Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-21


tame grasses and far more pi , Luctye and A
STOCK not excepting hogs will keep fat VII
yer as well as Summer 10 these rich prair
bottoms. The Columbia bottoms are by (,
tne pest COW pasture ever saw OF heard O
aDating the six weeks overflow which Or,
vents other cropping. The Columbia is frol
one to two miles wide, and GIBBS and flow
win the ocean tides up to the Cascade mour
talns, distance Of about 14O miles. Tbes
bottoms are from one half to a mile wild
ana besides them, numerous large island.
me lower section Of this river, say so or G
miles up, there is not much bottom land a
tue mountains often commence their ascep
OF the waters edge.
In ages gone by this region has been tb
paradise Tor that harmless and useful ami
maj, the beaver. And their labor
VIII long bless their destroycrs after thcs
skiltui builders shall have become extinct
IN ages long gone by, down to the intrinsic,
Vi .he whitc man (and some even yet re
mann all through this extensive region the,
carried their scientific dam structures acros
all the smaller streams flowing, from few
square rods up to tracts of hundreds of acre
IN extent. These ponds Of water from In,
WASH OIL the mountains and the silt of fla,
streams have become filled to the top of tb,
Dams, and have in these plenteous years be
come, not DIRT or soil, but, rather vast de
poslts OF beds of vegetable manure, eaua
IN fertility to any soil prepared by stab,
manure. However incredible it may seem
one OF my neighbors, Col. T. II. Cornelius
man whose word is not questioned wLcrt
he is known, told me he raised forty seven
tons OF parsnips on an average per acre (of A
acres, which count was tailed on his books
OF sale from his scales, as weighed, and the
same land would have borne a proportiopate
amount OF any other root crop of wheat. oats
or timothy. These figures are nothing
strange Tor beaver dam land. 1t has one
urawback It is usually late in Spring before
u becomes dry enough to plant and for grain
there is some danger of Fall rains in barves,'
ing. This land sells from $40 to 5000 per
acre, according to locality. 1t is usually
covered with an underground of brush or
small timber, which is slashcd down in clear.
ing, and when dry burned, and there is zen.
crafty enough peat to burn out all the roots.
80 when 1t is burned 1t is ready for The
plough. '"'
Another advantage, nearly all of it has
running water through it and can be irripa-
ted at trifiing cost, by cutting ditch
through the centre and provide the lower end
OF the ditch with dam and gate to omen or
close up. In midsummer when all is dry
and parched close your gate and raise the
wafer In the ditch as near the surface as Won
desire and hold il there, and all over your
heaVer dam you will find the water at the
same level 1t sin the ditch us there is SO
much porous matter under and in the subsoll
ana even In The surface soil that the water
soon saturates 1t to any given head. The
prairie and upland soil of Oregon is a loan.
the bottoms and beaver dams an alluyial de-
post, Both soil and climate make Oregon
the natural home Of the wheat plant. So far
as tho soil is concerned know of none in
Oregon but what is good soil for wheat, and
good wheat soil means a soil good for cv
erything else.
Inc willamette valley is excellent for
iruit and In the order of success and quality
would name them thus pears, plums and
Pruhc', apples, cherries, peaches and giapes
And without qualification | would saw all
the small fruits do well. But Vcrm6nters
VIII do better than the writer has done If
they lind any country better than Vermont for
the small fruits, ifproper cultivation is given
or roots, especially the potato. The timbered
land a'ong the foot hills and mountiips on
either side of the Willamette valley in the
main still belongs to the Government and the
RAILROADS The maximum price of these rail.
road lands is SO. 80 per acre and as much less
as may be agreed upon. These take the odd
numbered sections while the Government re-
tains the even numbered ones The latter
are opened Tor presumption and demonstrating
ana desirable numbered farms can be vet
taken When stock has good range and does
Wen ana some within ten miles of railroad or
fiver navigation. In Eastern Oregon there is
no timber except on the higher mountains
and but fraction of TIE land yet taken up.
NOW, In conclusion, will add that Oregon
anu adjoining territories is IN the main well
wattred and has mild and healthful climate
IA degrees above zero was the coolest day
the past Winter in this place. Its frontage
upon the sea gives 1t the world for its market.
lis resources OF coal, iron, timber ani all
useful and necessary minerals, POSSIBLY ey-
ceptlng TIM, also the precious metals IT..
water power and resources of game and fish
and timber are in abundance and the more
important ones like iron and coal are as vet
without computation. These all point to a
great and high destiny. But do not think
ali the good things are in Oregon
and all the evil things excluded. should
the wheat be attacked here as in the
New England and Eastern States over fifty
years ago and the devastation continued as il
has been there, ii is difficult to see what
FARMERS IN this valley could do, since they
could not iall back on stock growing or corn
raising. Though other grains and hemp and
fax could be raised, and if there were large
cities, poultry and vegetables cond be re-
sorted to, and with the additional hay crop
anu vegetables more cows could be kept and
the country not become depopuated. Eng
land, France and the German States have
made headway with wheat against the in.
sects and other things and the same dill.
gence might save this northwest coast.
But oregon needs greater infusion of
That old-fashioned New England s,ock-that
believes 10 God and has faith in common
schools and in human nature. And in this
sketch | have endeavored to state things as
they are and not to hold out Oregon as an
ever revolving kaleidoscope of flowers and
fruits, OF waving grain-fields, of flocks and
nerds, OF mountains, of balmy odors and gi-
ant trees, Ct waterfalls and fountains, of
'un-lit landscapes and glowing sunsets, but
rather where robust health may be had and
where &c )nomy, good management and hard
work mean success The Press at the present
lime teens with ovcrdrawn statements and
rose-colored descriptions of this Northwest
'rn country written by interested parties and
to mislead the enquirer. And
nave feIt called upon to say what have
'ald. II in any degree this hurried sketch
will contribute to my friends in
he East, especially in Vermont. a.
better knowledge of things in Oregon
t will afford me pleasure, as lcherish warm
md lively interest in the people and State
hat gave me birth. Though born between
he two highest peaks of the Green Noun.
aims my eyes have not greeted them in forty
'tars. Yet on memury's tablet they stand
'ut bright and clear, and on aud about their
esser heights my forefathers sleep, with
many friends and relatives also. Peace to
Ter dead, and honor to her living
w. l.. CURTIS.
Forest Green, Oregon.
President Garfeld's Physicians.
The following document which is endors- |