, 1877-03-10
Chr 4lurthcr, Star,
The Agricultural Rr>"ur""" OF
R'uaCi sound.

To notice the raHtrntNs WIN "WI'H IN''
sons from the east inquire concerning
the agricultural resources of the SOU1l
region, and we must say the many we'll
conducted journals of this region uy
very hard to furnish tie desired inior-
nation, yet there are so many who have
had but limited information regarding
this subject. that any article reatngsto
the same is always welcome,
1t is the opinion oi scientists that. in
the formation OF the present natural di.
visions OF the globe, there has been
many changes OF surface and climate.
These, although taking pnce gradually,
in pust times, the same as they are now
going on, yet in the course Of ages have
been sufficient to radically change the
vegetable and animal lite Of the globe;
at one time causing trees 10 grow in the
Arctic regions, that are now found only
in somitropical climates; this is sup.
posed to be the climate 0t the Tertiary
period, one of the later geological epochs.
The coal of this basin WAS deposited in
the Tertiary period, and not later rs in
the States of Pennsylvania, Iowa, etc.
Such period was followed by one of
intense cold throughout the northern
hemisphere of our globe, wrapping the
whole northern portion OF the United
States in bonds of ice, like what are now
to be found in the extreme Arctic re.
gions, Remains Of this period can he
witnessed IN the glaciers of the Alps,
Pyrenees, and many Of our own higher
mountains. This period, was the latest
one, prior to the appearance of man, in
his present centers Of activity. The rel.
les of prehistoric man being found all
through southern Europe, close in the
track Of the retreatIng glacier, when
warmer climate, was introducing such
physical surroundings AS would allow
higher degree of mental development
than had been previously witnessed on
this globe.
The changes effected were so many
and so great during this reign of frost
and ice, that these rock-lik glaciers
have not inappropriately been called ma
ture's great plow-shares, grinding down
.he rocks, and pulverlzing the soil thus
fitting the earth for civilizing man.
The Glacial period was one of chang
ing level for the whole Puge: Sound ba-
sin. A great portion of the land was
submerged; probably what are now fer
tile tracts of bottom land along the banks
of our rivers were then arms of the sea,
while all not covered by the salt sea was
bound in the giant grasp of the frost
king-snow and ice and Arctic cold rul-
ing supreme.
The waters of the Sound then formed
an inland sea, many times larger than its
present size. The regions back of Oym-
pia and Stcilacoom, and around the
whole head OF the Sound were sub.
merged. Upon the breaking up of the
ice, the icebergs floating from the far
north or from the mountains around the
Sound would drop from their sides the
rocks, bouders and earth brought by
them from their icy homes, as the ice
bergs now are doing in the Atlantic, and
AS they reached the shallow waters of
the head of the Sound, in melting and
dropping to pieces would form those pc
cular irregular mounds found at Rocky
prairie, Mound prairie and other points
back of Olympia.
We have gone so far from our subject,
because we believe that here is to be
found the proper explanation of the diff
terences of soil found in the upper and
and lower Sound.
Thus, back of Olympia and Stella
COON, the prairies are nearly barren, the
soil is composed of those materials usu.
ally deposited from such source as
above indicated. The country every
where shows the recent action OF water.
The timberless tracts there found are
almost too poor for cultivation. The
ir, that lover of sterile soil, can not
hold its own there. This was the re-
gion OF the Sound first settled; it is
rom this fact the idea became prevalent
IN many regions that all the soil of the
Puget Sound basin, except river bottoms,
ls unfit for cultivation.