“ The soils are fertile in most parts of the State. The Puget Sound Basin is covered with a rich alluvium resting on a subsoil of glacial drift. On the southern mountain slopes and over the great plains of eastern Washington the soil is composed of decayed volcanic material, which possesses the elements of fertility in the highest degree, and, where it has accumulated to a sufficient depth, can be rendered highly productive by irrigation. ”

“ In central Washington the rainfall is insufficient for crops, but toward the eastern border it becomes heavier and extensive farming operations are carried on without the aid of irrigation. The depth of the channels of the large streams prevents the use of their abundant waters for irrigation. The principal region in which irrigation is possible is the Yakima River valley. The greater part of the irrigated area of the State is watered from the Yakima and its tributaries. The total crop area irrigated in 1900 was 117,798 acres. ”

“ Another circumstance unfavorable to agriculture in the eastern section is the fact that throughout the State by far the greater amount of precipitation occurs during the winter months. Thus at Clearwater the normal precipitation for January is 20 inches, while in .July it is only one inch. The snowfall is heavy on the western mountains, but in eastern Washington it is light, and the warm chinooks often evaporate it completely without wetting the ground. ”

“ The agricultural area of Washington is greatly limited by the extensive mountainous and arid districts. In the western part the rainfall is very ample and the valley between the Cascade and Coast ranges is highly favored for cultivation. ”

“ Puget Sound makes a large part of the timber land accessible to water transportation, in consequence of which the lumber industry has been much more extensive than in Oregon or California. The industry has developed almost wholly since 1880. (See table under Manufactures.) In 1900 the State ranked fifth among the lumber States. Wholesale methods of lumbering are followed. Donkey engines and wire cables are in common use in the lumber camps, and logging railways are often built for the transportation of logs. ”

“ Extensive areas too arid for cultivation afford pasturing facilities. All kinds of domestic animals are rapidly increasing in numbers. The number of sheep increased 110.4 per cent. between 1890 and 1900 and all other varieties increased over 50 per cent. The following table shows the number of domestic animals on farms and ranges:
Forests and Forest Products. Forests of yellow pine, interspersed with tamarack and Western white pine, are common east of the Cascades and north of the Columbia River. Light forests of yellow pine also cover the eastern part of the State south of Spokane. ”

“ In like manner a constitutional convention may be called, but the Constitution drawn up cannot be valid until adopted by the people. The rights of suffrage are limited to male citizens 21 or more years of age, who have resided in the State one year, the county 90 days, and the town, ward, or precinct 30 days, and who are of sane mind and have not been convicted of infamous crime. The Legislature may, however, give women the right to vote at school elections. ”

“ In the census year 1900, out of a total of 158,245 children of school age, 100,731, or about 63 per cent., were in attendance. Of the population over ten years of age, 3.1 per cent. were classed as illiterate. The school statistics for 1902 gave the number of children of school age as 167,902, and the number in actual attendance as 136,645, or 81 per cent., which is a notable increase over the 1900 figures. The principal institutions of learning in the State are the University of Washington (see Washington, University of) , at Seattle ”

“ The population is confined mainly to the Puget Sound region and the southeastern part of the State. There is a rather large urban population, the aggregate number of those in towns of over 4000 inhabitants in 1900 amounting to 36.4 per cent. of the total population. Seattle and Spokane almost doubled their population between 1890 and 1900, the former having in 1900 80,671 and the latter 36,848 inhabitants. ”

“ Gold and silver are mined in fluctuating quantities, the value of the output in 1900 being gold $580,500, and silver $206,640, commercial value. The gold is obtained almost wholly from quartz veins. Considerable quantities of limestone and some sandstone, granite, and marble are quarried. ”

“ At its organization the population was only 3965, of whom 1682 were voters. With the discovery of gold in eastern Washington, a great influx of population followed and the alarmed Indians determined to exterminate the whites. This led to the Washington-Oregon Indian war of 1855-56. Again in 1857 there were serious Indian troubles concurrent with the rush of population to the gold fields of British Columbia, but the greatest rush was after the discovery of gold at Salmon River in 1860. ”

“ An Oriental market is developing for the products of this industry. The canning and preserving of fish has developed almost wholly since 1890. (See Fisheries.) The slaughtering and meat-packing industry is of equal importance with the foregoing. ”