Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-11-25
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.

Reports indicate a falling of
il the acreage given to fall sown
wheat in the Willamette valley.
IF this is true it is either because
a greater number of farmers are
satisfied with the returns from
spring sown wheat or that they
have determined to give more at
tention to diversified farming.
1t is probable this latter is the
main reason.
1t has been proved that this
kind of farming gives larger and
surer returns for the capital and
labor employed than raising
wheat fer export. The condi-
tions which render this sort of
farming most profitable are per-
manent aud cumulative. The
growth Of population, the
rapid Increase of a population
engaged in other pursuits than
farming, yet dependent upon the
products of the farm for subsist-
ence. The city of Portland
alone now furnishes the farmers
of the Willamette valley a more
desirable market for the various
products of the farm than Liver.
pool does for their wheat. Year
by year the quantity of wheat
and -four produced for export
will decrease until the home
market will take all that is pro-
duced for sale and many other
products besides.
Here is an assured cash mar
ket the demands of which will
constantly increase. The Will
lamette river will always pro-
vide transportation at reasonable
rates and protect the farmer
against excessive demands by
parallel railways. He can reach
the consumer without the inter-
vention of middle men to whom
he must pay commissions, stor-
age and other exactions which
too frequently are little short of
robbery.
The municipality of Portland
will, at no distant day, provide
one or more market-places where
the farmer may place his pro-
ducts on sale and deal directly
with the CONSUMER. The city
will pass ordinances regulating
the markets, fixing market days,
and making it a misdemeanor to
fore-stall the market. This will
shut out the huckster and all
classes of middle men and bring
producer and consumer face to
face in an open market where
prices will be Influenced only by
the natural force of supply and
demand. Portland must do this
in the interest of her own citi-
zens. In the midst or as produc-
tive lands as the SUN ever shone
upon; with abundance of supplies
for human subsistence at her
very doors as it were, yet living
in Portland is almost as expen-
sive as in New York or Wash
ington. The farmer, the pro-
ducer of subsistence supplies
has not been benefited by this
condition. Quite the contrary.
in common with the people
of the city has been the prey of a
lot of "commission merchants"
sdealers in produce" and petty
ego betweens'' who have long i
feasted on the necessities OF hon
est citizens. 1t is simply amas-
ing that such conditions have
been so long and patiently en-
dured.
The signs are that Portland is
awakening to the untoward con-
ditlons existing and is seeking
If some of our farmer
members of the legislature would
decline to support an appropria-
ton for the Lewis and Clark Elk.
position until Portland would
agree to provide one or more
country market places, it might
speed the matter.
At all events Portland furn-
lshes and must continue to furn-
lsh the main home market for
various farm products and our
farmers will make no mistake in
Efforts to supply them.