The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-08-25
LETTER FROM OREGON.

ME- ALyflsas LdhihSs " suis NS"utsf wa DS .
read with interest by his huuerOuy friends. /
and also by those who wish 70 sst 3 better
kaowledge Of ttal iar-of country.
HillsbOrOugh. Washington CO., o. T.. 4
II Msy 10Th, 1859. j
DEAR FATHEE Your letter bearing date
Oct. Y5,6, eaIno 10 hand about two months
since, BY which ] was haPpy 70 earn YOU
were all enjoying reasonably good health,
aud though the mercy OF kind providence,
myself and family, are permitted TO enjoy
the same blessing.
AS ! have nothing 70 write Of particular
import shall endeayor to give YOU some fur
Iher history Of THIS country. SO ian as have
become acquainted with the same, as to eli I
mate. soil. productiyeness, society &c., DC.
But in the first place, | must give you a
brief description OF the situation Of my own
claims. have taken claim Just one mile
from Hillsborough, or rather bought it, for
which paid 500 containing $40 acres, on
which there are about so aegss of Prairie,
great portion Of the balance is what is here
Iepmed open timber land, which produces the
best Of graziag for stock. There is an 9th
er portion OF it that is very heavy timbcrcd
with Fir, Cedars. Ash and Oak, also some
bitter Naples, Yew, Hemlock and Alder
There are also three lasting streams of wa
ter. running through it, one Of which rises
from spring about ESQ yards from where
have built. One from q neigh6oging spring,
and the other is a brapch OF the Tualatin Riv
er, on which have an excellent mill scat
NV prairie land lays in the east end of my
claim, in very convenient position for en-
closing Here in the edge of an oak grove,
| have built my house, in full viewed of old
Mt Hood and Mt. HELEN, two of the
loftiest peaks in the cascade range OF noun
tains, and are perpetually covered with snow
We have alsoa very handsome prarie direct
lv in front of us, which is about six miles
long, aud from two 10 five miles wide, and
is in such position that we can at all times
see the farm houses from one end tp the other.
From an early period in the spring, until
late in the fall. this prairie is literally COW
cred with fields af grain, and numerous bands
of cattle and horses grazing and sporting
over the plains, which render the scenery
rather interesting.
have now troubled you with much Ion
ger description of my situation than had
intended when | commenced. | will now
endeavor to give you a description of the
climate, DC. The ra.ny season generally
commences in the month Of December, some
times earlier and continues pnil about
the middle OF March. During this season,
every thing wears a gloomy appearance ow
ing 10 the almost con .nually dr2zlmg rain,
but the temperature is much mllder than Ii
is in any part Of the States tlat every had
the pleasure of travelling in.
During the time. | have been here, J have
not seen it colder during winter than It is IN
Ohio through the month OF November ana
The most part OF the time about as cold as Ii
is there during the latter part OF October
In the middle of winter when it happens tC
be clear we will generally have tolerabIy
heavy frost at night, but during the day II
will become quite warm and pleasant. There
is very little snow ever fails, and ii it does,
it will not lie more than one or Two days al
most. About the middle OF March, the
weather becomes clear and warm, with now
and then shower, and sometimes it rams
two or three days until about the first OF
June, from which time until the middle ot
October, there is very little rain AbouI
the middle of ii :rch, ,eyegctatiqa will begin
to grow; and by the first Vi April, cv"rlhlng
in the shape of vegetation, assumes lively
appearance, and continues growing until il
is stopped by the dry season, when they have
come tomaturity, and wither away.
During March, April, ,,and Aay, the wealth
or through the day IS very warm and pleas
ant, and the nights cool During the month";
Of June, July, August, and ,partjot Sep;em-
ber, the days become so warm tkat lit
is almost impossible forany one to- labor frcm
about t o'clock, A. NJ, until 3 p. NJ. In
consequence Of "a sea-breeze .springing up
about this time the remainder of the after
noon is very pleasant and cool. The days
here are also considerably longer in summer
than they are in the States, and the nights
ST. ,4er. The sun rises before four O'Clock
in the morning, and sets after eight in the
evening, and in winter thesdays are shorter
in proportion, and the nights longer. In the
latter part OF September, October, and No
vember, the days are warm and PLEASANT,
and the nights cool.
have promised to give YOU some descrip-
ton of the soil, but beng no gecloglst, can
only give it from lis appearance and products
Previous to my departure from the States
for this country, had formed the opinion
that the soil here was far superior to any III
that country, but, since my arrival, | have
formed a different opinion. In fact, from the
appearance Of the soil 10 me, there are many
parts Of the States, particularly the Western
States, that have deeper and richer sol
than ibis country, and had they the climate
that is here, they could far exceed this coun
try in vegetation. Along the river bottoms
here, as in most other countries, they can
raise very fine vegetables, such as potatoes
onions, cabbage, beets, and most all othe1
garden vegetables. But On the plains, sucI
articles will not do any better than they d,
in most parts OF the States, unless they cal
be planted on ground that can be irrigated
The ground becomes SO parchcd during tn
dry season, that these articles seldom grol
as large as they do in the States, neither d
they produce as much per acre. Whca
and oats, as general thing, produce wei
If put in the ground in good season. Th
sol and climate appear well adapted to thei
groWth Wheat will average about 60 bl
per acre, oats, about 80 bu., when well pr