, 1877-05-05
Eas. Of the Cascades.

ibe Portland kOSnl tO''i0-t'te- III ny elSset
through this valley on a tour Of general OBJ
servation. He is nov writing up 'he result
Of his observations, aui seems disposed To
speak fairly and justly OF our prospects and
resources From ;he last issue Of his paper
We copy the following;
Few there are, outside of those directly in
teres,ed in that se,-lion. who have The most
remote idea of the extent Of fine agricultural
luuGs. character of the country, nature Of the
sill, rhe varieties of its production, and the
heal hfulurss Of It's climate. Even taking
those whose occupation would, II seems, ben
eft them TO pcsse~s correct aud Well INFORM
ed information e The country. and II ls touud
that they ale at fault. very few agreeing as
20 the extent Of land iha; Is adapted to cult-
garion owing 20 much ot Ihe laud heretofore
claimed 10 be only fitted for grazing produc-
ing large crops of grain With few excep-
tionS the entire valley of the Columbia Is
possessed of soil that will produce of wheat
from ten to fs'y and even high as sixty
odd bushels to the acre. Land upJu which
Is found in luxuriant growth, the bu3ch
grass, larkspur and wild sunh1wer of this
coast, Is well adapted TO cereal growing, and
nearly all of the plateaus east OF the Cascades
is covered with them. From The extreme
NORTHEASTERN boundary of Washington errI-
tory, follu-iug The course of the Columhia
river, bordered on the one side by the Cas-
cade range, and Other by the Cueur d 'Aleue
mountains, with streams and rivers flowing
from them into it, to where their combined
waters pierce fhe Cascade range, for a dis
tance. say. Of three hundred miles long by
l. -.
are to be found valleys and plaieans Of dit
ferpnt sizrs and of various richness of soil.
Personally We can speak only of tina, Sec
ton of this country we passed over res ching
from Walla Walla 10 Lewiston i'll Idaho ter
rirory. on the south side OF Snake river, bat
in answer TO inquiries Instituted at nearly
all poin's we judge that the section lying
north of Snake river and embracing Il large
area Of farming land, and also on an average
more fertile, possesses the same natural aspect.
From WallH WalIa TO Lewiston, a distance
OF ninety odd miles, We went by stage and
had au excellent Opportunity 10 closely study
the country. Beginning eJ short distance
north of Waila Wuila ciry the country be-
gius to rise and then break into long and vile
but low hills. As We pass along they gradu-
highest are reached about sixty five or sew
euty miles beyond the starting point. Here
a magnificent view OF the country is COM
mand,d. IN The east The Blue mona'airs
covered with trees embeded, seemingly, in
snow, obs'ructs the range. AZ he skirts o.
the forests Of trees Is to be seen the spiral
thread of smoke from se;iler's hamletS-mu~t
of them heing woodmen. Between this and
reaching a. far out as Snake river Is 10 be
seen, ut times far apart. land newiv turned
over or else covered wiki the growing plants
seeGei earlier in the year o. else last fall
We were informed ;hat many thousand farms
had already been taken up with vrry large
number of men looking mp d, sirable tracts
npon which 10 locate. LoOkiug westward
cut on the bro.d expanse, far as the eye can
range beyond Snake river the same character
OF country Is TO be seen, and pnd=r power
ful ficd glass farms can be discovered III al
most all directions, west, nor'h b and south.
One peculiar characteristic Of This section,
the Snake river plat,aus. is ths most remark
able total nh<anc- of tim ber excep ing On bot
tom land skirring rha banks of rhe streams
the smaller growth Of trees are 20 b. folud.
excepting Of courSe The large for,ss of trees
10 be found in :he different ranges Of
mountains bordering the Valley of ihs Co
Iuultia Th- total ab-ence of trees on
the rolling hills forced settlers to pro'ecr
themselves from the winds by bu,ldiug
;heir hous : in holloVs which by plant
ing popI,rs affords ample pro'ec'ion- Thr
later Trees are prop gated with ease end
nor only afford pro eciion against the wind
but also give in "a few years "A large amoun'
cf wOoI We saw very few farms bar had
on each from two hundred TO one ,hous and
or more trees growing. This l. independent
OF the fruit trees Under this almost universal
I'm that sec'iou) custom OF tree planting the
climate Is changiug-mone rain Is had, bU.
this We will touch on in future article As
also o'her points of interest to those in search
uf homes