Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-06-26

A CoUNTgY FOE SMALL FARMS.
To the visitor from the prairies OF
Illinois, Iowa and Kansa the resources
Of the Puget Sound region as farming
country are not apparent at frst glance.
Many have and will come to this sec
ton fresh from the broad, level and
srsslsss prairie lands of the mid-vest-
srn States, and return to seek homes
along the line of railroad and IN the
valleys east Of the Cascade Range. BY
prairie farmers, |. e.. BY those who have
been accustomed 10 a broad, level ana
trseIsss region. only waiting for piov
and seed and one good season to bring
returns, the value of our bottom and
upland, timber covered country, IL not
st first appreciated. The work OF clear
ing stageers them. II 10 too SLOW work
70 get farm. Bot 70 those from New
England, Canada and the Northwestern
timbsrsd States, the attraction Ii far
creator and our advantages at once ap-
parent. The settler from New England
who comes TO build himself home
amid our forests, will quickly
sse and note the possibilities OF agricul-
ture here. He will find bottoms with
soil Of inexhaustible fertility and
depth, covered with cottonwood and
cedar. Uplanas covered With nutritious
grasses, aud upon which. when cleared.
all fruits Of the temperate zone VIII
thrive and ripeh; and, above all, a Oil
mate where bat little il any winter
feeding for stock is required. He will
note that the cottonwood and cedar
upon his valley land are marketable =
tho former for barrels. and the latter
for shingles and furniture-at good
prices, and the fir and pine upon the
uplands for lumber and timber. he
will clear a space of an acre or two In
tho best portion of his tract; build him
self house and begin to live. His
stock will thrive on the feed in the
woods; his lumber aud timber will all
b marketable; all produce that he
raises will find ready sale at good pri-
ces. Year BY year he will extend his
clearing, and in five years, with indus
try and ordinary management,
oan surround himself with COM
fort and even luxury. and be
moro independent than any monarch OF
the earth. This is no fancy picture.
Men have done and are today doing just
~ We have described. All around the
Souud in the midst Of the timber, along
the river bottoms and on the uplands
clearings are being made. homes built
and settlements established which in a
few years will be fourishing farms and
thriving villages. While as We have
said the Puget Sound country is not at
tTactive TO the prairie farmer, it pos
sessss superior attractions to settlers
who are familiar with and have been &C
customed to a timbercd region. The
extra cost of fitting an acre for cultiva.
tion Ia overbalanced by contiguity to
market, quantity and variety Of produc
ton, absolute surety of crops, value OF
the timber sold and reserved, freedom
from extremes Of heat and cold, immu.
nifty from hard winters, uecessitatina
heavy outlay for feeding stock. and the
facility with which the products Of the
farm may be turned into cash. For the
small farmer, !. g., that largo proper
ton OF the agricultural class who pre-
fer 10 own quarter section and farm il
we'll. rather than to own whole section
and live In yearly dread of failure OF
the ono crop upon the success of which
depends his only profit and failure Of
which brings ruin, the country lying
west Of the Cascade range cannot be ex-
cslled. II II especially adapted for gen.
sral farming, dairying and fruit-rais-
ing, and M such will attract and sup
port much larger population than
those regions where bonanza" farming
h the rule and small holdings the ex-
csptlon.