Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-13
OREGON.
NOTES ABOUT THE WEATHER AND THE
OUTLOOK FOR PRODUCTION.
Cattle and Sheep-Sugar Growing Poll
tics-Railroads- Fishermen
The Columbia Bar-Etc.
PORTLAND, May 6, 1880.

gan to think the perlhellon had eliminated
at fever heat, and all the world was about
to dry up and blow away with the first
typhoon, and just about that time typhoons
came to us by every mail from the East, as
having plowed their way from the Gulf to
the st. Lawrence, leaving burrows of desc
lation to mark their pathway. But our
bodings and forebodings were cut short by
change of wind the strong apparatus of
the weather vanes pointed them toward the
north, and little cloud no bigger than a
mans hand came up in the southwest,
bringing cold airs with it, and grew into
an all-pervading cloud, and when we looked
again the world was being drenched with a
cold and drizzling rain. So we dropped
back into winter again and have had COM
fort in overcoats and umbrellas after the
same old sort, and rejoice in the existence
of wood piles; but the earth is green with
verdant sod, and boughs and shrubs show
bloom and LEAKAGE so we take heart of
grace and hope for better things.
CROP PROSPECTS,
A little too much rain prevents the put
ting in of spring wheat on the wet lands of
Willamette prairies, but otherwise the
farmers are nearly through their spring
work, both here and east of the mountains.
have been up the valley this week, and
so far as the fall wheat is concerned, or the
spring or winter wheat that has had time
to make a showing, the prospects could
hardly be better. In this valley much
larger area than usual is in fall wheat. and
it will not be unreasonable to expect the
entire yield of wheat here to be great
enough to afford double the quantity we
had for export in the harvest year just
closing. 1t remains to be seen how the
spring sowing will yield, or whether we
shall have again the conditions to bring
rust upon us. If we escape rust and are
offered good, or even fair price for wheat,
the farmers of western Oregon will realize
something of prosperity that they will
know how to appreciate.
From east of the mountains the news is
eminently satisfactory. There was touch
of drought in the early spring that caused
alarm, but there have been sufficient rains
for month past to satisfy the growing
crops, and enable farmers to put in all
they had any desire to. Eastern Oregon
and Washington promise well so far as it is
possible to judge of the season. While the
farmers in this valley have much more fall
wheat sowed than last year, those of East.
ern Oregon and Washington have less.
The reason given is that last fall, while the
roads were good they were engaged hauling
their wheat to market and neglected the
favorable time for plowing, and then fol-
lowed winter that was unusually severe,
so that the ground was frozen for months
and could not be plowed, and the conse-
quence is that they had less wheat sowed
than in 1879, though they may plow
enough this spring to more than make up
the deficiency in acreage of the fall sowing,
if the yield of spring grain is favorable.
CATTLE AND SHEEP.
The country east of the mountains has
been flooded this season with cattle buyers,
who have purchased all the saleable stock
of cattle and many horses, and are now
gathering their herds together to drive
them east. 1t looks as if more cattle were
sold than ever before, and the price paid
has been an advance of 20 per cent. on
former rates, which is proof of the advan-
tage of competition. Now they are having
competition for their wool, and, despite
the bear movement on part of manufac-
turers and spectators, they are bound to
get satisfactory price for the staples
The only drawback to stock men is
the possible loss they may have
sustained owing to the severe winter
In region where transportation is so
difficult, and imposes so onerous tariff on
produce, stock men have decided advan-
tage over wheat growers. In addition to
the good prices received for stock and
wool, the country east of the mountains
has good labor market, and, to some
considerable extent, good home market
for products, as a great deal of railroad
work is going on there. There is no rea-
son yet apparent why 1880 should not be
a year of booming progress and pros
perity for the entire region of the North
Pacific, for further north they have the
Canadian Pacific Railway already under
contract.
SUGAR.
The Commissioner of Agriculture seems
to think every State in the Union can
manufacture its own sugar, and as there is
hundred millions year to be saved by
making as much as we consume, the prop
osition has especial Importance 1t is un-
doubtedly true that nearly all the proceeds
of the wool clip of this North Pacific re-
gion last year went for the sweetening OF
our food and drinks and what confection-
ary we consumed. So it is matter of i'm
portance to us to get producing cane and
sugar. .beets, and manufacturing sugar, as
soon as possible. The Importance of this
seems to be fully appreciated in some Sec
tions, and steps are already taken to test
the question as to our ability to produce
cane and sugar-beets to advantage. The
people of Puyallup valley, over on the
Sound, have raised fund to be devoted as
premiums to those most successful in pro-
ducing the gar-beet, and if ordinarily
successful there, no doubt steps will be
taken to carry on the industry to the
manufacture of sugar. That region fills,
in measure, the requirements of soil and
climate for the successful growth of the
sugar-beet, as it has the humidity and the
cool nights in summer that characterize
the regions of Europe where the beet
sugar industry proves successful /; and
it is true that it only proves so in
limited extent of country, including
northeastern France, Belgium and parts of
Germany, Austria, Russia and Poland. 1t
is probable that much clay land in this
valley will also satisfy the same require
ments, while, as corn grows well in the
dryer and warmer summer climates of
Southern and Eastern Oregon, there will
be no difficulty in introducing the culture
of sorghum and making the growth of am
Der cane success in those sections of the
Northwest. Cane has been grown to ad-
vantage and manufactured into syrup in
jackson county, and citizens there will
grow it more largely this year and make
a test that will be satisfactory. If our
people can produce sugar at home it will
certainly add greatly to their prosperity,
and with the success of other nations, un-
der like circumstances, fully demonstrated,
there is good cause for encouragement to
those who make the attempt, though it
must be borne in mind that production and
manufacture, on a limited scale, is only ex-
pertinent, and to be successful and demon
strate the problem there must be abundant
capital and all the facilities for thorough
work on an economical basis. II we can
demonstrate that sugar beets and amber
cane will thrive here, there will be induce
ment for capital and enterprise to enter
the field and prosecute the industry.