, 1877-10-20
STANwooD, W. T.
October 10, 1877.

Friend Morse:
| presume you will be disappointed in
not finding any OF our farm productions
represented ut the county iair, But you
must not judge lis deficient in Interest Of
the annual exhibition, Tor think many
ot our farmers from tins part OF our
county, would have avui,cd themselves of
IN opportunity OI meeting with you had
our crops been harvested in time. But
owing 10 the late bad weather, with our
grain still out in the field, has made it
quite impossible to leave home; or even
to send any produce. 1t has been raining
Tor the last two week, and has caught
many of our farmers with their grain
unstackcd, and considerable lying upon
the ground, much OF which will he only
tit Ior hog feed; thus causing serious
loss to those vino are 50 unfortunate.
| believe this wet and dlscourasing
period good opportunity to suggest to
our farmers il 1t would not pay better to
adopt molc diversified system Of Ngri-
culture, than the one speciality OF prOw.-
ing grain. The constant cropping oi our
marsh lands year after year with grain will
soon exhaust its productive qualities, and
incumbcI it with weeds So that summer
mllowing will be an absolute necessity to
insure Il paying crop. Would it not be
the wisest policy then TO commence in
time to restore it before our rich tide
lands are deterorated by the continual
raising of cereals to adopt more divers
edsystem of rotation OF crops.
Among the various interests connected
with the farm, the muuncture OF butter
and cheese, has always been one al the
most profitable pursuits of the farm and
| believe there is no purt of the United
States, more suitable for iairying than the
western pNrt of Washington Territory,
with mild climate, soil rich alayey, aud
well adapted to pasturage, is II sufficient
guarantee if carried on Systematically
would be one Of the best paying interests
OF the farm
Glover i5 one of the most valuable of
cultivated plants for feeding dairy cows,
and no grass Aourishes with more luxu
rancy than does clover on our marshes.
The soil is so retaintive Gt moisture that
clover starts early in the spring, and
keeps green until Killed by the lrosts of
winter.
Some persons will contend that our
home market is too limited to warrant
the manufacture Of butter or cheese upon
an extensive scale; while grain has n
ready sale at our doors at good paying
prices. Now as regards market Tor our
butter and cheese, / think no one need
bc alarmed about that at present as this
coast imports largely from the eastern
states, both Of these articles. AS far as
oui grain prospects are concerned they
arc moderately good this year, but can
We anticipate with any certainty Of real
izing as good prices for our next years
crop. The fluction in our favor this
season is attributed to the drouth in Cal
ilornia and not from q regular market
value for our cereals.
Another good reason in favor Of dairy
ing is 1t affords better opportunity for
draining our lands, which is absolutely
necessary in order 10 develop fully the
great fertility Of our rich tide marshes.
Mr.. VIM. Cliff of Connecticut in an arti
Gle on salt marshes, refers to Mr.. +. F.
Lambson ofSalem, New Jersey, as having
devoted u great deal of time and expense
to tide marshes. He recommends
thorough drainage, and says that no lot
OF marsh should contain more than ten
acres. Ii any rain water should lodge
upon these lots it will be necessary TO
cut small drains to let it pass off freely (;
they might be covered where the niatcri-
ais are at hand. The mud and earth
which comes out of the watercourses and
bitches should be removed into the low
est part of the marsh. BY neglect Of
this the rain water will be confined too
long upon the surface, and the most lux
urient growth of timothy or clover will
in short tine be converted into a nur
sery OF rushes." With the greater part
e 49,. L II .-.--l n L ...., A ..rnnn II nlr