The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-01-26
LETTER FROM. wAsuISGrON TERRI.
Tony
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY,

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, |
January |, 1884,
DEAR BROTHER j. F:-Sent you letter
q few days ago responding 10 your list,
| write now In answer 20 numerous
questions In regard TO thla place aud
country, and 10 disabuse your mind Of
the erroneous impressions formed from
the observations given you on Farming
Lands In W. IT," "Seattle'a BOOM" and
the Future Great City OF the North
West," by those weary travellers. who
were, no doubt, tired OF much sight. see.
Ing long before reaching home again.
First, then, as to interrOgatOrles In
reference TO this country aud city.
What | have said In former letters Of
this country and its magnificent 70.
sources, has been In very general way,
and may be regarded as applying TO the
entire Sound country; though here. ~
elsewhere, there are great local differ.
ences. Puget Sound IL too large FOR one
grand nd'l0cked harb0r. The country
around II, too broad for the aito OF one
great city, and aas there IL diversity In
the topography OF tho country, NO there
are great local distinctions In regard 10
the character OF the soil and climate; 10
accessibility OF the interior, and routes
OF travel, 10 proximity 10 great beds OF
coal aud iron, 10 distance Of valuable
timber from means OF transportation, to
improvements In progress, 10 tidal
changes, 10 commercial facilities, ~ re-.
CARDS harbOr advantages, railroad con.
nections, sc, All Of which tends TO
create healthful struggle for suprem.
acy; TO wake up enterprise, Inspire am.
billion, quicken energy, aud sharpen In.
tellecti and which | could point you
more clearly, and you could appreciate
more fully were you here TO SEQ for your.
self; but will touch upon some OF those
points at leaet, together with other
questions, M progress In speaking OF
farming lands" &c.
lthink your informant made n very
sad mistake when he said "There is no
farming land In W. 7. without irrlga.
tion." Presume no ia not accountable,
however, but simply mistaken. In his
assertion, say assertion 10 "draw II
mild" M he most certainly took no pains
IN gathering data from which TO pass
judgment. II occurs 10 me like great
presumption for any man who simply
passes along tho bluffs Of the Columbia
river aud the upper sound, 10 conclude
from that. that there Ia mo farming
land without irrigation In W. IT," when
even those very bluffs ARE densoly
covered with mighty forests OF apontane.
ous growth. The fact is, there Ia very
little irrigation needed In farming thls
side OF the Cascade mountains In W. T.,
and there IL farming industry going on.
When you think OF the culture Of cereals
on q large scale In W. r., you arO apt 10
think OF the highlands 10 the east OF the
mountains, much OF which they irflgato,
and raise the heaviest crops Of wheat OF
any place In the world. This side OF
the mountains they have not taken
much TO wheat culture. but raise their
100 bushels OF oats per acre, 400 bushels
or potatoes per acre, hops 10 beat any
place, both In quantity per acre, and In
quality, and n hts VI nearly all kinds.
Plums and per- are especially hardy,
prolinc, OF man moth size, and 1ne qual.
Ivy. The lnesi peaches | ever saw, the
largest and prettiest were grown with.
In 1ve miles OF Semitic, and sold az 20
cents per pound, and were you TO try
small fruit culture here, you would find
yourself much mistaken In your imprea.
sion formed from the observations
given. Instead, you would 2Dd that
small fruitu appear 10 be indigenous
here, a. right out In the woods; up on
the hills you can satisfy your appetite
In berry season on straw wberries. blnck.
berries, dewberries, black and rcd rasp.
berries, red huckleberries, wild sarylce,
&c. The wild red raspberries (or what
they call thimble berries hore) grow on
u bush like the raspberry. with leaves
more like grape leaf, and stem hispid,
but Without prickles or spines. They
appear very much like tho Philadelphia
raspberry, but are much larger. have
seen places right on top OF hills, that
were "logged OF" several years ago,
where you could pick bushels OF them.
In fact, right on land that bought, you
could pick more OF them In n day than
you could Of cultivated berriell right In
your neld NJ home. On the same land,
saw any amount of black raspberrles M
largo and fine and "toothsome" as your |
most excellent Mammoth Clusters, or |
any other kind ever saw under culture |
In Ohio. Wild blackberries are alIo very |
6ns hero. They grow M large, aid arc