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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (July 2, 1886)
h1 4 WILLAMETTE PAKMEK : SALEM, OltEUON, JULY 2. 188G i imiird ererjr Week by tha ill r ILI..OU.TI I. F.lltMDK I'linMSIUNG CO. W TE11MS OK BUBSOUllTiOl. Oo rear, (FoaUire paid). In adrance 2.00 fix monthi, (Pottage paid). In advancu 1.! I4M than t(x monthi will be, per month .26 ADVER8ISINO RATES ! AdrertlMmenta will be Inecrted, providing tn are etpectable. at the following Ubl ol rattt Ono Inch of apace ir month I 2.C0 three Inchc of apacepe' month 00 rDe-hall column pr month. ... lo-OO On column per month.. .....80.00 trample copies tent Iree on application. THIS PAPER S.,? tTipninr Ailtrtllii(J lure.u (10 ftl'IlUCK vbhtirimo uontiiaots Ml" Iff fIKK. uiny Uo mtiilu for It In 111-11 IWMHi K0ADS AMD HIGHWAYS. Victoria nnd Vnncouvcr'H Island nro eolobrnted for excellent roads for com mon travel, and their highways nro n credit to tho pcoplo of tlio Dominion. It is understood that convict labor is utilized to mnko Rood roads in tho vicin ity of Victoria and that is cor'nlnly a good uso to put such labor to, especially whon nil tho mechanical trades rosont their employment Jn their rcspoctivo lines of industry. Tlio point of ospo cinl interest in this connection in Hint pleasure) suckers find u delight in travel ing tho vicinity of Viotoriiv thoy do not fcalizo in jogging nlong ordinary Ore gon roads. Tho reason why this in so comes up for consideration, Ono fact in connection wiw mo puiuic ronus wn Vancouvor'A Island is that thoy aro hut forty feet wido, whilo our road law pro vides for county roads to bo sixty feet wido. At Victoria thoy improvo road beds wido enough to permit vchiclcH to , .t.- i ir J ' .. . pass cacu oiucr aim uu muru. jmru mi wo wouul trnuo n Oregon wo try to mako wido roads and so mako no rond at all, for tho labor douo is often wasted by covorlng too much surface Orogon can loarn much from John Bull, Ksn,. Wo hail better co what ho docs in tho way of making ronds and then try to imltnto his meth ods to prod u co tlio samo success It is folly to claim sixty foot of n man's farm for a highway, when, forty is sufliciont. It is usoless to attempt to grado a road lxxl forty feet wido whon twenty is enough to answor tho purpose. Tliu editors of tho SUto should tako this matter of public ronds in hand and writo up what tnclr conclusions aro. When it was ordered that roads should , lc wide, it was nn appropriation of land that is no Biunll tax on tho land ownnr. Itonds nro gonornlly laid on good land and to usolessly dovoto thousands of and teiiH of. thousands of acres of valu nblo land for n useless purposo isuoithor wiso or expodiont, A roadway should bo wido enough for a team to turn in and forty feet will answer tho purpose. Tho road bed worked should bo only wido enough tonccommodatotravol and no wider. Tho only reason wo hear ad vanced for n wido rond way is that in muddy and miry places itcnablos overy iimu to travel n new track nnd if com pelled to go in ono track teaniH would miro down and roads become impass able. That is n poor reason, hardly an oxctwe. certnlnly not a milllciont ono. If roads tiro woiked as thoy Bhould bo all tho low and miry places will bo niado passable. It will tako time to examine this question thoroughly nnd socuro a right decision, but there aro not many passing questions of nioro importance than tlio ono concerning public high ways. No time should bo lost in form ing correct lows and then in carrying them out. If tho design of legislation is to create a public commons, or pasture, that is not sensible, for farmers do not euro to dovoto their lands to such use. They all have pastmo land.or can have it nnd tho wido roadway becomes a nursery for noxious weeds and venomous growths that pollute tiio farms adjacent. To havo narrow roads mid plant them with lurjlcuug oluulo trees, will bo sensible nnd attractive. If hoiuo way can bo do tUed for Hccuring shaded uveuues, In stead of dry and dust, weeds-infested highways, such as wo now havo ami nro like to have more of, then posterity will 'blow uh for tho ehndo and beauty wo inspire. Let us do hoiucthing to beauti fy nnd adorn the' lauf and for thin ond what can lie bcttefnjohe than to border highways, according to location, with oak, elm, sycamore maple, ash, willow, iwplar, and other heading