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About Independence enterprise. (Independence, Polk County, Or.) 189?-190? | View Entire Issue (July 17, 1902)
INDEPENDENCE ENTERPRISE AND WEST SIDE. INDKI'KNIJKN'CK, I'OLK COUNTY, OUKOON, JULY. 17, 1902. VIVT1I VI'. A t. STRAWBERRY INDUSTRY. t tiliitli People to Hlarl tlii i:iiterprle. POLK COUNTY THE NATURAL HOME r tin llcrryNo lletter Noll mill l!lhiirtti fr the Pur. MIM" Cotlld III i'Nlrit. No more welcome news ha come to the knowledge of the people of Independent and vicinity thin the fact that the great strawberry industry now engaging the Hlten tini) of many is soon to he estab lished here on quite an extensive plan. Home ol our energetic and nthuslatic eitUen have for some time pant been looking up, and working up thi very important project, till it has culminated in the organizing of a grower' union t carry forward this industry UKin a uniform and co-operative plan. It in self evident that there in no section of the country Letter united and more promising of profitable returns than in thi immediate locality. The noil here is well adapted to those varieties of the strawberry, which command the highest market prices. These varieties can he raised here with .J.M Jabor . and... xpenee, and in greater abundance than elsewhere. Moreover market are near at band, or if shipping fuculitie are desired, there are no better to be found than in Independence. From an industrial standpoint, no preiiter rr more fortunate thing ould happen to Independence. A Mr. llofcr. of Salem, very truly states: "It would give Ulnir for nil the people at a time when work is scarce and would put money in general circulation. All that ia needed i a spirit of rustle and enterprise. No bonus, no capital, do new equipment is demanded." As the strawberry is indigenous to this locality and can bo better grown here than elsewhere, its cul ture may be depended upon as always successful. In every enterprise the great question always is asked, "Will it pay?" It ia stated that last year the .Salem growers cleared from $125 to $300 per acre on their crop, while Hood River growers realized a net profit of $ 100. One quart Is the average yield of a plant for one season. Planted three feet apart each way, the plants count 4500 to the acre. This yields an average crop of 200 crates to the acre for five years Growers can very easily estimate the returns from this basis they are certain of receiving from II to $2 per crate for their berries if they wish to ship them and not less than 75 cents at the cannieries at home; hence the cost of production being small the profits are satis factory and sure. Our citizens should aid i.i every possible man ner the efforts of those, who are endeavoring to push this enter prise forward to a successful com pletion. Independence has abundant natural resources if only developed, to make it one of the most flourish- , ..(.. tm. -. . I I 'ft (ft eft ft ft (ft (ft ft ft ft ft eft ft (ft ft WW- K - C ' ( Crl, pf Strwbrrla.-'iry ol I'm.IMc II"m. lrwt, HhIkiii, ((rruoii. Ing cities in the Willamette Valy j and this strawlwrry industry lsj certainly one of them. Time to Train (Strawberries. t'ol. liofer, of Salem, who is en thusiastic on the strawberry ques tion had two acres planted to ber ries this year which netted him $500. Two hunnred and fifty dol lars an acre is a pretty good re turn, he thinks. The Cotonel gives the results of his experience of many yean, in the following letter to the Pacific Homistead of Sslcm: June is the time to train the vines for new plants to set out early in the fall. If properly done, grower of , strawberries can vain nearly a year' time on new acre age. There is all the difference of a year between much of the nursery stock from the far East and the beet homegrown plants. It will pay all who expect to grow for the market to look after a grod plant supply for next year. Some plants will be needed to fill in missing plants in old patches. If new 'acreage is to be put out making the new plants is 'very important Most strawberry growers raise some plant to sell. For all these purposes plants should be made as strong as possible, and a few sim ple rules about raising strawberry plants may not be out of place: 1st The best plants are obtain abln only from new stock that is plants set out last fall or this spring. Plants from older vines have not the vigor and vitality of growths from the younger stock. 