The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-06-19
Letter from MIR. Newsom.
EDITOR REGISTER :

VI Inspecting the crops, STOCK, etc., passed
into your county, and remained couple
of days in Albany Prairie. His obser-
vations and uegestions, if of any account,
are at your disposal for publication.
From Washington Butte, the natural
and magnificent observatory" of Linn
county, person can look down on most
beautiful and charming panorama, spread
out before him in all the beauty of land
scape and hill and dale scenery At this
time of the year, Flora is lavish of her
gifts, and carpet of green is spread out;
and the vast fields of grain waive in view,
and the fl, cks and herds feast on the
luxuriant grasses. Albany Prairie is
doubtless the finest district in the VIII
lamette Valley for general farming pur-
poses. 1t must contain not less than
three hundred square miles of rich arabic
land. Much of this land is rather level
for successful cultivation in its present
condition, but I observe that all of it can
be successfully drained and when drain
ed is the very best tillablc land. Under
ground drains can be made cheaply, but
of great benefit, in the following manner:
Plow land some ten feet wide the whole
length of the slough or swail, and throw
out the middle as deeply as possible with
the pillow. Then use the shovel and slant
the sides down to the depth of from two
to four feet. Then place split sticks of
the size of large fence rails, two side by
side and one on top. Then upon these
place straw or old mats of hay and weeds.
Upon the whole of these fill in the dirt,
and make the surface a level one. The
land can be plowed and narrowed over
this without interruption. The supera-
bundant water will collect in this ditch
and run off, and the surrounding land
will become dry, mellow and very pro-
ductive These swails, thus prepared,
are superior for timothy meadows, as
well as for wheat, oats, peas, etc. The
lack of timber can be remedied effectual-
ly, so far as fencing is concerned, by
Usage orange hedges. There have been
strong doubts entertained hereabouts by
many as to the success of the Usage
orange for hedges in this valley. I saw
hedge on the farm of Mr.. Joel Huston,
IL miles southeast of Albany, in 1868,
and again at this time. He obtained one
bushel of seed from Illinois about IA
years ago, and planted portion of it in
a nursery, and transplanted the scions in
lines where they were to grow. His
health was poor all the time, and he did
not fully understand the proper mode of
cultivatng or trimming it. But wherever
the plants were headed back the hedge is
perfect barrier to all stock. It is max
ing very vigorous growth of undertwigs
this year; and the larger plants, not cut
down or pruned for the hedge, are now
bearing 'sapples," as they are called.
There will be this year several bushels of
the fruit. The seeds of one s'apple" of
the Usage orange on this farm last year
numbered $50. A pint of these seeds
numbers 4 $40 In wet land and in dry
land, the hodge is thrifty. There is no
barrier against stock of all kinds that is
so terrifying to them as this. Having
acquired full knowledge of the whole
process of planting, cultivating and trim
ming the Usage orange in Illinois, the
writer would be pleased to communicate
it to your readers, but space will not per-
NIT at present.
! All the early sowed and planted crops
in Albany Prairie are good as they now
appear. Sheep, horses and cattle, where
properly attended, look we'll here now.
The soil fruits and early apples are abund-
ant. but late apples will be rather scarce.
The best and most thrifty orchards are
around the "buttes" Wet lands are not
good for orchards here nor elsewhere
All the stock of this prairie should be
passed away, except such horses, cows
and hogs as could be thoroughly taken
care q the gear round. The fact that
wheat is now only fifty cents per bushel,
should be no obstacle to the farmers from
bringing all Albany Prairie into high
state Of cultivation as fast as possible.
There should be three or four artesian
wells bored in this prairie, and the water
first used for grist mills, then conveyed
all over the settlements in pipes for the
supply of water at all the farms for stock
and house use. Not bushcl Of grain
should ever be sent out of this county, a.
grain All should be ground here, and
the ofals used for the stock. The time
is near at hand when long trains Of carr