THE OLYMPIC COUNTRY 
137 
in diameter and running up smooth and tall, is a very valuable 
variet}^ of timber aud is common down to 1,000 feet above sea 
level. The mountains and uplands of the peninsula generally 
are heavily timbered with hemlock, cedar, spruce, fir, balsam, 
pine, vine-maple, alder, cottonwood, yew, cherry, etc., prevalent 
in about the order named and of the usual Puget sound size and 
quality. The valleys and bottom lands are densely covered with 
alder, vine-maple, cottonwood, willow, boxelder, crab-apj^le, ash, 
dogwood, and occasional immense bottom-land si:>ruces. There 
is frequently also a very heavy undergrowth of sallal or salmon- 
berry or of hazel or of mountain hemlock. It is also a great coun- 
try for moss, which grows deep on the ground and down timl:)er 
and on the trunks of standing trees and hangs in long streamers 
from the twigs and branches, and is always wet and slipper}^ ex- 
cept in the dry season. Many beautiful varieties of small, delicate 
ferns grow among the forests. On the prairies, which are neither 
numerous nor large, and Avhich are often gravelly, though some- 
times containing a very rich soil, a large and coarse variety of 
fern grows four to ten feet high. 
Between the mountains and the coast are about 1,300 square 
miles, or 830,000 acres, of comparatively level valley and bench 
lands. Of this about 225,000 acres are rich bottom lands along 
the various streams. The soil of these bottom lands cannot be 
surpassed an^Mvliere on the coast. The uplands are general!}’' 
rolling, but there are several quite extensive and comparatively 
level tracts. The fact of these lands not draining readily has 
encouraged the growth of fine bodies of large cedar, with, in some 
places, tall, smooth, large, white pines scattered among tliem. 
These cedar lands are in no sense swamps or bogs. The soil is 
a heavy clay, into which the sluggish streams have not cut very 
deep channels, and they are frequently clogged or turned by 
fallen timber, so that during the rains the streams overrun their 
banks and spread ]>retty much all over the country, keeping the 
ground Avell soaked all through the rainy season. There are, 
liowever, abundant facilities for drainage. The soil is excellent, 
and there are numerous small oi)enings sufficiently large for nice 
farms. The soil of the rolling u|)lands is generally a rich, shot 
clay, but sometimes quite gravelly. The timber is generally very 
heavy and it will l)e many years before all the goo<l land is under 
cultivation. There are, however, many open ))laces and small 
creek lafitoms and depressions among the hills that can be v(‘ry 
easily cleared. In fact, there are few IfiO-acre tracts on which 
