Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-07-06
LIVE STOCK CORNERSTONE OF
AGRICULTURAL PROSPERITY.


Agriculture without live stock on
the farm is like bread without yea4t
Live stock not only is the basis of
successful farming, but is it's true
leayening influence as well. 1t is the
only practical means of keeping up
the productivity of the soil. Without
stock the soil will inevitably suffer
deterioration in it's plant food. Since
soil fertility is the basis of profitable
farming it behooves the farmer to
give this problem intelligent atten-
| tiOn.
The great need of Western Oregon
is more first-class COWS and more
good hogs so that a much larger
percentage of the crude products of
the farm will be consumed by live
stock and thus converted into finished
products, such as milk, cream, hogs,
etc. To those in touch with the stu
alton it is Enthusiastically evident that
the counties where live stock in some
form has received attention have
made the best progress agricultur-
ally. Take, for example, Washington
County; last year this county pro-
duced over one million dollars worth
of milk, besides great quantities of
hogs, poultry, eggs, etc. Dairying
has been the principal agricultural in.
dustry in this county for a number
of years, with the result that the ear
marks of prosperity are strongly in
evidence all over the county. Before
the advent of dairying there was not
a bank in the county, now there are
eleven of these financial institutions
all of which are in a prosperous con-
dition. In addition to this, good
barns and modern homes dot the
landscape in every direction. 1t is
truly a progressive agricultural
county, made so by live stock. The
farms are we'll titled and the soil Is
growing richer rather than poorer.
Under-drainage has been practiced eX-
tensively; in fact, the farmers of
Washington County have laid more
tile than have been used in all other
counties in Oregon combined Dairy
ing has made this possible. Perman-
ent road building is now in active pro-
gress and soon the county highways
will be well improved. Land values
are also steadily increasing and the
farms are being rapidly subdivided
and the new farm homes are adding
constantly to the population of the
county This is practically all due to
the COW and other farm stock, and
what this stock has done for Wash
ington County similar live stock Will
do for other counties.
Polk county is coming rapidly into
line in making live stock the domin-
ant feature of farming. This county
has been noted for it's excellent flocks
of sheep and goats for some time.
To these the farmers are now add
ing dairy herds. At present there are
more high-class Jersey herds in Polk
County than there are in any other
county of the state. This means agri-
cultural wealth and soon the farmers
of Polk County will become more
generally prosperous. This county
also has some excellent herds of
swine and the breeding of draft
horses is receiving marked attention
This increased production of live
stock means the growing of more
clover, vetch, alfalfa and other for
age crops, which, when consumed
upon the farm, become the true soil
builders.
Other Western Oregon counties are
showing a greater interest in live
stock husbandry and the ruinous sys
tenn of exclusive grain growing, sum-
and burning of straw is
fortunately rapidly becoming obso
lete.
r7Loro e. o,,rTo noon, apd ahupdapr
for the improvement of
live stock conditions upon the wheat
farms of Eastern Oregon. This soil
although phenomenally rich and re-
we'll adapted to the produc-
ton of wheat is also we'll adapted to
the production of live stock. Hogs.
sheep and draft horses should be
produced from these farms in great
numbers. These in time would great
" increase the value of production
per acre and at the same time insure
the conservation of soil fertility The
field pea and alfalfa should largely
the summer-fallow These
are both good nitrogen-gatherers. and
at the same time furnish excellent
feed for the growing and fattening
OF swine ana Su6ep. GdCu dill
farm should have some draft mares
and the growing of good horses
should be made a feature of the farm.
No better horses can be produced
anywhere than can be grown upon the
wheat farms of Eastern Oregon. Per
haps, however the greatest field Of
in live stock production is
in swine husbandry. Conditions are
highly favorable for the economical
production of hogs. These should be
grown mainly upon alfalfa with
small supplemental feed of grain and
finished upon peas grazed off in the
open field. This is an easy and
profitable way of producing hogs. and
at the same time a good method OF
soil building. The peas will produce
the best of pork and add nitrogen
and organic substance to the soil,
both exceedingly essential in the con-
servation of moisture and the supply
ing of plant food for wheat produc-
ton.
This system of farming will enable
the farm unit to steadily grow smaller
Gluten Feeds.
Gluten feeds are not TO be colored
hereafter. They will. therefore. no
longer show the bright orange color
to which We are accustomed. but a