The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-02
HOMES FOR FARMERS
On Surprisingly Fertile Land
Of Whatcom County.
GRASS GROWS SEVEN FEET HIGH
No Artificial Fertfifxer Needed Here
Possibilities OF Dafryfng ana
ktsck-Growfng.

cultural department OF the great STATE
University OF Minnesota. ard who is re-
ognlxed as one % She highest authorities
IN the country on agricultural topics. re-
Gently visited Puget Sound and spent soma
time in Whatcom county The results
OF hts observations are embodied sa two
admirable letters TO the Fairhaven Her
aid. written BY request. which are fun or
encouragement for Puget Sound farmers.
and especially those Of waatcom county.
He says.
With true pleasure I comply with the
request TO give your readers my I'M
preston OF the agriculture OF What
com county. or at least OF that por-
ton OF II which has come under ny
observation. The section more I'M
msdistely visited was northwes from
Fairhavea AMI Whatcom. and In the
region around Ferndaie and beyond. and
up the valley OF the Nookssck river. TX
the localities named are representative OK
the count generally. / have no heslta-
ton in saying that this county is one OF
the richest IN the United States. viewed
from The standpoint OF agricultural ca
pability.
Farm after farm was visited. and the
story was practically the came every
where. The extent OF the production 10
and has been 50 extraordinary as 10 up
set all preconceivsd notions as TO the limit
OF possible proausctfon- The farmers OF
any country who can get an average OF
three tons OF hay every year, OF thirty TO
sixty bushels OF barley, OF sixty 10 leo
bushels of oats. and of twenty-five to hfty
bushes OF peas. are certainly TO be en-
WED. They should certainly be thank
fus for living In such q country. II
the people of the New England states
only knew one-haIf the truth regarding
the capabilities OF this region. they would
abandon the niggard soils OF that ceun-
try and seek homes in this natural para
disc OF the farmer. Don't say the Ian
guage Is strong II isn't half strong
enough. Before the New England farmer
can get a decent crop he must get some
nitrate OF soda from Peru. kainit from
Stassfort. or fish ggano from the manu-
factories by the ocean, or superphospAate
from the slaughter houses. and apply
these to his lands. while the farmer ia
whateom county is sure OF a good crop
from year 10 year without the aid or
these costly fertilizers.
The varied character of the production
IN this county Is simply wonderful. The
question would seem 10 be not so much
what viii 1t grow, as what viii IL not
grow. Everything in the line OF fruit that
Will grow In temperate climes seems at
home in this county. Apples. plums,
prunes. cherries, berries Of all kinds, and
c%urrants would seem to grow in perfec-
ton wherever they are planted and cared
for. Every kind OF cereal rounds out IN
the most robust kind OF growth; and the
hay meadows are simply marvellous. Tn
hesitatingly / say II, l never saw any
thing like II In any country. Yesterday l
stood in a meadow that had grown hay
continuously for eighteen years. IL was
on the margin OF the Nooksack above
Ferndaie. The owner told me that the
field had given him an average OF three
tons per acre during all these years.
But the amazing feature 10 the writer
was the statement that he sheep were
allowed to pasture on that meadow every
year from the time of the removal of the
hay until the following May. On a part
OF that field. newly seeded. there was at
least five tons of hay per acre ready for
the mower, and of as fne quality as the
sun ever shone on.
Unhesitatingiy / say 10. this county
possesses an adaptation for growing peas
unsurpassed In the United States. And
It is TO be hoped that the armer viii
give due recognition TO this fact. The
United States is an importing country OF
seed peas. With the extension or dairy
ing peas as a soiling crop down along with
oats are going TO be in much demand.
They viii also be thus grown for winter
forage. And II Is a fact that In the more
southerly states, where peas can and viii
be grown for the uses named. they cannot
~ SAtAESEAu4i1 EAVNA ~ N@& 49, 49,
demand for pea seed therefore Is likely
10 be good for long years 10 come. l was
glad. indeed, 10 notice that the farmers
are giving much attention TO the CROWNS
of this crop, but I failed TO see why they
should allow II 10 ripan. and n they
should then thresh and grind the gram
before feeding 1t 10 cows. Farmers, why
go TO that labor? As soon as the oat or
pea straw is yellow a few inches from the
ground upward, all the nutriment Is In
the plan, that win ever be. IL the crop
Is then cut at once, cured and fed to
dairy COWS or beef cattle or sheep, these
animals VIII 40 all the threshing and
grinding, and they will DO X much better
than We can do il for them
notice tina: the peas, when they grow
alone. are usually cut with the seyths.
Well. tina is not a bad way OF cutting
them. az the writer has proved during
many and many a day in his own ex-
per!ence. but Il IS a slow way. Why not
get a pea harvester and cut them down
as quickly as hay can be cut? ! don't
know Of any pea harvester manufactured
in the United States. but there Is a firm
at Guelph. Ont, named Fulton Bros, who
manufacture those pea harvessers, and
think the price there - 81 The pea
harvester u an arrangement that Is
fastened TO the ordinary field mower.
II ia . great matter that clover. in all
fts varieties. grows so m~agntfcently in this
country. for in that fact there Is a
pledge OF abundant supplies OF nitrogen
as long as clover win grow. That one
fast Is of more value 10 the farmers
OF this country than ali the Ash g1ano
and commercial fertilizers that are man