Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-05-29
Letter from Oregon.
ALBANY, BENTON Co., OREGON.
April 22nd. 1879.

mission, L will give you sketch O.
the country and things in general.
The Willamette Valley, in which
l have been residing since Novem
Der, 1877, is a beautiful valley with
a few small hills and large prairies
We have a delightful climate, warm
and pleasant. The health oc this
country is very good, better than
that of East Tennessee.
In the first place, l will write OF
| the customs, beginning with the So
ciability that now exists in the peo-
pie of Oregon. This grand princi-
pie seems to be natural, as sociabil-
ity exists in all classes and among
all stations, consequently emigrants
and strangers are taken into the So
cial circle and soon made to feel at
home among these generous people.
As to fashions, they are something
like Oregon weather, variable. The
people resort to the best fashion
magazines and bazars, and follow
them as well as their means will ad
NIT. Their amusements consist of
various kinds, to suit the tastes of
all, and are generally conducted in
an agreeable style, calculated to
Danish the worst case of the blues.
The moral amusements, if they may
be called amusements, consist of
Sabbath Schools, temperance organ
izatiOns, Bible readings, &C., and
are attended by both old and young.
Religious denominations of all
kinds and creeds are carrying on
their good works throughout the
entire State.
The great curse Of intemperance
had invaded the homes, business
houses, workshops and in fact had
spread its desolation through the
entire State, and drinking was in
dulged in by all classes but for.
tunately the temperance cause was
sent to the peoples rescue, and its
good WORKS have produced a great
reformation among them. It's noble |
results are, industry, contentment !
and prosperity.
The principal cereals grown are
wheat, oats, barley, etc, the chief
being wheat. In fact
It is the standard production of all |
our farmers, and seems to be one
Of Oregon's natural productions
and he who spends his time and
labor in the cultivation of this
grain will always be amply re
warded and crowned with that sue
cess which is characteristic of the
Oregon farmer. Oats and barley
are grown to quite an extent, and
IRE adapted to the soil, but the
armers DO not depend on either of
hese as standard productions.
As to sowing time, people gems
rally SOW their grain when the
ground is in good order, but the
ime for sowing spring grain, to
make a success, is between the
IOutAo VI Marcn ana May, but S
God crops have been harvested
own as late as the 18th of May.
all crops are soWn all the way
rom September to the middle Of
'oVember, and abundant crops
ave been harvested from grain :
'wn throughout the entire winter.
The yield of spring grain would
OF, perhaps, to take the seasons as t
ley come, make an average of
yer fifteen bushels per acre, as
lie seasons differ so much.
Fall sown crops on summer fol-
wed land could safely be put at
twenty-five bushels per acre, while
lat sOwn on stubble land would
ot reach more than twenty bushels
l an average. Oats sown either
spring or fall will make an aver
e of thirty per acre. Barley is
It very extensively cultivated in
rtions of this country, as there is
It one kind of soil adapted to it.
) average yield is about twenty al
e bushels per acre. hi
Flax is grown but little as the =,
i and climate are not adapted for
maturity. O..
The customary prices paid for Co
oduce are as follows: Wheat Ju
Il average SOC per bushel, oats rs
c, barley soc, irish potatoes 75o, 60
4 owing to the great quantity of e.
it it is impossible to give cor q
t estimate of the prices, as they
y owing to the quality raised, Go!
.on II to lie, coffee 20 to Soc, n n
ar 123 to 15c, dried apples 5 to
per pound, dlied plums 10 to E hg
per pound. ca
live stock of all kinds, begin, %
g with horses. They are classed
farm, buggy and saddle horses. AS AZ
ID substantial farm horses can s sig
bought for from $3.50 to $3.50 Go
span, owing to size an quality. Sc
ggy horses range from $500 to 2 .
~ per span. Saddle horses from Pin
to 1928 per hand. SsiS5
jattle are different prices accord Gov
to grade.
1Ood mich COWS can be bought Car