Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-06-16
ohlMPlA, "ASHlNGION FRIDAY EVENING" JUNE 16 1S9a

which empties into Budd's Inlet at
Olympia, many settlers have in the
last few years found fine homes and
rich farms. The Black river rises in
small lake, about three miles from
Olympia, and runs to the south and
empties into the Chehalis. 1t is a
broad fertile valley, which is being
rapidly settled up, but where hundreds
OF good farms are yet to he secured.
WHEAT is THE STAPLE
Agricultural product of the State, as
well as the county, and its superior
quality has made it famous. The
berry is full and heavy, often exceed
ing by five to nine pounds the standard
weight OF a bushel. The yield per
acre is from twenty to fifty bushels,
according to the care with which it is
cultivated. Oats yield very heavily,
especially along the shores of the
Sound and the river bottoms. Like
wheat, the oats exceed the standard
weight, and forty to forty-fve pounds
to the bushel is not infrequent.
THE CULTURE OF HOPS
Is rapidly coming into favor with the
farmers of this county. The crop is
always large and has never been known
to be attacked by disease. The crop
is simply startling in its quantity and
quality when compared with that of
the Eastern States. A serious draw
back to the increase in cultivation has
been the lack of help to secure the
crop at the proper time. Indians are
largely relied on to pick the hops.
The average yield per acre for the last
twelve years has been sixteen hundred
pounds.
VEGETABLES.
vi every variety can be grown here,
and with far greater ease and larger
results than anywhere else in the
country. There seems to be no limit
to the size they may attain and the
flavor and quality is unsurpassed any,
where in the world. AS for fruit it
seems almost incredible that apples,
pears and smaller fruits, berries,
grapes, ETC., grow in such abundance
and so rapidly. Many varieties OF
fruit trees bear the second year after
planting. The cherry and plum attain
mammoth size and are delicious in
flavor. Pears are large and fair, like
the California pears, but much finer
Favored and jucier, the quality of this
fruit as we'll as OF apples being nearly
equal to that grown in the Middle
States. Language fails to describe the
strawberry of this region. There is no
way in which the peculiar richness
and delicacy OF this magnificent berry
may be conveyed, except in the actual
experience Of eating it fresh from the
garden. OF the apple, that king of
all fruits it may be said that in flavor
and quality is closely resembles that
grown in she Middle and Eastern
States; while in size and external
beauty of color and smoothness of
skin, it far surpasses it. The apples
grown here are all fair, smooth beauti.
fully colored, without spot or blemish.
The trees will bear in from two to four
years, according to variety, and are
80 prolific that they are many times in
danger of destruction from over-bear.
ing. This country is destined to be
the great fruit-growing region of the
world. Fruit-raising is already one OF
the most promising industries and
farmers generally are planting trees
constantly.
FLOODED STOCK.
OF all kinds are being rapidly intro
duced into the country. 1t is fact
that there is great demand for su-
perior breeds of stock and that it no
longer pays to raise common breeds.
The climate is particularly favorable
for stock-raising, the shortness of the
winter season requiring that the stock