The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03
OATS AND HAY.
A Little Dutehiand of Great Dykes
Puget sound, Where They
Grow in Luxurfance.

Secretary OF STATE Price In his statistics
Of agriculture published last year, gives
the total acreage under oats Al 49,, is6.
This i said 10 DC conservative estimate.
Oats are grown on the Puget sound ISL
ands and generally throughout Western
and also Eastern Washington, but there
IS one favored spot for growing oats and
its product Surpasses all LSe oats grown
Ia the rest OF the world. The La Conner
cats. side by side with the best in the
market. make the latter look like shoe
pegs by comparison. These oats are
grown on salt mashes reclaimed from
Puget sound by huge dykes. much the
same as those which defend Holland from
the ravages OF The sea. and the little port
OF that section gets Its name from one or
the early settlers. the name OF whose vile
was Louisa Conner.
In Western Washington this locality IS
known as "the fats" or the Swsnomisa
fats. II IS in Skagit county. near the
mouth OF the Skagit river and opposite 10
FidalgO island. The first settler there.
or the first man 10 build a dyke there.
Was Michael Sullivan. and the next farm
TO his was located by Samuel Calhoun.
a brother OF the well-kn0wn DIR. q. V.
Calhoun. OF this city. They both built
dykes 70 protect their land, and were
laughed az FOR their pains.
This was in Is62. Ten years later. how
ever. others had discovered the richness
OF the land and after a few years they
dubbed together and built a large dyke
at their own expense. BY 1880 they had
dyke. irregular IN outline and in all over
sixty miles. completed. which protected
e 900 acres OF this rich marshy land. This
was made a. a cost OF from s. 70 SO
rood according TO height-say $1,000 per
mile. Since then some additions have
been made 20 il. and there are now about
100 miles OF dyke. Tire last legislature
fs.s aza IF
dykes. and others have since been made
az the mouth Of the Skagit river and also
some freeh-water marshes have been re-
claimed from the Skarit higher up. on
all these reclaimed lands oats grow over
Eve feet high. and as thick as the hair
ou q dogs back.
The oat crop Of last season. which was
slightly above the previous year. Is esti-
mated az 5, 0o0 90 bushels OF this 15e0, 90
bushels OF the FIRST quality were harvested
on the fats. Oats were as low a s. per
ton but the lowest after harvest for Ia
Conner oats was si2&5 and they went up
20 ses5o. So that the oat-growers did
pretty nearly as Well last year as the
wheat-raisers.
There was also raised on the fats last
season i0eo0 tens OF fine hay. including
the product OF the Skagit river flats, and
probably co tons OF vegetables. the po-
tatoes being remarkably fine. Skagit
county. by the way is the banner county
OF Western Washington for farm produce.
Hay was a good crop all over the state.
and alfalfa was heavy crop. The latter
Is grown 10 the largest extent on the
irrigated lands Of Eastern WASHINGTON.
and Yakima county produces the bulk OF
st. There d q a marvellous croppcr. It
grows 10 great height, very heavy. and
no sooner Is n mown than The water Is
turned on. and In six weeks II Is again
ready for the moving machine Three
crops G. season IS the average. and Ga the
winter the stock are turned on Il and
fattcned up.
Hay 81 The Seattle market started A.
s. a ton and IL now from $50 % S950
Alfalfa started ~ $ and now realizes from
SO 90 81 per ton