, 1858-05-07
From the Washington Union, Feb. 9Th.
Washington TerritOry-ItS Agricultural
Advantages, Climate, and Inducements
10 EHigTantS


10 EmigrantS.
The agricultural advantages possessed
by Washington Territory are very great
Although it is emphatically a mountainous
country, yet it contains within its borders
great prairies and rich grazing lands,
which would afford nutriment TO countless
locks of sheep and herds of cattle, or
would richly repay the agriculturist who
should open them to the various productions
of the earth.
West Of the Cascade mountains there is
as large an amount of arabic land as in the
State Of New York. The Wala-walla
valley, situated mostly in the Territory of
Washington, surpasses in extent, advan-
tages, climate, and soil, that of the great
Salt Lake, and can subsist a much larger
population. West Of the Bitter Root
mountains, for hundred miles in breadth,
the soil is not only good, but equal to the
western prairies. The remainder of the in
terror is not only good grazing country;
well adapted TO the growing Of wool as well
as the raising Of stock, but large tracts in
cuded in the Yakima purchase are unsur-
passed for roots and cereals.
Fine bodies Of rich lands have been ex-
plored in the valley Of the Chehalis river,
which falls into the Pacific at Gray's har-
Dor.
The bottom lands Of the Nesqually, Puy.
nllup Snohomish, White, md Green rivers,
the waters of all which disembogue in
Puget Sound, are broad, rich, and Of the
most fertile quality, but densely timbered.
East of the Cascades, and upon the Colum-
bia river and its northern tributaries, are
large bodies Of excellent lands. The Cow
litz river, running southwardly, and falling
into the Columbia, also drains fertile lands,
and has many of the Oldest settlers in the
Territory among its prosperous farmers
A II cereal grains, except Indian corn, flour
ish admirably here, the wheat in particular
being OF excellent quality, and yielding
abundantly.
There is no State or Territory in the
Union that surpasses Washington Territory
for the extent of its water power, By ref
erence to a map Of the Territory it will be
seen that the whole country is traversed by
streams Of various sizes, which, like veins,
extend themselves in every direction. On
almost all these streams may be found water
power Of various capacities. Some Of the
more important streams may be found near
Olympia, back Of Seattle, at Whatcom, at
thefalls Of the Snoqualmie, in Bellingham
bay, near Sieilacoom, and at Gray's river,
which emptes into the Columbia, where
sufficient power for ths largest description
Of mills aud factories can be obtained,
while the numerous smaller streams furnish
ready and sufficient power for saw or grisl
mills.
With the exception Of the prairies and
rich bottom lands already alluded to, the
whole Of Washington Territory is covered
with dense forest Of gigantic timber, of
which by far the greatest proportion is
spruce, Gr, hemlock, aud cedar. In the in
terror the pine is found, and upon the Co
lumbia and around Puget Sound the oak,
ash, maple, and cotton wood are in abun-
dance. The readiness with which all this
variety Of timber can be placed in the va
rious streams, either to be Aoated to the
mills for saving, or to the shipping, to be
transported to foreign ports, renders Wash
ington Territory pre-eminently desirable
location for the lumberman.
The climate of Washington Territory is
far milder than in the same latitudes east
of the Rocky Mountains, and this remark
applies to alLthe Pacific slope west Of that
great barrier. The cause is from the winds
blowing almost constantly from the ocean );
during the summer, from the west and
northwest, and in winter from the south
The winter winds, coming from the tropics,
are consequently warm, and during that
period much rain falls; but though the lati-
tude of Washington corresponds in other
respects with Wisconsin, Canada, Nova
Scotia, and Newfoundland, the ground is
rarely covered with snow for more than
three or four weeks in each year, and often
remains unfrozen throughout the entire
winter.
The winter at Puget Sound is loarmer
than Paris, the mean temperature at Olym-
pia being $50, and at Paris $50; and at the
mouth Of the Columbia it is warmer than
in Philadelphia, the mean temperature at
Astoria being 52o, and at Philadelphia 500
The climate is peculiarly salubrious, no ep-
idemics prevail, and, as q general thing,
the white population OF both Oregon aud
Washington are remarkably healthy aud
energetic people The cause Of the great
salubrity Of climate may be attributed, in
part, 10 The great forests of cedar, FIR, and
spruce, which have in oil ages been consid-
cred as exerting sanitary influence on the
surrounding atmosphere.
The principal towns are Olympia, the
seat of government, which is situated at
the head Of Puget Sound; and Vancouver,
on the Columbia river. The one offers ad-
vantages to those desirous Of operating in
the region bordered by Fucas Straits and
Puget Sound; and the other, to those wish
ing 10 trade on tho Columbia, or be in clos
er proximity to the citizens of Oregon.
Those wishing to embark in commerce or
the fisheries can find excellent locations for
planting colonies at Steilacoom, Seattle,
n. NJ T.-4