The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-12-29
WEALTH OF OREGON.

the pamphlet, Wealth and Resources
of Oregon" revised up to date. 1t is an
interesting book of 100 pages, and deals
with its subject in an intelligent, fair
and impartial manner. OF the state in
features, 1t says:
''Its area is 1924 square miles, or
nearly $4,000, 600 acres 1t is as large as
all the New England states, with Indi-
ana added, and larger than New York
and Pennsylvania combined. To more
fully impress the reader with the liberal
proportions of Oregon, it may be added
that it is half as large as France, nearly
twice as large as old England, five times
as large as Switzerland, and seven times
the size of Holland. Oregon has a pop
alation of over 100000. Were it as
closely settled as Switzerland, it would
have 100000 people; as France,
about II 900, 900; as Holland, about 25,-
oO0, 1000, or as England at least 40, 1000, 900.
In its proportion of productive and of
waste land, it will compare well with
the average foreign countries named.
In soil or climate or other conditions af-
fecting the growth of vegetation or COM
merce or commerce interests, the COM
parison would be vastly in favor of Ore
gon. Situated between the parallels of
A and 46:18 north latitude, this state
is not unlike, in climate and physical
characteristics, Virginia and Tennessee.
Oregon affords vast area of farming
lands, the best conditions to warrant
che production of heavy crops-without
failure for ages-and climate above
all others, enabling the husbandman to
work out doors at something every
month in the twelve. In it's proportion
of productive to waste lands, it will COM
pare we'll with the average of countries
of similar extent. In soil or climate, or
IN any condition affecting the growth of
crops, the com paIison would be vastly
In favor of Oregon. The truth is, there
IS little land in that vast region that is
not good for something, being adapted
to either wheat, barley, oats, hay, pas
ture, fruits, vegetables, timber, mining,
OF something else. There are those who
claim that there IS no state in the union
where there is less waste land in proper
tion to the total area than in Oregon
and, as remarked 10y an eminent trav-
eler: ''Here nature does not divide her
rain and sunshine into two great halves.
rs she metes them out in California.
Here it rains and shines by turns, as
smiles and tears alternate on those
happy faces never distorted by immod-
crate laughter, nor drawn down by per-
sistent grief" In many sections the
grass is green the year round. The soil
is as black and rich as the mud of
Egypt. The farmer can seed all fall un-
til Christmas, or all the spring from
February to May.
''No finer fruits of the kind raised in
Oregon-in flavor and size comparing
favorably with the best California varie-
ties-are produced in any quarter of the
world. Fruit trees grow from six to
eight feet the first year, and bear fruit
the second, third or fourth year accord
ing to variety. They thrive in the val
leys as we'll as on the foothills, and up
to considerable height in the mount
aims, but especially in sheltered, dry
SOAi' NJ ISCSAI AdlI6S ySdTl1uS pTun0s
peach and plum trees, eight feet four
inches high, and cherry trees seven feet
high were exhibited. Apples, pears,
peaches, grapes, cherries and the vari-
GUS small fruits, which for size, beauty
and excellence of flavor are not excelled
on the globe, are grown in the orchards
of that region. Pear blossoms along
the Columbia in February and March
harvest-apples ripen in July.
"Oregonshas for years been the great
cattle center of the Pacific Northwest.
1t is also noted for its production of
horses and sheep. The mild winter eli.
mate, the fact that the native grasses
remain green during the most of the
year, and the ease with which cultivated
grasses can be raised, together make
Oregon an excellent country for raising
every kind OF stock, The general prac
tice of Western Oregon farmers is to
provide fodder for only a part of the
year, allowing stock to roam at large
during the greater part of it; while in
Eastern Oregon vast numbers have
never tasted prepared food.
twenty-five thousand square miles, or
16,000,0 900 acres, of the mountain and
coast lands of Oregon are covered by
growth of timber such as, in diversity