mg out of the Straits vessels of all sizes, 
loaded with lumber and coal, carrying the 
raw materials to all parts of the world. 
Nor has agriculture been neglected. The 
soil and climate are favorable in a high 
degree to the development and production 
of grain, grass, fruits and vegetables. It is 
somewhat difficult, where the soil is nearly 
all either covered by heavy timber, or by 
water, to obtain cultivatiblo fields, and the 
settler is forced to the alternative, to either 
cut. grub, and burn off the huge trees apd 
stumps, or to reclaim land from the sea. 
Both sea and forest strive for possession,' 
and it is a hard battle to master either. 
Thus far it has been found to be most 
practicable and profitable to reclaim the salt 
marshes; but there is going on a warfare 
with the woods, with axes and fire as weap¬ 
ons, and a fight with the sea, with the 
spade and eternal vigilance. The lands 
when subdued by the plow are wonderfully, 
productive. The principle products now 
raised are oats, hay, flops and potatoes. 
Oats yield from fifty to one hundred bush¬ 
els per acre, average sixty bushels, and 
bring about fifty cents per bushel. Hay 
yields two to five tons per acre, averages 
three tons, and brings $10 to $15 per ton. 
Hops yield from 1000 to 2000 pounds per 
acre and bring from fifteen cents to one 
dollar per pound. Potatoes yield 100 to 
700 bushels j.er acre, average 200 bushels, 
and bring fifty cents to one dollar per 
bushel. Grass grows so luxuriantly that it 
is a splendid stock country, and beef is 
made cheaply, and in lime this will be a 
great dairy country. 
The climate is nearly that of England. 
Unequaled by any country in summer, but 
too damp for health or comfort in winter. 
There is no very hot, and no very cold 
weather during any part of the year. I have 
never seen the thermometer above eighty 
degrees or below zero. Mosquitoes rule in 
summer and ducks in winter. There are 
no poisonous reptiles, but fleas are quite 
plenty. 
The past summer was an exceptional one 
here, the driest one ever known on the 
Sound. We had no rain to wet the ground 
f or three months, from June 5th to Sep¬ 
tember 8th. In almost any other country 
such a drouth would have withered veg¬ 
etation and destroyed crops. Of course 
crops suffered here, but made a wonderful 
growth without any rain or any irrigation. 
It seemed like a miracle even to old settlers 
who knew something of. the marvelous 
capabilities of the soil. Think of it. farm 
ers of the East, three months, the whole- 
summer, without rain enough to lay the 
dust, and yet the yield was three, and in 
some c ises five tons of hay—fifty, and in 
s< m ■ cases one hundred bushels of oats to 
the acre. 1 can only account for it by coin 
sidering the deep soil, the moist air, and orfi 
other cause—fires in the woods filled flit- 
whole country with a dense smoke foi 
weeks at a time, shielding the thirsty crops 
and soil from the heat of the sun. In July 
farmers were praying for rain. The rain 
did not come, but the crops grew, the fields 
were green, and the farmers reaped a boun 
tiful harvest, and realized as never before 
the possibilities of this soil and climate t< 
withstand drouth. 
Lands under cultivation sell for from fifty 
to one hundred dollars per acre, and are 
worth more, owing to the yield and good 
markets, and the fact that it costs so much 
to make farms here. 
The business center of the Sound country 
is Seattle, which is growing rapidly. Every¬ 
thing points to s^ow that, a large city like 
San Francisco will be built up on the Sound 
somewhere. Whether it will he at Seattle, 
or at one of the half dozen other equally 
eligible sites, time alone can tell, but thus 
far Seattis takes the lead in business, and 
everything seems to center there. Olympia, 
the Capital; Tacoma, the railroad terminus^ 
Port Townsend, the port of entry; What 
com, on Bellingham Bay; La Conner, thk 
agricultural center; Anacortes, the new 
candidate for the City, and the one nearest 
the ocean; they are all lively, enterprising, 
growing towns with great futures before 
them. And a man could do much worse 
than invest in either of them for specula¬ 
tion in building lots. 
This country offers enticing inducements 
to capitalists and to poor men who are. able 
and willing to work. I would not advise 
a man to sacrifice a good home in the East 
to come here, nor would I advise an invalid, 
or person not strong and robust in health tb 
come. Wages are good and work abun 
dant, but it is hard, rough work, and per 
sons not used to labor had better stay at 
home unh ss they have plenty of money. 
Seattle, the largest city on the Sound, hi£s 
six or seven thousand population, and the 
Territory has nearly one hundred thousand 
population. By a late act of legislature 
the women are eligible voters, and serve OB 
jury. We are knot king loudly at Washing¬ 
ton for admission as a State, and hope soOn 
to become one of the United States. 
A. (f. Tilmnghast, 
Wash. Ter., Jan. 10, 1884. 
