnroloss ploughman. Too often trees arc destroy ed by ltfing niultllatod whoro th.o single trees or tho harrow havo struck them. If tho careless man would tio up tho bruis ed place, by binding a Htrip of cloth around tho part injured, tho harm will bo remedied. Last year wo did this and wheu wo took ofT the bondages hut fall, it was healed entirely. It loft exposed to sun and air tlwro will bo u dead placo on tho tree, and hoou may he" ft dead tree instead of a livu one. If you kco any tree londod with an unreasonable quantity of young fruit, it is often truo that tho tree 5h injured some whoro on tho body. A wounded tree will put all ilH strength into unnatural production and often dios in tho cH'ort II is cnnnrnllv tho case, that instead of failing to produce a wounded prune tree will havo ton times too much fruit not on it. Last yoar wo noticed n golden drop plum to bo heavily loaded when going into its fourth year. Whon tho fruit was not fnllygrown.it prematurely ripened and tho tree died, all liccnuso it waH overloaded. Trees that bear too much ono year, usually fail to bear the next. This is ruinoiiH to tho tho troos and to their o.vnor. If he would oecuro n fair crop regularly, year by year, ho can secure it by thinning oil' tho fruit wheu too plenty. Overhoaring injurcH tho quality make tho tree pro duce all it ought of good size and it will havo good llnvor also. Wo havo given lioio wiine itcniH that are pertinent to tho spring tfenson. To prune well and to thin oil over abun dant growth of fruit, are very important matteis for the oreluirdist. Iloeau iiml plcnrmro and real enjoyment in hi work if ho will study horticulture ondohjorvo carefully for himself. Tho man who works with intelligence makes money and has satisfaction. Wo havo repeatedly mentioned tho success of Judge Grim in selling his apples. Ho owns boveral farms and reserves the fruit when he rents them. His reputation in such that his apples bring him in ahandtiome pro-' lit, whathevor the exjH'rienco of others maybe. We havo hever.il times mentioned the Hon Davis apple as a lato keeper and as popular Kant, but Mr. Settleniiio says while it is good looking and keeps well, in tlavor it is only a poor r-eeond quality of fruit. Tho Oregon winter apple ho bays is the Yellow Newtown Tippin. If well caved for it keeps l.ite and i in all rcpivts number one. How to take the best eaie of fruit trees is a question that demands attention. For ten years we have plowed tho sur face not over live inches deep, and per haps less. This loop the bin face clear. During the spring wo gave two plowing and harro'ingb, using the spring tooth harrow the last of Juno or lint of July as a finish. This keeps the surface cool and aerated, keeps out weeds, and keeps down sprouts. We lmvo the trees care fully dug around by tho mlddlo of May and plow towards them, having first plowed from them. To put mi orchard down to clover may do if clover takes well and other grasses and growths keep clear; but there is usuully more othor grass than clovor. Last year we could not plow all the old orchard us the weather made llio Roil loo dry. Thn part thnt was not plowed stood thick to tlio wild bluo grass that has lately takon in this valley and wo cut it for hay though it had boon plowed as clean as possihlo the previous year. This pi ova- lenco of nnlivo grasses and weed makes it expedient to plow shallow and stir tho flurfaco enough to keep down inch growths. THE LABOR QUESTION. Tho Knights of Labor and other So cictics aro spreading strikes and de manding eight hours for a days work, and everywhere, from Maine to Florida, from tho Atlantic to tho Pacific, tho in fluence of the tabor agitation is felt. This may work temporary and local in jury but muflt result in good. It appears that owing to inventions and labor sav ing machinery thoro is not work for over three-quarters tho laboring pcoplo of tho United States. Another reason is that women takopart now in avocations they formerly know nothing of. Tho world ia in an entirely different condition now from ton or oven fivo yoara ago, and theso strikes mean that labor is shaping matters for a permanent understanding. If there is too much labor unemployed tho only way to fix matters is to divide what work i to bo dono among