2d. Do not make over one to four plants from a hiil. By setting the first plants that run out and fixing them to the ground with a stone or Jump of earth they will root immediately. All secondary runners starting from this new plant should be removed. By this process you will get large strong plants with great root power and with a fully formed crown, and if set out as early in the fall as the ground will permit, you will get a profitable crop next spring. Plants grown in this way and set out in the latter part of September or early in October will look like a field a yeer old and bear nearly as much. It will be argued that this is a great deal of work, and you will ask "Does it pay?" I hove tried both ways and am satisfied a trial will convince you. The old way of making strawberry plants was to let a plant set all the new plants it fs l.il 1 c l i i) ) would sometime 20 to SO, and often a perfect mat of plants, none of them large or strong, and most of them puny, weak and emaciated None of this kind of stock ever makes much of a crop the first year after planting. With such plants the rule is to wait a year for a crop. It takes a year to get them on their feet, to grow a crown that will produce fruit in profitable quantities, for all time such plants will never be as strong as if the vines had been trained and limited to producing on an average of two new plants to the bill. As the runners have to be re moved from each hilj after the fruit is ofT, it is not much more work to train two plants for new stock. Aftor picking, go through the rows you want to make plants from and remove all weeds, then go through and train the two strong est runners, laving a clod on the runner next to the first joint and pinching off the runner that is just starting. Train them with the rows so that you can run the culti vator through once in awhile. One hand can train several thousand in a day. and each plant grown this way. if set out early in the fall, will produce 2 cents worth of fruit next year of the finest quality. If such plants are grown near to where new acreage is to be laid out, they can be removed in th fall with the earth on the roots and never stop growing. It will be said this means work, but it is work that pays. We have been paying too little attention to getting plants started right and we have been growing too much poor product as a result. A weak plant will not only lose us a year in the crop but will never havo the vitality and productiveness of a proDerly trained plant. I am satisfied that it will pay any grower to raise his own plants in this way. The nurseryman who grows plants to handle by the thousands, at $l..r0 to 12.50 per 1000, is doing it to meet competitive commercial con ditions, but the strawberry grower for profit must go to the beginning and grow his plants on correct principles if he would get the greaiest results. If a Man Lie to You And Bay some other salve, ointment, lotion, oil or aliened healer is as good as Bnuklen'e Arnica ISalve, tell him thirty years of marvelous cures of piles, burns, twils, corns, felons, ulcere, cuts, scalds, bruises and skin eruptions prove it the best aud cheapest. 25c at Kirkland DrugCc's. I'nIW Comity Man Attempts to Kud III Life With Poison. John Ii'tmington, an employe on I. Hansen's farm, near Dallas, took carbolic acid with uicidal in tent, says o telegram to the Ore gonian July 14. He left Hansen' house before breakfast, went to the pasture and there took a large dot-e of the deadly drug. When found he was in great agony. Medical assistance was immediately sum moned, and Remington was re moved to the home of his father. He is still alive, but little hope is entertained of his recovery. He li ft a note stating that the reason f.r his rash act was because he hud been disappointed in a love af fair. Remington is about 30 year of age, and the oldest son of Reuben Remington, a well-known Polk county pioneer. .. Changes Hands. This week L. S. Perkins pur chased the Rrisbine drug store at Monmouth, taking possession at once. .Mr. I'encins was ine lormer proprietor of the establishment. Mr. Brisbine, while he is undecided what to do, may conclude to ac cent a nosilion he has been ten dered in the commissary depart ment at Manila. A Pleasant Affair. Npeciul from lint nit VUta. The ladies of the Woodman Cir cle of Buena Vista, had a royal good time at their hall Friday even ing. The occasion was the semi yearly installation of officers, and in their usual whole-hearted style of entertaining the ladies made the occasion most pleasant. After the installation ice cream and cake were served and the remainder of the evening spent in social con verse. The new oflicers are: Guardian neighbor, Mrs. Adda Pillar; Past Ouardian Neighbor, Mrs. Addie Calbreath; Advisor, Miss Lulu Locke; Magician, Mrs. Carrie Kreutz; Attendant, Miss Adelaide Hecker; Captain of Guards, Miss Ethel Locke; Inner Sentinel. Eaton Revens; Outer Sentinel, "Gabe" Locke. This order is rapidly increasing in membership here and its popu larity is its own recommendation. Three candidates were iuiiiated on this occasion, and three more are to be ushered into the order at the next meeting. The ladies are just ly proud of their organization, which has a. bright prospect in future. Already their roll-call contains about 50 names. Chautauqua Association. 