Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-21
NORTHWESTERN OREGON,
ANermOnter's Description of the COuI
Try, the Climate and the Crnns.

NORTHWESTERN OREGON.
| VermOnter's Description Of the Conn.
Try, the Climate and the Crops.
10 The Editor OF the Free Press aud Times
The Willamette, (Will-am .ette) valley,
something larger than the State of Vermont,
is called the garden of Oregon. The viii.
lamette river, stream larger than the Hud-
son, divides this valley into two equal parts,
and its course is from South to North. The
river enters the Columbia about 100 miles
above its mouth. On the West bank of the
willamette river stands the City of Portland
twelve miles above its mouth with popula.
ton of 10000. Portland is the business and
commercial centre of Oregon and adjoining
Territories is accessible TO ocean vessels of
twenty feet draft of water aud is said to be
the richest city per capita in the United
states. Twenty-four miles above the mouth of
the Willamette river are the Willamette Falls,
where the town Of Oregon City Is located,
square up to which tide water sets from the
| ocean. Portland is twelve miles below the
falls and 40 miles from the sea- These falls
aggregate 40 feet, mostly by single leap
iiere Is a vast water-power, and never-fal.
ing, for the Willamette river has numerous
mountain tributaries, made by springs, some
OF them as large, if not larger than Onion
river. There are at present some quite large
mills and factories in operation, but only
fraction OF the power is utilized and were
every inch used it would be but drop in the
bucket, as it were, compared to that of the
Dalles and Cascade of the Columbia river.
River steamers pass these falls by locks and
Uncle Sam is just now busy supplying locks to
the Columbia river. The Willamette valley
was taken up, or by far the best portion of It
under the Donation Land Claim act which
gave to each married man 800 acres AMI the
same 10 his wife and to each in their own
right. 1t gave also the same to each male
citizen of the United States on declared such,
If 81 years of age. This act was in force
thirty years ago and quite good sprinkling
vi these old pioneers who claimed under it
are still found on their claims. So much
land to each family was well calculated to
make slovenly farmers, as there was
little Involvement to clear out the cor
ncrs and waste places and fence corners,
so long as cleared land would have to
lie untouched, and these settlers were so
sparse that their united force was small for
roads and district schools, etc. And after the
excitement caused by the rush of immigrants
in 1862 and the donation act ran out, the
settlers were few and far between. for there
was no alternative but to take their lives in
their hands and cross the plains or take the
not less dangerous route by sea When the
Overland railroad was built it helped some,
but still the sea voyage and the great ex-
peDse were obstacles. And under these hin
ORANGES Oregon has labored until the present
time, though the California steamers have been
quite well loaded with incoming passengers
for the past two years But soon the long
delayed Northern Pacific railroad will be
finished and other lines about the same time,
giving ample connection with the Eastern
States.
This valley is mostly prairie and generally
excellently watered 1t lies its whole length
between two high ranges of mountains, the
Cascades on the east and coast range on the
west, and is well sheltered. In Summer We
get Il modified sea breeze which makes de-
lghtful weather for harvesting. The great
number of tributaries of the Willamette river
flowing into it ut right angles, from the noun.
tains, are generally timbered along their banks
and give to most Of the land abundance
of timber. and all the adjoining mountains are
also heavily timbered. The improved lands
in this valley can be had for from ten to
fifty dollars per acre. Some of these farms
have borne thirty consecutive crops OF wheat
and still bear reasonably well. Since the
time Of the first settlement there has been an
occasional light crop OF grain, but never a
failure, and never failure of the fruit
crop. The fruit insects have commenced
their inroads, vet no curcuio, no complaint
Of insects In wheat and very seldom any from
rust. The nights are too cool for corn, and
would it grow well it would be out of the
question to cure it except by artificial heat in
this valley. Should say that Oregon as a
whole was the best country in the world,
and at the same time the poorest one
for stock of all kinds, and did
not qualify either statement, both
would be true in certain sense. This val
ley would be excellent to grow stock could
We bridge over the season from July LIST to
December list with good pasture. This has
not yet been done. In eastern Oregon and
adjoining Territories they have the bunch
grass, upon which cattle, hens and sheep
thrive the year round (unlcss shut Off by
snows). But of bunch grass there is but
small quantity per acre. aud hence the great
c, extent of range is required and when once
il is eaten and trampled out, it is gone TO re-
turn no more and in its place the cultivated
grasses do not flourish well. In this valley
you can grow ole good crop in a season, of
red clover and timothy, also of millet and Or
chard grass, and some others which ripen the
first part of July 1.-THE clover in June), The
upland on the average will grow two tons
per acre of timothy aud the bottoms more
which you may cut for hay and by the time
You get your hay carried or the stubble is
brown and dry. and IN an ordinary season
not blade will 1t give of aftermath till the
Fall rains set in, and but few scattering |
heads Of clover. A cow turned into so acre |
lot of timothy stubble afterthe hay is taken off |
would actually starve to DEATH Aud when |
the timothy is ripe, if you turn cows and
other stock into II to pasture, II soon gets
dry and woody, leaving only the seed, which
does not amount to much for feed Some
low bottoms afford pasture through the sea-
son, also the tide lands along the coast. but
most OF the cows in this valley are fed the
year round, unless they have wide range.
But all kinds of stock, II well cared for,
show wonderfully healthy and robust ap-
pearancc.
Those animals we read of that were SO
badly ''choked" on certain occasion seem
10 seriously miss the corn, though this may
be grown with some success In southern aud
Eastern Oregon, Columbia river, like the
Nile, overhows its banks In June, when the
stock has to be taken of from its bottoms
generally for about six We ks, more or less,
when they may he returned, and where NOT