thoso who want work. Tho surest way to sec uro this is to call eight hours a days work, by which means ono hundred and twonty-fivo men find work now whoro ono hundred did before. This makes tho eight hour law a good thing. How much pay n man shall get for eight hours work is another question, and one that will scttlo itHclf in a natural way. Tho Knights of Labor seem to havo acted injudiciously and thrown away a great opportunity. It was hardly possi bio that mon in that lino of life should possess experienco nuillclcnt to work wisely all tho time. We must condemn their faults and let thorn try ngiiin. If thoy can really grapple with tho great question at issue and hccuio for labor its just rights then tho f ut uro of our nation is assured to bo prosperous and happy. Labor must not degencrato and must ndvaneo towards higher aims, truer ed ucation, better life and greater privileges. 1'lace the laborer under such legal guarantee as will nrhltrato his caso fairly and ho can ask no more. Somo aro afraid labor will wreck all industries. Wo do not fear any serious harm for labor will soon learn tho fundamental and axiomatic truth that more cannot bo got out of anything than thoro is in it. When that is learned tho question is answered. Tho manufacturer will soon learn that his situation is pleasant est when ho pays his hands modcrato wages and then associates them with himself as participating in u share of tho net proceeds; already many enter prises aro conducted on that basis and it works well. The working force feels a pride in such participation that is honorable and justifiable and cannot bo realized by tho man who merely works for his days wages. ELECTION NOTES. Sinco tho Registry law is pronounced unconstitutional tho people wonder whethor tho Supremo Judges havo Iwon hypercritical and followed thn lettor of the law at tho exponso of truo principles. Other States have election law similar to tho ono laid aside and the question is Why can Now York havo Mich a law and not Oregon? J udgo Thayer dift'orred from the majority of tho Court and thought the registry feature was legal and right. However, knowing where tho fault lies tho next Legislature may avoid th unconstitutional features and get up a law that can stand. Hy the timo wo shall go to press both sides (or all sides, counting I'rohibitiou as number three) will havo State tickets in tho field and the political battle will have begun. Whichever ticket wins will give us a good Supreme Judge. When the Republican comention met a strong opHsithn w as dovolood to Judge Waldo and much was b.iid against him ; prediction were made of his defeat and when ho was nominated by a huge ote it was said money would be spout to beat him and that Portland piecincts would organize against him. That may have been mere say-bo. A candidate for Supremo Judge who has a six years re;ord to point to cannot lo defeated, localise his decisions do not please a few wire pullers at Portland, if tho people, of the country are informed of tho situ ation. We havo no use for partisan politics on tho Supreme bench. Tho State needs a good judge, not one who seeks the office, but ono who can hon estly, ably and fearlessly fill it. Judgo Waldo ia not a partisan, nor aQ office sookor. Tho Prohibition party w 11 Uke a hand in politics this yoar and may in directly produco important results. It is thought Temperance men will count n thousand on tho vote for State officers and by bo voting may weaken the party most of them como from. We shall scol Pcoplo aro not so .narrow-minded as usual this spring. It is an off year with no Sonator to elect until January, 1889. Many will vote mixed tickets. Some who very bitterly opposo Senator Mitch oil would prefer to soo his and their party defeated in a few straight heats than sec his iower perpetuated. Thoro aro many who Hay tho way to beat a corrupt politician is to defeat tho party ho controls and so defeat his farther aspirations. Political "bossism" must bo put down to socuro tho reign of tho pcoplo. This will prove to bo ono of tho years whon wo shall seo political in dopendonco noro or less. It is about timo that tho party bosses found out that American voters cannot be used liko "dumb, driven cattlo" but must be treated liko reasoning beings. Too