'The Willamette Valley Chau tauqua Association will be held at Gladstone Park, near Oregon City. July 8th to 19th; reduced rates via Southern Pacific Co's lines on the certificate plan. Special attraction this season, Chemawa Indian Band; base ball, every alternoon; Chas. Craig the noted impersonater. Dr. Robt Mc Intyre, the great word painter of the west, and Thos McClaTy. the entertaining lecturer. On July 10th the Hon. Henry Wattersnn will sneak on 'Money and Morals' and on July 11th will deliver his celebrated lecture on Abraham Lincoln. July 10th the entire program will he furnished bv pupils of the Chemawa Indian" school, music, vocal and instrumental, recitations Kuan hull ami a errand closing con cert by the Chemawa Indian Band, should make this day one of interest and entertainment. For programs and further in formation call on nearest Southern Pacific agent." To The Front! Hjwcial from Hueiia Vista. A wave of proirity, awakened energy, aroused ambition, or what you will, apjari to have struck this corner of Oreifon. There is a buzz and a whirr' of business about our ears that i re freshing' new to the Wetf(Kter. In city, town and village the influence is felt, thouuh oerhaus only a few, here and there, pause to consider and in quire the reason. There is an unusual influx of Eastern people to our borders the past ten or twelve months. Many of these strang ers have cash and are seeking a location. Houses id the storm-swept fcast have been sold, and all bridge have burned behind them as these people turned to Oreuon. Homes they must and will have here, regardlee of the Cost. The money placed in circulation by these new comers, during the paet year, would, if set out in round numbers, amaze one. They have the money, we th land. Herein ia the key : Land is In greater demand, hence its value is eohanced. Capitalists pay the laborer and the laborer places his earnings in circulation again, and times improve. It is only a question of time, and not so long a time as one might fancy, until all the oesiraoie lanu near the larger Dusines centers will be taken; necessity, go farther into the interior to find a home. Birena Vhta should bid for its quota of immigrants. Excellent farming land and beautiful home sites are all about us. The location of Buena Vista itself is most picturesque and beautiful. But there is need of a rousing awaken ing. There are too many neglected fences, too many "shacks", too many untidy yards and alleys, too many placefewhere sidewalks should be but are not. too many evidences that the owners arefbecoming Moss backs in reality. Let each one take up this matter and make it personal. Let all work in unity at the end that property may be enhanced in value; that a desirable class of new-comera may be induced to locate in this section ; that other business enterprises may find a welcome, and that we may eventually become a live country vil lage where peace and plenty will be the lot of all. Ballston. Work hands are very scarce here and farmers are short of help to harvest their grain. J. C. Wilcox went to Portland this week to work. Grandma Birks has been quite sick, but is better at present. Miss Winnie Sears has just re covered lrom an attack ot so-called smallpox. She was exposed before leaving school at Eugene. Our school teachers will receive the following salaries next year: Principal $45 per month; assistant $35. Edward Dorton rode the .Wood man goat Saturday. Jf H Butler has been elected clerk of the Woodman camp here in place of A. W. Thornton, who has gone to rortiancu There was a large attendance at the annual basket meeting of the Christian churches, bunaay. Mem bers from Salem. Dallas, Sheridan anu AmilV were ureecm. j. -n i . . . , r A Dotson, ot rortlana, preacnea doio morning and evening. Rev. Arthur Ham of Bheridan assisting. The next meeting will be held the 2d Sunday in July, TJOo at isaustou nicnic erounds. Sheridan church will have charge, R. A. Porter is chairman of committee. Mrs. N. M. Conner, has gone to Portland to visit her father, who is dangerously sick. Miss Lena Stouffer, of Dallas, is visiting Milt Davis and family, at Willamina.