Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-03-06

The beautiful city Of Salem II
the capital II Oregon aud the chief
~ Of Marion county, which is the
center " the Willanieie valley, II
region that eau be safely styled the
garden spot u the Pscific, unequal
ed for the beauty Of its scenery, the
productiveness u It's sill and extent
aud variety q iis agricultural aud
horticultural products. ~ many
respects, aud taken ~ whole, this
great valley surpass,s any simihr
exfsit d territory 10 h. found on
the face 81 tie earth, broad as
sertioB, bal one that II substanti-
aird iiy facts.
One Of the mort available and
fortunate features of this fertile
region il tbe capacity it has de
yeloped FOR growing and maturing
all the fruits known and grown In
the temperate zOnrs Of earth. Sa-
lem Il NOW the center ola disiFic.
fast becoming devoted 90 bOrticul-
raj uses. Tracts of land of a suit
able character are rapidly changing
from their old-time character Of
Dile-sluare grain-farms, originally
created ~ the donation, laud act
passed forty years ago, to beautiful
frIit-farpis. ranging in size from ten
to fifty acres. The land agencies
have only toadvertise their bargains
by conveying their customers to the
few observation-disclosures that are nos
in bearing, and show them what
their prsducts have been for years
past and what these products have
realized.
II II worse tia" fol'y to claim
that the fruit grower works "a mine
Of pure wealth, for everything de.
DeUds on good management, as In
all other occupations. Success only
attends the "eternal vigilance"
that II the price OF all other blessings
besides 'liberty" The grower
must study aud learn, lac must faith
fully practice correct melliods as
well as exercise ''eternai vigilance"
and use the well-applled labor, as
the price Of success Ia fruit growing.
But this II not treatise on horti-
culture, and we VIII proceed to state
some ficts concerning the subject Of
fruit growing In Western Oregon n
developed by annual experience up
TO the present time.
The soil of our valley Is Of basal
tic origin, such as Is characteristic Of
the lunds most noted for successful
production Uf fruits In Germany,
Italy, France aud other portions Of
Europe. This soil has lasting quail.
ties shown by experietice on the
oldest farms. The first field ever
s0wn 10 wheat In our state lies on
tho banks Of the Willamette la this
county, its owner states that since
oyer seventy years ago, 1t has pro-
duced wheat with only two years Of
rest and now turns or IS bushels I o
the acre. DurIngthe years since 1918
every acre has produced 2S5O bush
els OF wheat. THIS short statement
explains the wonderful strength and
yield of our soil The hills of which
there anu nnny ranges, that diversity
our valley during its length Of $50
miles, offer unequuled opportunity
for fruit glowing, ie locations are
thero bund above Tie lower kvcl
liable To aprlng trusts aud below the
higher range where frosls are 20 be
feared. Tile best locations for or
chards along the whole coast line
la Southern Oregon aud all Califur-
mia, are on the hillsides ar in the !
foot hin regions of the great ranges. /
n While the hill lands ares favlA1,ble 4
for frult ihe high r9llng pn,bie
lands poss,,ss similar Advantage, |
which places large proportion ot |
the areas Of Western Oregon within
the reach of the horliculluust. BE
sides our b,salllc laads with their
clayey cOmmiXlure, all the river
beds that are above ordinary over
How, being sand loams and natur
ally seli +le,ipins, are excellent for
many vafletts of fruit iicts. Those
Iot,itions are preserved ironi fros,s
by the immediate ViciHlty Of nIn-
ming water aud otl'I the best
opportunity Tor growing peaches,
alsD prunes DO we'll aud the higher
lands of sandy loan grow all trees
we'll Thus our region Possesses
arcas adapted Ia orchard
ing aud su.ll fruits, for straw
berriez, blaoklerrios. rasphegrlvs, Ia
fact the entie range oi small fruits,
San be produced in luNuriauce aud