The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-01-09
BENTON's RESOURCES.
Interesting Write-up of this
County's Advantages in the
New Year Oregonian.

New Year Oregonian.
| The following writc-up OF Benton county
from the versatile pen of E. Z. Wilson, ap,
It contains brief statement of the county's
rich and varied resources as well as much
valuable statistical information.
Tne legislative act of 1898, creating Lin
coin county, left Benton oac of the smallest
counties in the stlte but one that for its area
can stand a general comparison with Others
of larger extent. Nature, in ordaining that
this county should be for the use OF the agri-
culturalist, hortieulturist and stockman, was
not spare with her gifts. Along the Viii
lamette river, that forms the eastern bound
AIRY limo, and extending back for 10 miles or
more into the foothills of the Coast range,
she placed soil adaped to general cultiva-
ton; to the lands OF the foothills she gave a
prevailing eastern exposure and a soil unsur-
passed for fruitgrowing. Approaching the
summit of the range, the slopes are covered
with verdure that affords excellent grazing.
The county contains, approximately, 415,
ono acres, 81, ,76l Of which are patented; and
II ,657 acres (neariy 20 per cent? under culti-
vation. The tax roll of 1894 shows an in
within the last year.
Tho crops grown hay been wheat and oats,
until recently, when the people, discovering
that their reliance must be placed on some
ether return from the land. have turned to
diversified farming and the result is an in
creasing acreage in fruit and hops.
In 1894 Benton county produced 43l $50
bushels of wheat, and $50. 449 bushels OF oats ),
1850 bushels of barley; hay, l4,G06 tons;
potatoes, II ,059 bushels; corn, 4090 bushels.
This is nots locality for growing milling
corn, and that raised was for private use.
AT Corvallis the elevation is $40 feet above
sea levol and from June, 1894. to June, 1895:
the lowest temperature registered was % de-
grees, in January, and the highest 95 degrees,
in August. The average temperature Of the
summer was 62 degrees; autumn, 81 degrees;
winter, 40 degrees. and spring, 80 degroos.
Twiceas much rain foll in JaGuary-ll.5 80 in
ches-as in any other month Of the year, the
total annual precipitation being about Al
inches.
The coming industry Of this locality is
fruitgrowing, and the pioneer prunesrower
is Hugh Fialey: with 1000 trees now eight or
uine years old, and an orchard of younger
trces not yet in bearing. The Excelsior
prune orchard, near Monroe, contains 200
acres, planted with g, eco trees two and three
years old. Adjoining this orchard is tho
Bellefountain fruit farm of $50 acrc., over
one-half OF which is in prunes, the remainder
being apples and pears. In the aame vicin-
ity is an orchard belonging to Professor e.
b. McElroy, containing 80 acres. Near
Granger, On the limo of the Oregon CeutFal
& Ea. torn railroad, in the northern end Of
the county, the Benton County Prune Com
pany has farm containing l 5G acres planted
entirely with Italian prunes. The trees arc
five years Old, and latt year bore their first
crop. This orchard is under the manage
ment OF E. r. Lake, one of its principal
stecShs 59;rs, lso Was f3F.ns ass t.t, sI,Ir-
ist in the Oregon agricultural college, and
the agricultural college at Pullman, Wash.
Professor Lake resides onthe farm and gives
it his personal attention, and. tlri. means
much toward its ultimate SUCCESS.
Itis understood that scheme is on foot to
plant y 1900 acre tract with fruit, and this
will probably be- an accomplished fact within
the next year. In addition to the above,
there are, perhaps, 800 acres OF prunes i'll
smaller tracts. Within the last two years
thore has been growing taadency to plant
winter apples in protersnce to other kinds of
frnit,
Until tive years ago, the acreage in hops
was of no moment, but it is sife to say that
at the present time there are at least 500 acres
in yards, the average yield being from 1900
TO 250opounds per acre.
Tia lumber market is supplied by six saw
mills that, in addition to meeting the homo
demand, ship hard wood to San Francisco.
A new hard wood mill has just been erected
in Corvallis and is provided with complete
steam seasoning apparatus. There .rre
-four mills in the cn 81; =.
atsd at G '"o =. "No,
-vrvsliis, have Capacities OF I30 and
150 barfels per day. During the past year
conpleta improved roller processes have
boan ;.ltroduccd into the mills in Alsea wall
ley aud Philomath. Hitherto the Philo-
matn mill was inoporativs. The market for
Hoar is found at home. in California, and in
consigning to Oriental ports.
Shipments Of lumber and flour to Galifor-
MIA and the consequent increased price arc
male possible by the rates offered by tht
Otegon Central & Eastern railroad and il
iconnecting line of steamers. Since 1885 thi'
road has given the'people of Benton county
cheap rates, and over this line most of tn
lproduea has been carried out and supplies
rsturned. Besides giving increased traas
Iportstion facilities, g-has opened up mucl
lcountry practically inaccessible before.
Corvallis contains a population of abou