, 1877-03-03

stream. being nuvigable for steamers all
the wear round in It's lower course, and
to FoIl Clu, some forty miles above
0uaDco, portion Of the year
The greater portion of the SnoquNI-
ME valley i, IN King county, yet for So
cul or business purposes the settlers
along the Snoquomie are identified in
interest with the SNomomish; its growth
is their growth. Therefore, speaking
generally, We shall call all this large
lract of country the Snohomish valley.
We propose to first write up the ogri-
cultural resources before treating on the
lumber and other interests and first
OF the irltiic bottom lands which are
among the most productive lands IN the
world.
The estimated amount ofhott0m lands
capable ol hring reduced to cultivation
contain not Tar from 100000 acres OF
hand situated within this valley. OF
this large amount Of fertile land, only II
few hundred claims are taken adjoining
spar OF The high land or lining the
river banks. Very few systematic nt.
trmpts have been made tosreduce large
bodies OF land to cultivated state.
White there are many good ranches, yet
generally speaking the poorest land,
and frequently that which is the least
profitable aud the hardest to clear is
taken first locations near the river
bank or to adjoining settlements being
valued higher than many things of more
permanent value
This bottom land can he divided in
some four general classes. First, the
tide marshes, situated along the lower
course ut the river and the numerous
sloughs which form its mouth. There is
some ten thousand acres Of this class OF
land, winch requires diking and drain
ing like Stllaauamish or Swinomsh flats.
Tnis is perhaps the most productive land
in the world, especially for grain, grasses
and root crops. Then there are the fresh
water marshes, like the big marsh oppo.
site Snohomish City, containing some
eight or Ten thousand acres Of land, above
summer overflow, requiring to be ditched
only, and the brush cleared off; much Of
this open as prairie. There is probably
some fifty thousand acres of this class OF
land, aifording many excellent chances
tor bodies Of Immigrants to go to work
together and build themselves splendid
homes at a small outlay. Perhaps more
can be reclaimed from this land than
my other, in proportion to the outlay
necessary to reclaim it when men go to
work in body.
The other two classes of bottom lands
consist of the vine-maple bottoms, which
only require to be cleared, and are ready
for cultivation, and the ordinary bot
toms covered with spruce, cedar, white
fir, maple, hemlock, alder, etc. The
yinc-maple bottoms are an excellent
class Of lands, although the growth is
thick it is easily cleared and is then
ready for cultivation. The farms near
the forks, such as Messrs. Harriman's
Foye's, Johnson's and others are excel
lent illustrations of this class OF lands
when cleared and put under cultivation.
The remaining class are really the poor
est bottom lands as well as the hardest
to subdue, yet when once cleared form
excellent ranches. Mr.. Harveys ranch,
opposite this place, is one of the best il
luslrations OF Il farm made out of com
mon bottom land, when about all that
is done is to remove the timber and seed
to grass.
-