often somebody " puts up " tho primaries. This also slmpas tho county convention. Wo aro frequently mora numb and dumb instruments in tho hands of the manager. So let us voto undcrstandingly or not voto at all. THE COAST COUNTIES OF OREOON. A L'cntlcmnn lately arrived from Kansas tells us ho was much intorcstcd, before ho came, in reading a description of tho coast counties and is disappointed ut finding that tho coast lino is almost inccccsslblo from this part of Oregon. Tho timo is not distant when railroads will cross tho coast mountains by various routes to connect tho control system of railroads with tho best porta on tho coast. A littlo wayBouth of tho Colum bia is Tillamook. Then comes Xostucca. thou Grando Rondo Pass thou Silotzs, Alsea, Yaquina, Siuslaw, I'mpqua, Coos, Coquillo, Port OrfordJCIlensburg,! and Chotcs. All this coast lino possesses i groat advantages for various purposes and is only thirty-flvo to fifty milos from tho main valleys now densely occupied. It is not very difficult to build across tho coast rango and sometime a lino of road will run up and down tho coast nnd havo its connections with valloy towns. That will bring all thn wost slope of tlio coast rango into near and close con nections with tho rest of Oregon and will develop unexampled resources that ought not to lay idlo a single hour. Tho actual scopoof country availablo for agriculture, along tho coast, is not largo, but takou in connection with tho soveral other inducements for settlement it will bo well worth tho improving. Thoro is good land around tho various bays and along tho rivers that put into tho sea Tho farther south you go tho more open land is found in tho moun tains, afibrding excellent rango for stock and much good farming land. Tho climnto ovor thoro is directly affected by the ocean winds and currents and is more mild in winter and less warm in wintor cvon, than here. Rut that region of three hundred inilos of longitudo possesses resources that aro unfailing and timo will mako productive of millions. Tho great forests of fir, spruce, and cedar themselves constituto a source of generous wealth nnd ovory year tho world has uioro uso for them. There is coal underlaying tho whole length of Oregon's coast, and not only that, copper, lead and iron, boaldes native ores of silvor gold and cinnabar aro found near if not ovor tho coast side of the ranges. Tho beach for hundreds of miles is rich with Hour gold, so thnt between agri culture and stock-raising, gold mining, lumbering and working coal veins, as well as copper, lead and iron, tho coast is beyond rivalry as a wealth producer. Tho southern coast i especially rich and valuable in forests nnd ores, and possesses more scopo of farming and grazing lands. Curry county has a de lightful climate and n growing popu lation, but people cannot get to and from tho interior and all its business is done coast wise, usually with California Tillamook has n direct commerce with Portland, n small steamor runs in and out there, taking their dairy pioducts in a few hours to tlio metropolis of Oregon. Yaquina is looming up and has n com merce of considerable importance that is caused by tho Oregon Pacific raiho.nl. Tho success of this enterprise shows what wo can expect of tho coast region when ever it is brought into direct connection with this and other valleys. A railroad between Rosoburg nnd Coos Ray is talk ed of and will como in time. Oregon is far from finished yet, even this valley will some day bo much more highly de veloped, Tlio coast counties mako slow growth, but sure, and wo aro certain to becomo in a few years seats of important enterprise. Their development cannot bo rapid so loug as immigration from East of tho Rocky Mountains remain as slow as it it now. fyc Jujiarjie BEE NOTES TOR MAY. 11Y I.. Y. CHASE. Races of Bees Continued. Ill considering tho subject of boo culture tho object of theso papers is the general diffusion of knowlcdgo of api culture chiefly for the benefit of begin ners, and also to placo upon record tho results of individual experionco. For this purposo a regular plan has been laid out, subjects to be considered in their proper order of timo and placo, this will require the whole season. It will not do to cntor into discussion with