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Show I 22 W .A.SHINGTON TERRITORY, ITS MATERIAL line of fruit, apples, pears, plums, quinces, cherries, and a long list of berries are especially adapted to the climate of Washington Territory. Peaches do fairly, though not so well as in a warmer climate. Among the berries indigenous to the climate, are sallalberries, cranberries, gooseberries, currants, strawberries, salmonberries, thimbleberries, red, black and blue huckleberries, blackberries, juneberries, and numbei'S of other varieties. All the berries of the temperate zone flourish, and many tropical plants and fruits do admirably. The growing of fruit for home and foreign markets, will be an important part of the business of Puget Sound. A happy fact is, that our poorer lands are best calculated for the growing of fruit trees. CHAPTER XVII. MARKET AND TRADE. The question of market, is one that very naturally presents itself for consideration in the mind of him who is disposed to produce more of a certain article than h~s own wants require. Puget Sound has a home market for large supplies of agricultural products, and will ever have, because of the great number of consumers connected with the various mills and mines, and in the loging and fishing business. North .of us spreads the great British and Russian possessions, highly productive of minerals, yet failing to produce, in any quantities, those things necessary to sustain the miner while he raises the glittering mass from its hidden place. As the hills of the north are permanent, so are the riches they yield, and the consequent market. Heretofore, California has partially supplied the market of Puget Sound and Victoria, with wild oats for hay, but within five years, Puget Sound must supply San Francisco with timothy hay. We can compete with other countries in supplying foreign markets, because at every rising and going down of the sun, we have an opportunity to .ship from our ports. We have an open communication by sea with all mankind. Having such a vast amount of lumber or timber, that we cannot ourselves consume, what shall be done with it? Every stick, and every plau.k, that we ourselves do not want, others demand. From the Cape of Good Hope on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean, to the Straits of Be1·ring, there is a country ' I I • UESOURCES AND CLAIMS TO EMIGh.A.TION. 23 more or less continuous, destitude of timber, and where now we carry on an extensive trade in that line, and when, as civilization advances in those heathen and partially civilized lands, there will be an increased demand for that material required in the construction and protection of modern homes. From Cape Horn to Humboldt, (north of San Francisco,) there is a region of country treeless and shrubless, in many large districts, yet prolific in vegetation, and peopled by nations once proud in wealth and learning. These countries are breathing anew the breath of life. Enterprise and intelligence has marked many localities in Central America and western South America, as suitable places for the building up of extensive trade, and the development of important local interests. Here is now a great trade in lumber, and every year will see it increa::;e. The isles of the Pacific, .rich in its own peculiar wealth, under the magic touch of Christian and civ~l influence, are springing into importance. Every breeze that blows· from the north fills the sails of beautiful ships, and bears them on in their kindly mission of commerce. Puget Sound contributes her part in the forming of this commercial interchange. We have a great inland district, all that extent of territory west of the Backbone of America, nearly equal in extent to the great region between the Allegheny and Rocky mountains, to supply with fish. The past two years proves the correctness of my assertion, when I say that this grea.t basin is behind no other part of the United States, in natural wealth, and in inducements to emigration, possessing such a vast mineral deposit. Fifty years hence the population west of the Rocky · mountains, will number many millions. The nations inhabiting the countries bordering either shore of the Pacific, from Cape Horn and Good fiope, north, are a fish eating people, being generally catholic; here then is a great foreign market. Very little beef is packed on the coast, and accordingly our supplies generally come from the east. In that department Puget Sound will have the Pacific and all her territory to supply. Hence a constant market. In short our market will always be good ; with the increase of production will be the increase of demand. |