foliage. vests in return. Sinco then our wheat growcrs hnvo followed fall seeding ns n rule. This year wo hnvo had no rains sinco tho middlo of May nnd tho conso quenco is u second failuro of spring crops. East of tho Mountnirw it has proved worse on wheat-growers than in Western Oregon, becauso n greater area was Bcodcd thoro to spring Krain. So great is tho loss resulting from this causo that tho country is described as in ft lnmcntablo condition and experien cing very hard times. Wo proposo to show that such a result is to bo expected nnd should always bn provided against. Exporicnco for many yenrs proves that tho only suro and safo way to grow whoat is to summer-fallow lnnd and sow enrly in tho fall. Summer-fallowing rosts tho land nnd prepares it thor oughly for its coming uso. It is learned, too, from oxporinco East of tho Cnscndcs, that to bow oaily in tho fnll is n great ndvantago ; it gives tho plant timo and opportunity to grow up Iteforo tho snow fall of Novombcr can cover it under. It grows well in tbn autumn nnd, being protoctcd by Bnow is a hardy plnnt whon spring comes. A .well grown 21 a nt stands cold bettor than n tondor ono and thcro Is surer return from early sowing than from late. Tho incrcasod yield nnd tho compnrntlvo certainty of good returns nt harvest from suminer fnllowcd land, mako it an inoxcnsablo folly to sow in tho spring, under uny ordinary circumstances. So far ns wo know tho present crop is nil right, whero sowed in tho fall, in nil sections of tho rnciflo Northwest. Tho temptation to follow farming, especially wheat-growing, is less nnd less ns timo passes and many are putting land to grass for tho purposo of raising stock. Tho littlo notico last weok that brood mare and her INSECTS AND THEIR ENEMIBS. The Relations of the runner TUoreto.-now thoy Originate and now to Depose Thorn. 11V K. S. MATTr.!OS. Of tho exehtsivolyiUBcelivorous bircla, I have now to mention only the Snipo family, which includes plovers, sand pipers, ccrlcw, woodcock, etc. All thoso birds aiu benoficial, nnd beneficial only ; subsisting entirely on insects. They nro rated ns "gamo birds," nnd bolng n very palatnblo tnblo delicacy, nre much sought after ns tidbits for opicurcs, tho woodcock bringing as much as ono dol lar each in tho markets of largo cities on tho Atlantic coast. Thcro mny bo n profit thoro in killing them for mnrkct, but I doubt it. Hero thoy aro certainly worth moro to tho farmer as insect dc- stroyors thnn their market valuons food. But what cares tho "sportmon," or tho market "pot-hunter," so long ns tho far mer raises the birds and ho gots thorn. Many of this class of person appoar to hold tho samo viotvs regarding tho far mer's ducks nnd chickens also ; yot I Ece no remedy so long as tho farmers con tinue tholr prosent apathy and allow tho "hordes of irresponsible non-producers who roam through his fields with dogi nnd guns," to procuro tho enact- yonrling filly for n span of low-built mulcH callod out responses from far and noar, bocnuso tho writers want to givo up farming for stock raising. This is goncrally truo nnd wo nro glad to hoo it. Too much effort is wasted in growing cheap grain, that brings so littlo that it depletes tho land without filling tho purse. Stock, well managed, need not wasto tho tmil, but can enrich it. But thoso who must grow wheat should do tholr work thoroughly bo as to grow good cropi) and yet sustain thoir soil. "Good farming pays," as wo ofton hnvo domonstrnted, and tho only way to bo safo in farming operations, is to farm well, and tako ns fow chnncos ns possible. Thoro is always u hazard in raising spring grain. ji in-1 SUMMER FAlLQWUtQ FOR WHEAT Home years ago thcro camo a blight of rust in the middlo of July, that do htroyetl ho much whoat in Western Oregon that it was sovero blow on ag riculture. Farmers had got in a way of plowing twioo and seeding early in tho pring and generally secured good bar- Waihlnton Territory. Although tho Pacific Northwest has filiated in tho business depression which has been so sovcroly felt throughout tho country. Tho year 18S5 has bcon ono of substantial, if modorato, improvement for Washington territory. Thoro is every indication that thcro has bcon u steady iucrenso in tho population of almost ovory county in tho territory. This increase has been n reliable and permanent ono, not such n ono as ofton marks