anyone, for this will occupy space that can bo more profitably used for other purposes and will direct our attention from tho regu lar course intended. By this, there is no wish to undervalue tho labors of others who have worked in tho same field; all prsiso to them for their c (Torts! and particularly thoso in Oregon who havo dono so well, friend Hrooks among tho rest, ho will plcaso accept thanks for his kind words. This timo however we will step asido it littlo from tho course to notico his criticism in tho last issue of tho Farmer of tho paper on Races of Decs. Ho lias triod Kalians and thinks for honoy producers they do not excel Blacks. That is a singular oxporience, and docs not coincido with that of ninil; tenths of tho best and most successful bee keepers. However when ho states that his ecullar location may explain tho reason, ho is probably correct. One reason why Italians excel Blacks is that thoy brood up earlier in tho spring, nnd consequently get to work earlier upon the spring bloom. Last spring my Ita lians had fifty pounds of honey in the hives, before tho Blacks wore strong enough to do anything. Now if thoy aro placed where tho fruit bloom is lato or scarce, or wliero tlio llora is oi an ,, . ,.,,. , .. ,-., ., tho . . . , , , ., ... - T can well understand why Rlacks, who build up later in tho season, should do .. . . ... .,..., hotter in such a locality in certain seasons. Now in considering this case, wo must bear in mind several things. Italians bees are creatures of cultivation, and liko all othor finely bred stock do best in cultivated fields. Pino blooded horses, Durham or any of tho othor fine breeds of cattlo, Merino sheop, or Jlork shiro hogs do not thrive bo well in a wild mountainous country allowed to grub for themselves, in in cultivated fields. If in n fow exceptional cases common stock docs best, it docs not follow that it always does so, and should bo adopted to tho exclusion of improved blood. Italian bees do host whon fed upon an abundunco of tamo ilowors prominent among which and superior to all, aro tho dillercnt varieties of clover, aayielders of honey both as to quality and quanti ty. Cultivation in tho Willamotto valley has in many localities almost exterminat ed tho lobelia and other wild flowers, nnd its whole surfaco, in season is whito with clover bloom, and it is hero that besido Italians, Rlack bees show their in feriority us honoy gathers. Wo raisod side by sido last year twenty-fivocolonies, of each variety all wore treated exactly nlikc, and tho honoy yield of Italians was uioro than twico that of tho Blacks. Ono colony of tho former producing two hun dred pounds of clover honoy one-third box, tho remainder oxtrnctcd doubled itself and we have to add, that two weeks ago we removed twenty pounds mora of comb honey from tho samo hive. I know of ninny othors in tho valloy who think as well offiuo bec3,somoof whom will not allow Rlacks n placo in their yards. We are glad to hear Mr. Brooks report of his splendid yield of honoy last year. Wo have been rattier difiidont about publishing statements of what are the possibilities of beo keeping under scientific management, for fear our readers would not gio us credence for this reason all tho truth has not been told, for instance, it is a fact that last yoar fiom ten swarms we increased to fifty and had a yield of more than ono thousand pounds of honey about two thirds extracted, and now in our hives are not less than seven or eight hundred more pounds of honey in combs, this is surplus over what was needed for winter stores, this we propose to removo and utilize as feed for neucli this spring, Rut the most gratifying thing is that lato last season after people had u good tnste of our honey wo sold all wo had at about three cents per pound for extracted and fivo cents per pound for box honey, more than any other offered in our mar kets. Our extracted uotted us about eleven cents, and box twenty cenU that is, late in tho season when con sumers learned what whito clover honey was. Rut anothor point, our friend fail ed in his report to tell us how much he had to feed winter before last. Rumor has it that it was several tons of Cali fornia honey, was rumor wrong as often times? -Now wo are free to say that wo also fod, and