Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-27
IT MAY BE A GARDEN
HOW FROZEN WASTES or sL,s,s .
CAN DE MADE TO BLOSSOM
SHOULD MAKE AN APPROPRIATION.
Government seat Three Commission.
ers to Aiaska-Their Decision H.
garding the Agricultural Po--IbiII-
ties I'm the Great Northwest.
By James Wilson, Secretary OF Aor
cultureJ

(By James Wilson, Secretary OF Ags
cUlturc)
WASHINGTON. DC, January u-Tb.
future of Alaska as regards experiment
stations is now In the hands Of the An.
preparation Committee Of Congress. an5
what they will do cannot well forecast
think, however. that some provision will
DO made by which scientific knowleds.
OF the capacities OF that territory viii
be exploited. Congress has had our r..
port on the subject for some time. ana Il
will be printed before long,
My conclusions on this matter ar>
based on the reports made me by three
special commissioners In Alaska undsr
the direction Of this department. Who
made a study OF the conditions prevalent
along the southern coast OF Alaska. Dr.
Sheldon Jackson made a special study o.
conditions in the Yukon Valley. / have
supplemented their reports by study OF
my own, and 1 now predict, without hes.
itation, that In my opinion, Alaskas fer
tile soil will, before many years. pro-
duce grain and food products which viii
more than equal in value. all the gold
which is now supposed TO be hidden be-
meath the surface.
That is a strong statement, but l be-
lieve Il most sincerely. Alaska IS de.-
tined to become a great agricultural
field, If 1t is developed properly. Tho
conditions which exist there are paralleled
by the conditions I'm Northern Scotland
which produces a rugged race which has
rn.. ffft.tf OF b..
navy. 1 believe that before many year,
the men who are raised IN the rugged
climate of Alaska, on such food products
as can be cultivated In that climate.
will be the hardest healthiest, most
fearless, and braycst Of all the American
people, and that they will be the bono
and sinew of the American navy on the
Pacific Coast.
The soil of Southern Alaska along the
coast is rich and best suited for barley
and oats, the food on which the Northern
Scotchman thrives. Fish will be an i'm
pOrtant feature of the Alaskan's DIET.
and thus the race will become a sea-
faring one, well suited for the United
States navy. IL we send 10 the people
now living there, commissioners who can
teach them in a practical manner how 10
raise these and other foods prohtablv
believe the country will develop rapidly.
Grass Is abundant, and can be easily Gull.
tivated further, and by a special process
we can teach the Alaskan how to mako
hay, even in the worst kind OF Alaskan
climate, when II rains a little every dav
We would Introduce whatever vegetables
could be successfully cultivated. and
make the best use Of the soil now so rich
already.
The winters need not be especially
hard. for food will be abundant I'm ths
and can be easily stored away
for winter consumption. In barley alone
a tremendous traffic could be built. More
than enough barley To feed a greater
population than is probable In a number
or years to come can be successfully
raised, and that Is a grain for which
there Is a constant market. / repeat H..
Alaska's agriculture possibilities Will yield
her more money than Will ever be taken
out of the gold mines.
Congress, in 1857. appropriated $1,000
Tor the purpose Of establishing an agrl-
cultural experiment station In every
state and Territory. This was never eS-
ended to Alaska, and a special act OF
congress has been asked by the Depart.
nent Of Agriculture, TO set aside si5ea
or the purpose OF increc sing the aeri.
cultural possibilities OF that TERRITORY
me department does not contemplate es-
ablishing an experiment station. but
asks that Congress give the authority n
'xpend the money in introducing various
'lants and grains best suited TO the
climate, and in sending a corps os
pecialists 10 Alaska to Introduce the
PANTS and educate the people In their use.