Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-11-24

Gas I neared Eola l came upon the
construction gang working on the new
railroad from Salem to Dallas. The
work was going rapidly on and, when
completed, the road will be great aid
to the travelling public as we'll as
bringing logs from the mountains
near Falls City to the Willamette
river.
ga little past Eola I came to the
Spring Brook Farm from whence has
sprung" some of the best Poland
Chinas in the West Thomas Brunk,
the proprietor, was found busy in the
field with his team putting in the fall
crops. He was sowing vetch and oats
on the drier part of the field and cheat
and vetch on the lower lands. This
is a practice among good many
farmers, as the cheat stands the damp
ground better than the oats and either
with the vetch makes excellent hay.
Mr.. Brunk also grows considerable
clover for hay.
"Fred Koser, near Rickreall, was fin
ishing digging his crop OF ''spuds"
which had turned out we'll. In many
places in Western Oregon it is the
practice to leave the late potatoes in
the ground until ready to ship. Last
winter found soma large growers
digging potatoes as late as February,
and the crop was coming out nicely.
Mr.. Koser had just finished threshing
his clover seed and while not up to
last years yield, it was fairly good
and better than many got this year.
From one ffteen-acre field he secured
eighty bushels and from another forty
acres he got 24S bushels. Mr.. Koser
makes "good money" out Of his clover
seed, but his chief pride is in his regis
tered Berkshire swine and Cotswold
sheep that he raises nearly to perfec-
tion.
"W. o. Morrow lives near and is an
enthusiastic dairyman. He showed a
nice bunch Of Jerseys at the recent
Oregon state fair and while he did not
win as many prizes as the old exhibit
tors he made good showing and ex-
poets to be out next year with strong
herd.
"My next stop was at @. I. Billiards.,
toward Monmouth. He has a nice lot
of fancy poultry and o. 1. @. swine. 1t
isn't said that he raises his hogs and
turkeys together but each seem to be
doing nicely and he reports doing a
good business.
1.-TWO of the best breeders Of Angora
goats and Lincoln and Cotswold sheep
live near Monmouth viz j. B. Stump
and William Riddell & Sons. Both
are old exhibitors at the state fair.
The last year or so Mr.. Stump hasn't
come out but is planning to be out
strong next year. He is also breeding
pure Percheron horses and expects to
have a string of them out next year.
He is quite enthusiastic over the grow
ing Of English walnuts and thinks
there is a great future in this industry
in this valley. He has quite an acre
age of young trees.
''The Riddells always exhibit a
strong flock Of Angora goats, Lincoln
and Cotswold sheep at the fairs and
Dave Riddell had only been home a
few days from making the fair circuit.
Their Angoras, as usual, captured by
far the big end Of the prizes offered at
the fairs. Mr.. Riddell said that be
followed the old system OF wheat farm
ing until be was nearly bankrupt and
had to quitit. Now, he and his several
sons are making large financial profit
raising sheep, goats, clover seed, and
vetch seed. They are now making
money and the farm is getting richer
every year, while exactly the opposite
was true under the old style OF
farming.
Both the Riddells and Stumps
report goat sales not up to the usual
trade; in fact, / find the same true all
through the country, but the demand
for sheep has been good.
"On southwest from Monmouth live
the two Hewitt brothers, on separate
farms. Z. Z. Hewitt Is making q
specially Of raising Poland China
swine and has a number Of fine ones
on hand. g. @. Hewitt is getting into
the registered Jersey cattle business,
having purchased the entire pure-bred
herd Of W. J. LOoney besides having
several before. This will make him a
nice start and we predict and wish
him success.
Back toward Salem I Travelled
stopping al the Nelson home neal
Independence. They have about City
pure-bred Jerseys and sell whole mill
% Be retailed in town. They have I
number Of heavy producers in theil
herd and are making money with