seasons of extraordinary pros perity which is moro nppnront thnn real. Tho Jloating population of tho territory is possibly less thnn it was n year ago, but tho number of actual residents of homo builders is unquestionably great or. The stream of tourists, which had almost ceased in 1SS1 and early in lSSJi was renewed during tiie past summer with grenter volume than ever, and thousands visited the territory nnd re turning to their eastern home, aro still tolling interested hearers of tho mag' nillccnt country and dolightftil climate which thoy found in tho far Northwest. ltallrond building has gone on almost continuously through the year, and al though the total mileage of track laid is not equal to that of somo previous years, substantial progress hits been made. New.lines hnvo been construct ed and new branches built and in at least ono instance a road which was ono year ago lying idle, is now in regular operation. Houtos for now railroads hnvo boon surveyed, nnd now lines havo been projected, tho construction of which will be of incalculable bcncllt to the territory. Our foreign commerce has kept pneo with the increase in tne population nnd wealth of tho territory. A Btndy of tho statistics of our com merce nnd shipping will convince tho most incredulous of tho vast propor tions which tho foreign commerce of Washington territory must speedily at tain. Seattle (W.T.) Chronicle. Don't let tho niosa accumuluto ou tho roof of your house, it is liable to catch fire, especially in tho summer timo. Avoid all accidents by usiog Burnett & Co'. Imperial Limo Paint. Woodward Dro'a- are agents for Salem and vicinity, nnd will apply it cheap, (live them a call. mont of laws making it n misdomennor punishablo by n lino of from ten tothrco hundred dollars, or imnrisonmont, or both, for a child to tnko singlo qunil egg from tho ncBt, or to catch a trout from tho brook on his own father's farm," all of which tho farm rniscd, nnd is ns much entitled to tho ownership of, ns nro ho guns and dogs belonging to these "pil fering trespassers upon his premises." Were tlio farmors or tholr sons to coin- mit liko trespass upon tho premises of tho "sporting gontry," they would bo promptly jailed ndd lined. Brothor ag riculturists, do you not soo tho position in which thoso "rod and gun" gontry havo placed you? Tho remedy a in your own hands. All honor to tho farm- ors of Prospect Hill for tho movo thoy nro making in this matter. Tho humming bird is tho smallest and most beautiful of tho feathered family. IIo subsists upon small insects and tho nectar of flowers. IIo is thcro- foro useful as woll as ornamental. Tho humming bird family is a largo ono, most ntitnorous undor tho equator, nnd di minishing in numbers nnd variety ns thoy approach tho poles, Tho hummers nro peculiar to America. No other country in the world can afford to sport such n beautiful nnd sparkling jowcl in thoir foathcrcd fauna diadem. It is a wonder that "sportsmen" don't go "gun ning" for them, nnd ladies wear them on thoir hats. Oregon is accredited with only ono variety of hummer, tho "rufu ous backed;" but I havo seen two or thrco specimens (and been told by others) of n small hummer, that so far as I had opportunity of observing, wns of a bright scarlet color. Tho humrnor builds his nest of moss linod with hair, hanging it in tho fork of n twig in tho bushes. Tho eggs nro two in number, white, nnd vory largo for tho nizo of tho bird. I como now to a largo and important class of birds known as "cono bills," from tho Hhnpo of thoir bills, which is largo at tho base, short and tapering to a point. I shall hnvo to contont myself with briof mention of these, as theso articlos hnvo already been spun out longer thnn wns oxpectcd, yet tho subject will notreceivo otto-half tho justlco its importnuco de mands, for hick of both time, spneo nnd ability. Tho birds now under consideration eat insects, and also, in their season, seeds and fruits. Among them nro most of our tine singers and most desirablo cago birds, of which tho universally popular canary is a sample. Of finchos wo havo tho goldfinch, Oregon snow bird, Lazuli llnch, purple finch, pino (inch. Of tho sparrows, tho common grass finch, tho white-crownod, nnd some others ; tho English sparrow of tho At lantic States we havo not, and don't want him. In tho East, whero he was introduced with tho expectation