The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-21
]P[R@DU@TS OF TH[E FIELD.
horticulture Source of Great Wealdh===1he Bonanza
Wheat @r0p=z-Oats ON Skagit FdaGsz--G4ops a =
Great Staple---Sugar G8eeds and Flax. !
In arranging the soil OF tho state Of
Va sh.nxfon Dame Nature has been ex-

In arranging the soil OF tho state Of
Washington. Dame Nature has been ex-
tremeiy kind III placing the right kind in
the right place. In the arid regions Sae
proyid soil which would De most pro-
life with the least amount OF :rrigs ton:
In the semi-arid sections she made pro-
vision for soil peculiarly adapted 10 the
raising OF cereals and fruit, and in the
more MOST region about Puget sound she
provided rich ailuvial SOL capable of
producing q large crop on a small area.
In thus apportioning the land within the
state. nature shaped Its Industrial future.
making the country east OF the Cascades
the agricultural and fruit section. and the
territory west OF tie mountains the COM
mercial. distributing and manufacturing
center. Thus has she made K poss.bia 70
equaliza the wealth OF the entire state
and give 10 one section no more than TO
the other.
Cereals Of ali kinds thrive. especially
wheat. which proved last year TO be as
much of a source OF prosperity 20 the
state as klond!ke gold Coupled with an
enormous yield was the highest price paid
for wheat in years. The land peculiarly
adapted To the raising Of wheat Is the
Big Bend and PalouSe countries. although
IL 10 possible to raise wheat in almost any
part OF the state. In the sections men,
toned. the cost OF production is much less
IMAM u Is ELSEWHERE, as the lana MAS Icii
By nature ready for the piow.
Coming west from the gram belt tho
arid lands are encountered. These are
principally in the counties or kittitas
Yakima, Franklin, Douglas and Adams.
Not all of the lands in these counties are
arid by any means but they include the
greater portion OK the arid lands. 1t has
been estimated that such lands aggregate
3oo0 600 acres. of which about l5oc.(n1
t-ett tod - Al.- ND ~
present conditions. AS the demand for
land increases by reason Of increase Of
population. the value OF land will enhance
to a point at which IL Wall be found
profitable TO irr.gate an additional half
million acres. The remaining one million
acres consists of higher ranges Of hills
which cannot be irrigated economically.
or lands where the SOL Is akan. graVelly.
sandy or otherwise unsuitable. Washing
ton is peculiarly fortunate in having an
abundant and neyer-failing source OF
water supply in the Cascade. Bitter Root
and other ranges Of mountains. adequate
10 water ali of the arid lands, SO that the
only question for consideration is that or
cost
n Western Washington the soil OF the
valleys and the deitas Of the main streams
Is deep alluvial. and, like that In the irri-
gable lands. grows hops. vegetables. small
fruit, hay and clover in great profus.on
with apparently ,nexhaust.bie fertility.
The marshes and delta land at the mouth
of the Skagit river seem peculiarly adapt
ed To the raising OF oats. which yields
enormous crops
Willis California Ia suffering from the
most severe drouth in her experience,
Washington has had abundant irrigat ion
and from all sides come reports OF even
better crop outiooks than last year. With
the wheat market soaring upwards and
the Inquiry for other cereals. fruits and
vegetables, Washington farmers should
experience the most prosperous year IN
the history OF the state.