The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-04-23
RECORD OF GREAT DEVELOP
MENT IN WASHINGTON.
More Figures Just Given Out by
the Census Department---Tell q
Story of Progress Not Matched
by Any Other State OF the
Union.


press the greatness of the farming in
dustry in the state of Washington are
so big that it is hard to appreciate them
Although the census was taken three
years ago, all the results of the canvass
have not yet been published. James
II. Blodgett, statistician of the agri-
cultural department, has just prepared
statement showing the relations of
population and food products, basing
his conclusions on figures made availa-
bic by the work of the census year
So far as his investigations pertain to
the state of Washington they are sim
ply marvellous; they tell wonderful
story of rapid and substantial develop
ment, unmatched in any other part of
the country.
Take wheat as an example. In 1880
Washington produced less than 2,0O0,-
900 bushels of wheat; in 1900 the crop
amounted to more than $1,000, 900
bushels, and has since increased to a
much larger figure. In 1880 Washing
ton was twentysceond among all the
states in wheat production; in 1900 it
was eleventh. In the ten years follow
ing 1890 the wheat production of Wash
ington increased above threefold; that
of Oregon in the same period increased
by about 100000 bushels. or about
60 per cent; while California's crop &C
tually decreased by about 10 per cent.
In the number of bushels produced per
square mile of area for the state, Wash
ington led all the states west of the Da-
kotas by big margin. Although the
increase in population has been marvel
GUS also, the wheat production per cap
tia in 1900 was fifth among all the
states, being 40.89 bushels, as against
35 .0S in Oregon and 24.6O in Califor-
mia.
Wonderful as the growth of the wheat
industry has been, the record has been
exceeded in certain other lines of agri-
cultural activity. Not only has there
been great prosperity in the raising
of cereal crops, but in fruits, vegeta-
bles and market gardening also. The
apple crop increased from 295, 1876
bushels in 1890 to 72S,97S bushels in
1900. Cherries were produced to the
extent of 81, bushels in 1900, as
against IL ,692 bushels in 1890; pears,
rs, 236 bushels in 1900. as against 26,-
86S in 1890; peaches increased in an
nual prodution from SO, 497 bushels to
so, 800 bushels in the same ten year
period. The most remarkable growth
in the fruit industry, however, was in
plums and prunes. In 1890 the crop
was SO, 900 bushels; in 1900 it was
229, 207 bushels.
The potato crop of Washington in
1900 was 3 1867 $40 bushels, as against
| ,445, 01S bushels in 1890 The market
gardening business in Washington has
had phenomenally rapid growth, the
natural cause of this development be-
ing the quick upbuilding of large CEN
tiers of population on Puget Sound and
in other parts of the state. In 1880
this business was insignificant, the
value of the market garden products
being only $277,91S. In 1890 these
products had increased to 1896, 961, and
in 1900 to $1,059,279. No other fig
ures in Mr.. Blodgett's compilation are
so significant of the urban growth OF
the Pacific northwest.
The poultry business, too, has adj
vanced by leaps and bounds. The fig
ures are 80 big, and therefore 80 diff
cult to appreciate, that it is almost idle
to give them. In the census year 1900
the number of fowls was 1856, us, as
against Sl7, 1873 in 1890. The number
of eggs annually produced had increased
in the same period from 2,7l0.52O doz-
en- to 7,473, 700 dozen.
The fishery products of Washington
and Alaska in 1900 were much more
than one-third of the entire output of
the United States. Washington alone
produced food fish products valued at
1859, 004. The state was second only
to Massachusetts, in this industry.