Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-06-03
SAYS WISCONSIN is BEST
Vernonite Who Went to Oregon VIII Return Sd
isfied With All Surroundings.
WooDBURN, OREGON, May a6.

WOODBURY., OREGON, May 70.
EDITOR CENSOR: AS ! have been in
thjs part of the west long enough to form
some idea of the possibility or opportu-
nifty q person might have, l will give
the readers my ideas as to farming, for
there are so many farmers quite we'll to
do that sell out and come west without
first finding ont what chance there is for
them here. / think farming is almost
n failure compared with Vernon county.
When I came here, March 2s, people
Were digging the last of their potatoes,
which sell at present at 15c per bushel.
They are of nice quality. Hops do
very well some years, when the mold
doesn't strike them. A man told me he
lost about 50, 600 on 90 acres last year
and another fellow lost about IA, 900 on
his onion crop Of thirteen acres. OF
course some years they do very well,
but it is too uncertain crop to be prof
liable. Tobacco isn't cultivated at all,
and a very little corn is raised to cut
while green to feed during the latter
part of July, August and September, or
the dry season, and during the rainy
season or winter the grass grows very
hjtle and what does seems to be so sat
u d with water that it doesn't fur
nisl, as good pasture as our grass in
carly spring So in all they have to
Iced about eight or nine months. They
have some very nice sheep and Angora
goats here, but the poorest lot of cattle
/ ever saw, and haven't seen a market
able hog since I came here. 'fhe hogs
at the meat market are imported from
the east
Fruit is wonderful crop, and this is
gaa Fnfag nos az
when they see peaches, pears, apples,
plums, pruns, grapes and allkindsot
small fruit in such quantity they seldom
stop to think whether there is profit in
it or not, but buy at sight was in an
orchard the other day where there were
200 bearing pear trees besides the other
kinds of fruit, and / asked the man
which he considered the most money in
and ne said pears. | asked how they
sold per bushel and he said he got 25
cents last year l remarked that /
thought he was on the road to fortune,
to which he smiled. The farms are
from FIVE to forty acres as rule, yet
some have as high as 800. | asked a
land agent how people cleared the
ground for farming where the land was
covered with 50 many large stumps, FIVE
and six feet across, and he said two
sticks of dynamite and about dollars
worth of powder would loosen them
until they could pull the lang roots ont
with team. said / thought that
was what makes land so high, but he
seemed to think it was on account of
people from the east buying and then
trying to sell at advance enough to
make their expenses.
Frank Stokes ia sure to return to YER
non when he sells, and | don't think
that will be long, | admire his judg-
ment In going back. Business is done
10 death, for there are about four bust
ness men to every business, and when
man from the east starts in business
with limited means those here with cap
ital are sure to eat him up. Teachers
wages are about the same as in Vernon
bat board is from 81 to So per week
had the pleasure of seeing President
Roosevelt lay the corner stone for the
Worlds fair building in Portland and
of hearing him speak. About the time
the speech commenced it began to rain
and Teddy was compelled to wrap
horse blanket around him while finish
ing his speech. There were over 200, 900
people to witness the parade and | tell
you there were a great many nice clothes
spoiled. The parade and the way the
city was decorated was sight never to
be forgotten.
Land sells from SIS to $3.50 per acre.
was about six miles west of town the
other day and saw large farms that had
been vacated and the buildings going to
ruin. / examined the soil and found it
to be white, and that told me why peo-
pie had left it, The water here is very
good but near the surface. Tue days
in summer are very warm but thu nights
are very cool and chilly. There seems
to BE- such lamp air in the evening" and
such sudden changes that | dor think
it is as healthy place as Wisconsin.
There afe three great advants ges sthe
people here have-fruit escaping the
coldwinter and electric storms
Now, If there is anyone thht would
like to find out more about this country
address me at Westby, Wisconsin, for ]
am coming back in short time and will
try to tell you all can My advise is
Learn to wait and to leave good enough
lone with respects,
Yours ORLANDO G.. LEWIS.