that ho would do lietter work than tho natives, he has not only failed to do the work expected of him but has driven out the native birds, and bocomo such an intol erable nuisance that efforts nro now be ing mado to romovo him, and a war of extermination, costing thousands of dol lars, besides the damage ho hps already dono nnd is still doing, is tho result of his ill-advised introduction. Will tho people of Oregon loarn wisdom by the orxperienco of others! ' Quien saba. Of the grosbeaks, wo have the black headed, quite common, and his cheerful song can now bo heard nlong tho creeks in these hills, ovory morning. Tho levelling grosbeak is hero also, but I don't think ho nosts here. IIo appears to bo "only n passnnger," and comes in small flocks about tho timo tho cherry trooa bloom. IIo is the bird who is accused of nipping off tho cherry blossoms, for fun ; in which ho is un doubtedly badly slandorcd. Theso birds aro fine singers, and mnko splondid cngo pots. Tho Twohce, or ground robin, nnd which is not n robin at all, ns it docs not belong to tho thrush family, which lives goncrally in brush land, is n vory ueoful bird. Of black-birds wo havo brewers, and tho rod-wing. Thoso nro not on good terms with tho nvcrngo fnrmer who is inclined to look upon tho black-bird as an enemy, yot many kind things may bo said of him. Ills chief food is in sects, yet no docs not object to grain. In numbers ho is sometimes formidablo, but garrulous and socinblo, nnd is not given to tho ovil practices of tho jay. Altogothor I regard this bird ns do cidedly worth of partronagc. Liko most of tho "cono bills," ho is n fair singor, antUjoea his best to cheer tho farmer ns ho swontingly follows tho plow, or gathers his "golden harvost," (wheat GOo). And ho must bo stingy indeed, who would rcfuso him tho littlo pay ho nsks for tho music and labor performed. When you go to a concert or an opera, you "pay your monoy nt tho door," for the anticipated plcasuro of tho enter tainment, nnd you do not grudgo tho plttancoyou hnvo paid when you get your monoys worth," but horo you aro oflcrad a frou ontortnimout, by operatic performers of excellence unattainable by human skill, nnd yot thoy nro human bipeds moan enough to get tho labor, onjoy tho music, and then shoot tho performers, which is as bad as tho Prohi bition party of this State served J. W. Watts. Tlio so-rallcu "gamo birds," grouse, pheasant, and quail, can only bo con sidcrcd us friends, for they eat insects, and usunlly pay with thoir lives, for what littlo wasto thoy mny chanco to pick up. As to tho Japancso phcnsnnt, lately introduced horo by Mr. 0. N. Denny ; fear it is a mistake. Nnttiro has given overy country n flora, nnd n fauna, peculiarly adapted to its conditions and requirements, nnd tho introduction of anything foreign, except It bo kept un der domestic survilnnco nnd manage ment, it is vory apt to provo disastrous. Either tho Introduction rofuscs to nc ccpt tho situation nnd dwindles nnd dies out. or, if it prospers, it is usually at tho oxponso of its nativo cogener; often moro desirablo than itself, which it displacos to obtain room. This phcnsnnt is no exception to this rule Ho is lnrgor, stronger, moro alert nnd vigorous than our nativo species, nnd will, In nil probability, drivo them bo foro him, and whatover wo mny, or mny not, euro for our grouse and pheasant, our bcautuul Oregon quail wilt bo among tho birds thn. wcro and aro not; nnd tho balanco botweon our insect nnd bird fauna will bo injuriously disturbed, through tho folly of our Legislature in pandering to n fow 'city Bportsraon" who nro us only ono to a thousand of our population who hnvo rights. Thore is uo claim that theso birds wero intro duced to servo nny useful purpose. It is for a fow "sportsmen" only, that our Legislature is compelling tho farmers of Oregon to gratuitously ralso theso foreign birds, which will in nil probabil ity ropent for us tho English sparrow lesson, without tho consolation of our having the Eastern peoples excuse for learning it. Experience is a dear school, etc. I cannot in justice lcnvo a few crea tures other thnn birds without Kpecinl montion. Tho toads and frogs nro nil insect eaters and thcrcforo beneficial. They aio not venemous, nor in nny way injurious, nnd tho toad especially de serves kind treatment Tho bat is the tntcrmodiato link be tween tho bird and