Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/695

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OREGON
681

region W. of it. On the Cascade mountains the forests extend to the snow line. While several varieties of deciduous trees occur, the forests consist chiefly of coniferous evergreens. These furnish excellent ship timber, and several species attain a height of 300 ft., and a diameter of from 8 to 20 ft. The principal varieties are the Douglas spruce or red fir (abies Douglasii), Williamson's spruce (A. Williamsonii), the yellow or western balsam fir (A. grandis), the silver fir (A. amabilis), the noble fir (A. nobilis), the twisted or scrub pine (pinus contorta), the yellow pine (P. ponderosa), the sugar pine (P. Lambertiana), the red cedar (thuja gigantea), the white cedar (libocedrus decurrens), the Oregon yew (taxus brevifolia), the western juniper (juniperus occidentalis), and the Port Orford cypress (cupressus Lawsoniana). The largest tree in Oregon is the redwood (sequoia sempervirens), which grows along the shores of the Pacific, and is surpassed in size only by the sequoia gigantea of California. Among deciduous trees the most important are the Oregon oak (quercus Garreyana), the only oak in the state, confined to the region between the Coast and Cascade mountains; the white maple (acer macrophyllum), the Oregon ash (fraxinus Oregona), the Oregon alder (alnus Oregona), the western chinquapin (castanea chrysophylla), and Nuttall's cornel (cornus Nuttalli). In eastern Oregon timber is scarce, except along the streams and on the mountains. The Blue mountains are well wooded. The principal varieties here are poplar, cottonwood, aspen, birch, willow, &c., on the watercourses, and the larch, pine, fir, cedar, maple, &c., on the mountains. Some species are found in both divisions of the state. Among wild fruits are grapes, cherries, plums, and numerous species of berries, including gooseberries, currants, cranberries, strawberries, and blackberries. In western Oregon, particularly W. of the Coast range, grass is abundant, owing to the prevalence of moisture, while in the E. section the nutritious bunch grass (festuca scabrella) abounds. The greater part of the state is well adapted to stock and sheep raising. The table lands of eastern Oregon may be profitably devoted to this industry. Wheat is the chief crop; its yield is large and its quality excellent. By far the greater portion is raised in the Willamette valley. The climate and soil are also well adapted to oats and barley. Rye and buckwheat have been little cultivated. Indian corn is not extensively raised, the climate being better suited to the production of the smaller grains. It grows best in portions of eastern Oregon and in the S. valleys between the Coast and Cascade mountains. Potatoes, peas and beans, cabbages, onions, turnips, carrots, and other root crops grow well. Flax grows wild in the vicinity of the Klamath basin. Apples, pears, plums, cherries, and grapes thrive, and considerable quantities of apples are raised in the Willamette valley. Prunes are grown in many portions of western Oregon, and peaches succeed well in the E. and S. sections of the state. Figs have been successfully grown in the S. part of western Oregon.—The principal indigenous quadrupeds of Oregon are the grisly bear, black bear, American panther (felis concolor), the wild cat, the gray wolf, the coyote (canis latrans), the mountain sheep, the elk, the black-tailed deer, and the antelope. The most prominent birds are the California vulture (cathartes Californianus), turkey buzzard, golden eagle, bald eagle, fish hawk, trumpeter swan (cygnus buccinator), American swan, Canada goose, snow goose, brant, four species of albatross, three of pelicans, and seven of gulls. Of reptiles there are none deserving special men- tion, save the rattlesnake, which is not abundant. The rivers of Oregon abound in salmon at the proper seasons; there are several species. Other varieties of fish are the cod, halibut, sturgeon, herring, smelt, &c. Lobsters, oysters, clams, and other shell fish are also common. The salmon alone is caught to any considerable extent. There are a number of fisheries near the mouth of the Columbia, and several canning establishments. The total annual value of the salmon fisheries of the state is estimated at $1,500,000. Most of the animals, birds, and fishes, as well as the trees and other vegetable productions of Oregon, differ from those of the eastern states, and are peculiar to the Pacific coast.—The number of acres of land in farms in 1870 was 2,389,252 (1,116,290 improved and 1,272,962 unimproved); number of farms, 7,587, of which 634 contained less than 10 acres each, 579 from 10 to 20, 1,545 from 20 to 50, 1,409 from 50 to 100, 2,994 from 100 to 500, 338 from 500 to 1,000, and 88 more than 1,000. The cash value of farms was $22,352,989; of farming implements and machinery, $1,293,717; wages paid during the year, including value of board, $719,875; estimated value of all farm productions, including betterments and additions to stock, $7,122,790; value of orchard products, $310,041; produce of market gardens, $105,371; forest products, $259,220; home manufactures, $87,376; animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter, $1,365,737; live stock, $6,828,675. The productions were 1,794,494 bushels of spring wheat, 546,252 of winter wheat, 3,890 of rye, 72,138 of Indian corn, 2,029,909 of oats, 210,736 of barley, 1,645 of buckwheat, 12,575 of peas and beans, 481,710 of Irish potatoes, 1,970 of sweet potatoes, 1,220 of grass seed, 10,988 of flax seed, 3,847 lbs. of tobacco, 1,080,638 of wool, 1,418,373 of butter, 79,333 of cheese, 9,745 of hops, 40,474 of flax, 11 of maple sugar, 1,207 of wax, 66,858 of honey, 1,751 gallons of wine, 30 of maple molasses, 107,367 of milk sold, and 75,357 tons of hay. The live stock consisted of 51,702 horses, 2,581 mules and asses, 48,325 milch cows, 2,441 working oxen, 69,431 other cattle, 318,123 sheep, and 119,455 swine; besides 12,923 horses and 30,049 cattle not on farms. The live stock