Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-04-06
CROPS.
The Weather and Crops
unfavorable Conditions in West
ern Oregon.

the past week. The mean tempera-
ature was A degrees, and the rainfall
varied from three-quarters of an inch
N one inch and a quarter. Frost oc-
cured on March 30 and April 2,
Sunshine prevailed to some extent on
several days.
The weather was unfavOrable to
growth of vegetation. Fall-sown grain
is in fairly good condition. The win
fer season was not favorable to plow-
ing. and the result is there not the
acreage of ga lin sown. Considerable
seeding was done in February. Some
correspondents report that oats was
frozen out by the November freeze;
this condition is not general. The
temperature the latter part of No
vember was not below l6 degree above
zero, and it lasted but short time,
so that geneaal freezing out is impos-
sible. Owing to the unfavorable con.
ditions during the past five months,
the spring-sown grain will have a
greater acreage than usual. Grain
can safely be sown in Oregon up to
the middle of May, and fair crops, Is
bushels per acre of wheat and more,
have been gathered from grain sown
as late as June /.
The fruit crop was, in a compara-
tive sense, a failure last year. The
trees had a phenomenal growth; new
wood from to Is feet ilong has been
frequent. The cool weather of March
has delayed budding, and the result
is all correspondents report prospects
for big fruit crop never more promis-
ing" Many acres Of fruit-trees have
been set out during the winter, and
many acres Of young orchards will
come into bearing this year. Prune, |
pear, apple and cherry trees have
been the most extensively set out. |
The buds are swelling. In the south
ern counties some almond and apricot
trees are in bloom, and in some
sheltered places elsewhere cherry
trees are showing color.
The stock is not in prime condition.
The cold rains of March did not allow
the pastures to recover, the result is
feed is somewhat scarce; few days
of warm weather will furnish new
food. Lambing has commenced.
News from hop yards in Lane
county is that but little work has
been done toward getting them in
shape for cultivation. The con-
tinued wet weather kept the ground |
in a condition that prevented cultiva-
tion.
A New York authority, under a
late date, reports as follows concern
ing the hop market in the East:
More stock has been moved this
week, chiefly to brewers who have
been calling for goods bought some
time ago. New business is still within
very narrow compass, and the extreme
dullness of trade has caused weakness
throughout. Then, too, the effort on
the part of growers to unload their
stock on this market has added to the
depression. Brokers have had numer-
GUS samples to show on which they
have tried zealously to secure bids,
and quite good many commission
goods have been scattered about town.
This is usually a disturbing element,
but coming at time when there is
practically no demand it operates
seriously against the trade. Effort to
md custom has resulted in lower
rates and we drop quotations to II (9
LAC for choice Pacifics, and to lie for
nnest state, with those figures some
what nominal. The bulk of the hold
lngs are Of lower grades and those
have an exceedingly uncertain value.
All the country markets are virtually
at a standstill, Foreign advices re-
port more trading, but dealers seem
anxious to close out stock ON hand
rather than make new purchases.
A prominent sdealer In the hop
trade, located in San Francisco.
furnishes the following statistics OF
The hop yield on this coast:
On hand. Crop.