animal creation. Harmless and innofTeusivc, living entire ly upon insects ; he pursues his noctur nal avocations in tho interest of man kind. The shrew mole, which is com monly but erroneously called n mouse, lives ou insects and is beneficial. The skunk I give special mention, as somo timo ago saw in tho Farmeu an nrticle eulogistic of this unsavory animal wherein he is claimed to bo pre-eminently insectiverous, but for his only fault an innato love for an occasional chicken he lias gained tho enmity of the farmer. Whether you were deceiv ed in tho polecat race, or only wished to stir up your readers to investigate matters not. Be not deceived. The skunk eau insects, no doubt, when he cannot get anything else, and he also cats mice, when ho can catch them, but ho robs tlio nest and cats the eggs, or young of every bird hecan get, nnd ns he follows his vocation nt night he has tho advantage. If nnyono prefers skunks to birds, so bo it to him ; but I regnrd tho skunk ns n fraud, n pest, a thioving marauder, in fact n " regular stinker." Ho sneaks around in tho night timo liko n Uliinoso ngltntor, to plunder nnd de stroy his betters, and when prey is scarco ho pays his unwolcomo visits to tho farmors barn or henhouse, sucks tho eggs, kills tho fowls, and, liko tho average peripntcctic peddlor of prohibi tory platitudes, ho pokes his noso into other peoples businoss generally. And whon tho farmer romonstratos against his mcddlosomo intrusions ho replies with a shot from his "vincgarctto" that smells like tho latter end of an ill-spont lifo, nnd then tho injured innocent goes abroad to his bug hunting and semi starvation and is culogizod as a public benofactor. To bo continuod Those Blaloclc Lands. Our farmers goncrally havo been n full year bohind in financial affairs, but with good crops nnd fair prices this year they will como pretty near getting oven with tho world, when thoy will hnvo n better show to prosjicr. Tho Marriner boys put out qulto nn extensivo orchard on tho sunny sido of tho Blalock hills two years ngo this spring, nnd Dr. Binlock informs us Hint thoy wilt hnvo a lot of peaches, pears, apricots, npplcs, cur rents nnd gooscborrics this year. They nlso hnvo somo penoh trees two years old, from tho pits, that aro livo inches in clrcitmforcnco and over two inches in dinmoter. In fivo years timo this sec tion will present n delightful olTcct, as tho eyo rosts upon nn nhnost unbroken floldof waving grain from tho Columbia to tho Bluo mountains, interspersed by thousands of ton-acro groves of forest trees, plnntod under tho timber culturo act, nnd thousands of fruit orchards,, which will adorn tho hills'dos whore thoy nro too steep for the pioiltablo raising of grain. Tho groves nnd or chnrds will roliovo our hills of their now barren nnd uninviting appoantmc, nnd will attract moisture, making this ono of tho most f.ivorod nnd inviting sections under God's bluo skies. From Arlington Enterprise. Tho best romedy for tho destructive cnbbngo fly its pyrcthrum. Mix ono part of pyrothrum to twenty of flour or ono tnblospoonful to two gallons of water. Blow tho first mixture over tho plant with n hand bellows. Tho liquid mix ture is forced on tho planU with a foun tain pump. Pyrcthrum is non-poisonous-to animals, but .suro death to most in sects and grubs. Fnrmor's Attontionl It is n woll known fact that tho man that buys tho ohoapest can afford to soil tho cheapest. That' what's tho matter with Port A Son, Druggist", No. 100 Stnto street. Burhlcn'i Arnlrn HalTr. The Beit Salre in the world for Cuts. Bruitej, Sores, Ulcers, Silt ltheum, Fever Sores, Tetter, Chapped Hands Chilblaini Corni, and all Skin Kruptiona, and positively cures Pilet, or no pay required. It la guaran teed to givo perfect aatiitaction, or money re funded. Price S3 cents per box. For sale by Port k Soo. Crop reports from Grnnt countv sav that tho protpects aro very fine. ChoVeta WotWs COjnt as SutWUWcU. Vfc COTT.S SU&tatt Vtct rvVlHouX vtartunp vsUaxOe.X0US,AW& often TaXoX. lRYOlP?EPlRD for its coming cwy oK VOUY iocmWy ovr rAtacfa6usPRQMPT atfriotx oxy "tnay savaWfa. .Tov l itV r Aft C OME wiiitVw Hoi tD T EH It J ALWAYS curtc CHOLEMCHOIEMMORBU5 Diarrhoea, Dysentery WVcantaKe it With iT?tet safety. "TKU mtclictue rmwDavts'" "PainKiUer. Toj QVU4ftSttUC!t it WOWAtxqvt. It ovi Rvr4 . For saUbqliI)ruttuf. JrllraVIS5tH.. r'alMhtl.'rtL
