The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-06-29


ton between the Rocky aud Blue noun
tains possesses remarkably salubrious
climate, sufficiently warm and delightful.
ly agreeable in summer, but cold and
snow-mantled in winter. That
portion between tho Blue and Cascade
mountains, it is believed possesses one Of
the most mildly temperate, and even in.
vigorating climates ON the face of the
earth; snow, rain or hail seldom fall. OK
cept in the spring or fall; yet excellent
consecutive crops of wheat, corn. OATS,
peas, potatoes and garden vegetables
have been raised there without irriga-
tion, and almost the entire surface Of the
country is 5ountifulIy overspreud with
the richest ofgrasses. That portion be.
tween the Cascade mountains and the
Pacific enjoys climate eminenlly pure
and healthy, and as mild at 4s degrees
ofnorth latitude as the opposite side of
the continent does OF 40.
Rains fall occasionally in June, July
and September. more frequently in Oc-
tober. February, March, April and May;
and frequently, although far from inces-
sanity, in November, December and Jan
uary. The prevailing winds Of winter
are from the south and southwest, and of
summer from the North and northwest.
South winds here are slightly less warm
than in most parts Of the United States,
and they are less, certainly, and much less
copiously attended with rains.
Oregon is now, at home, known to be
and. ere long, abroad must become pro-
verbal for its healihfulness.
GRAM AND Winter wheat
may be sown from July to March, Red
wheat takes the character offspring wheat
and ripens same season, if sown in April.
BY sowing wheat after oats. nearly as
much oats is obtained as wheat. There are
many fields from which 2, 3. and perhaps
more successive good crops Of oats have
been taken from one sowing. Peas sown
broadcast, with or without oats, bring a
product about equal to wheat. Apple
and peach trees perfect abundant fruit
annually There are few bearing pear
treeSi in the country. Apple trees Of less
than two inches in diameter, are loaded
with fruit.
Wild white plums. grapes, cherries,
and black, red, aud yellow currants are
indigenousto to some portions of Oregon.
but are rarely found in this valley. A
choice white plum grows in the Umpqua
valley upon tree, Or rather shrub. So
small that their growing and ripened
fruit bends them TO the ground. Several
gentlemen of the immigration of 1s47
brought through good selections Of grow
ing fruit trees.
Oregon may be set down as well suited
to the growth aud perfection of fruits
Wild berries are very abundant. some of
which are peculiarly delicious. The ber-
RES are strawberries, dewberries. worlle.
berries, sallalberries. black and yellow
raspberries, gooseberries, juneberrics and
cranberres.
The cranberries are good, but found in
abundance only in the vicinity of the
ocean. The prairies may be truly said
to be literally red with strawberries. and
the. timbered openings blue with whortle
berries, in their season.
The whortlebery bush, except in the
mountains, like the Umpgua plum shrub,
is borne postraie upon the eartll's grassy
covering from the weight of its delicious
fruit. The wild strawberry Of Oregon is
larger and better than any we have ever
seen, except the largest ofthe large gar.
den cultivated English strawberry. The
whortleberry has more acidily than those
of unshaded growth, growing east of the
mountains. English gooseberrics and
currsnts are cultivated here with success.
VALLEY BETWEEN THE COAST RANGE
AND THE PAcIFIc.--Un,il recently, the
coast range Of the mountains has been
supposed to form the immediate shore of
the Pacific, such is the appearance from
the sea, but the fact is otherwise. The
coast Of the Pacific has been explored
about 100 miles south of the mouth of the
Columbia. and for this distance the bold
rocky reef forming the shore Of the Paci-
fic is found to be distant from the coast
range of mountains. and separated from
it by very considerable valley, This
mostly covered with timber, yet contain
ing many prairies, somo Of which are
several miles in extent. Tho soil of the
valley is deep, black and rich.
Some of the prairies are covered with
clover, and other grasses; but they are
more usually covered with fern, which
grows To the height of eight. and some
say ten feet. Fern lands have been usu-
ally avoided in this country; yet a tall,
heavy growth Of fern indicates a rich
deep soil.