The Newtown bee., 1907-12-27
The Newtown Bee
 Newlown. Conn. Friday peeembera ai, ieo'-
THE SOUTH AND WEST.
OREGON.
AND SOME OF THE INDUSTIEs AS LEARNED FROM TWO YEARS RESIDENCE IN THE STATE.

tto iIsahtNtb hoa I Wo Eaho
 RESIDENCE IN THE STATE.
 The state of Oregon Is composed of 8 counties and contains 6l.277. 40 acres of land. Government lands are classified as agricultural. timber. desert and mineral lands. the home stead act gives to every settler l60 acres. requiring no payment except 'S22 in ices. But actual residence for five years is required by the govern ment to secure possession. Timber grants of l60 acres can also be secured upon the payment of S2.50 per acre. Although 543. si6 acres of land have been appropriated since 1904 there still remains vast amount to be taken up. The forests or Oregon constitute the greatest natural resource of the state. possessing one-iifth of the total amount of merchantable timber of the United States. There is approximately 300 billion feet of standing timber as estimated by various experts who have made the matter thorough study. The manufacture of lumber constitutes one of the most important industries of the state. Agriculture has always been the main stay Of Oregon. East of the Cascade Mountains is a vast acreage so situated that it cannot be successfully irrig ted but will yield by proper methods of culture large crops of wheat. Wheat has brought far more money into the state than any of its other products. Shipments to foreign countries exceed 5,000,000
 bushels annually. Western Oregon raises prolific crops of valuable forage plants. Clover thrives nearly every where. On.much of the land alfalfa yields almost as well as in the irriga- ted districts. Perhaps the most valu- able of all forage plants is the com mon vetch. Green or dry is highly relished by domestic animals. Mild winters with little snow and almost perpetual sunshine furnish ideal con- ditions for thes livestock industry, which will alway hold a prominent place as wealth producer of the state. Cattle. sheep, horses, Angora goats and hogs bring quick and satisfactory returns.
 According to the United States ge- ological survey bureau there are 217O mines of various kinds in the state under development, the greater number being of gold and copper. Oregon's production of fruit, both from quan- ity and quality standpoint, is of lter- national importance. Hood river is famous for its apples and strawberries. Southern Oregon is particularly adapt ed to the cultivation of pears, peaches and grapes. Oregon prunes have long been recognized as the standard in the worlds markets. The Italian prune especially is the one in favor and fan cy prices are always paid for this product. Many sections are admirably adapted to the cultivation of the sugar beet and the possibilities of the sugar industry are almost boundless. Almost any kind of tillable land will grow from 150 to 200 sacks of potatoes to the acre. Nut raising such as English and French walnuts, peanuts and filberts is | also rapidly increasing industry, yield ing large returns. The fact that this state can produce the finest cranberry known to the trade is probably due to soil and climate conditions on the coast. Hop raising in this country is fair road to competence. The yield per acre is about 1,500 lbs and the average mar ket price is eighteen cents pound. | Oregon streams offer the best fishing to be found in the country. All its lakes, rivers and creeks abound with fish as the pike, bass and trout. The royal Chinook, king of salmon, every where recognized as the most delicate ly favored of food fish, and ready seller in the markets of the world, has its home in the Columbia river, the most important fishing stream on the Pacific coast. Fisheries operated on the Columbia and the rivers and bays of the Pacific, constitute one of the leading industries of the state. Ore gon is the Mecca of the noted hunters of America. The mountains are still the home of the brown and black bear. Elk, deer and antelope roam in the foot hills in bands, while pheasant ducks and small game abound in end less number and variety. There are op- portunities for everyone, and hearty western welcome for all in our pros- perious country. -[R. J. W.