, 1878-05-15
TIDE MARSH RANCHES.
WHAT SHALL BE RAssED ON THEM

WHAT SHALL BE HdSLSED ON 1HEM.
The result Of the recent thorough cx-
animation of tide marsh interest discl0ses
the fact that some eight ninths OF the
products raised consist Of barley and cats.
The yield is so enormous that in few
years 1t will with be serious question
whether market can be formed at
profitable rates for these crops, neither
will it do to put the land into grass,
unless another way of disposing of the
grass is secured them by supplying log
ging camps. The single Calhoun ranch
could alone raise 1900 tons OF hay in q
year if all in grass. Last year 410 acres
in barley and oats, one fourth barley and
three fourth oats raisd So, 407 bushels, or
an average Of over S6t bushels oil grain
per acre for Calheun's whole ranch. 1870
acres on Palson's place on Browns slough,
in the Skagit Delta, sowed to oats last
year, measured at the machine 10,850
bushels when sold by weight was so
much in excess of the machine measured
that they weighed l,etween $4,000 and
10000 bushels; forming an average for
his whole place of some 95 bushels per
acre. This year there is 5000 acres Of
ground in grain liable to yield as large
crops us this, and two thousand acres
more that will yield half or two thirds
as much more in other words, 650,000
bushels of barley and oats 10 not an ex-,
cessive estimate for the crops of 1878 on
tide marsh land alone In 1879 thsrn
will probably be 10000 'acres IN
grain that may yield as much as f,20o, ,ooo
bushels of grain. If this was only wheat
it would occasion no inconvenience, as tue
market for that 10 world wide; but oats
limited to the local San Francisco market.
which in q few years can be badly over
stocked. Az much barley is imported
for feed in logging camps, as 10 exported,
.HH .
thi crop need there fore occasion no In
convenience at present, Quite large
quantity of oats could to advantage be
mixed With the barley and ground for
cut feed yet after every local market 10
filed after two or three years theseswill
be great danger Of glutting the export
market, if some other crop is not raised
in place of oats. Oats must ever occupy
q leading place, from the fact their grow
ing SO we'll OH partially drained, new
land. Excessive crops of wheat can be
raised, whe.then land IS once drained and
put in good coalition, an average of as
high as 90 bushels per acre being secured.
This would be oil that could be desired,
II the grain in ripening would only be-
come firm and hard enough for grinding.
Possibly drying this grain may Obviate
this difficulty. The berry is fine and
plump and makes the best Graham -four
but II is feared there is too much glutton
TO make good bolted -four X. L. Whit
ney purchased the county right for
Whatcom county of the Plummer dryers
to dry grain. 1t is estimated that the
grain can be thoroughly dried by this
process at q cost not exceeding five cents
per bushel. Next year the advisability
of raising and drying wheat for -four will
be thoroughly tested; should the result
be favorable, it will settle the whole
question Of tide marsh farming; if not,
more varied system Of farming must be
introduced.
The system having the most advan-.
tsges in its favor is dairy farming, only
this requires several years to get good
stock of cows, train profitable class OF
mixers, etc. Cbimacum valley have
settled that question for themselves by
their SO successfully established cheese
factory. Yet for years prior thereto they
MIXED two or three hundred cows each
year, and sold butter by the ton.
On the Stilaguamish flats there is q
great deal of land in grass, many root
crops Afe raised aad the past yesr severa!
have kept large numbers of cows and
GOLD great quantities Of butter. This is
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