result was a loss of twenty colonics out of twenty-five, all of tho de funct being Rlacks, wo had fivo Italians they stood the racket all right. Does not this go to show that tho finer blood is hardior and stands tho winter better ? Now wo do not consider that feeding in our case was noccssary. AVo were simply badly "cottoned" had used tho honoy extractor too freely tho previous summer. Our own opinion is that tho misfortunes of tho mountaineers was not only tho re sult of having noarly all Blacks, but also that their big simplicity hives did not sufficiently protect their occupants from execssiyo dampnoss ; and this serves as it reminder, that a beo friond who lives in Yamhill, has requested an article up on foul brood, which ho says is prevalent in that section of country. From per sonal exporienco wo know nothing about cithor foul biood, or mouldy combs, novor having had tho slightest appear ance of cithor, in our yard or thoso of our friends. It is our opinion that tho remedy for both, will bo found to bo hives just largo enough to hold tho cluster, and winter stores, only onough. Honoy attracts and retains moisture, making tho hive damp and absorbs heat which tho bocs need. Over them should bo nn absorbent covoring to keep them warm and dry during winter. To socuro tills result, tho simplicity ldvof is to largo requiring unhandy division boards too much room being also tho cause of spring dwindling. There is much in tho strain of Italians. We havo stock from three sources, viz ono imported, ono from California, and another from Ohio, ono of tho far famed dollar queens. Somo pooplo call any beo that has ono, two, or three yellow bands Italian. We find that prico is a fair test of quality, usually, and ii may be Inid down as truo of bocs as anything else, tint a low prico means poor stock. If wo dotormino to havo nothing hut the' best, wo must pay a higher price t r it. Care in breeding, careful selection of tho best, mean more work, more timo exponded consequently moro money to pay for it. Wo havo novor yet beon nblo to get a llr-t class queen that cost less than fivo dollars, but when tried alio has always proved satisfactory in ovory way. Choap stock is always a voxatiou of spirit and unprofitable Tho progeny of my dollar quoon is of Itytlo more valuo than Rlacks us honoy gathorcn, and aro worse in disposition; thoy ovidently aro not pure stock though thoy show three yellow bands. Tho stock from my host queen is a pleasure to own nnd bo proud of and in tho future wo will bred .from no other. Last summer our bees worked freely on tho red clover in tho latter part of tho summer, wo carefully watch ed thorn, and know about it, Ono thing must how-over bo remembered about tho habits of bees, when soveral kinds of honey producing plants are in bloom at onco thoy do not work on nil alike, but select thoso that thoy liko host and work on it exclusively discarding tho rest, and tho tubes of rod being so dcop it is more difficult for them to reach tho honoy so that oven Italinns only work frooly on it whon tho supply from othor and oasiersources is limited orexhausted. JOHN KNIGHT. Blacksmithing and Horse shoeing. TTAV1S0 Ol'EXED AT MY NEW QUARTEU3. XJL ""C. SOO CoimnercUl itrret, 1 am prepared to do all kind ol repairing. All olj patroni art Invited to cull and 1 will :1 o their uork my twit care and attention. J 1 Hnke n Specially or ilorar. Hboelng, mylil ft Vtv .' mim mi tutttttmitinii! i nt.ij, "iavvy nnnJ..,..i ni. nS 'illdliUiUiaU'ilDUUMJllls: VX . S3 t.:!f.iiurrcii.ii..iu.. : vcv T;--- rr-ris 5 rojcr)N.YcfRcr' ' !jj I! VRcco (saicfoguejl p FARM, DAIRY AKDMIIL MACHINERY,!! 5s VEXIXOX.ES, ; jj Hitu'e; Twine. Scltlcg, OIU, and -f K ;j r UaoMno Cupplloi ot all klcda. NOS COS SIO, 3i:M:i4 front strut, : Sf PORTLAND, OREGON. I su'iuiut wu'tuumjiui rniiiirtiiimni.rtSJi CHEMEKETE HOTEL I DuItOIS BROS.. Proprietors. SALEM. . . OREGON. Ghm:ual .stake oificc fto couu to and (rum the houae, &. Sample ltom fur Cuuiuierelal Traveler. FOR SALE. Farm In Howell Prairie. A Coatainiaff ISO Acre. -XE UUKDBKD ADD TWENTY-FIVE oi bkh F U under olow: the balance bi Umber wl.h dw.Ulnf, amok, and milk hoaae; a tew temporarr barn: ronnlojr water the iar around. Apply on the prcraUetto (JeeStT; JAUG kori' ,.-" . e EJ. Y-ft,
