Daily camera., 1899-05-03


Noted.
Farming 10 to be attempted on an
Organized. extensive scale under gov
srnmsnt supervision in Alaska. Effort
u to be made to raise grains, grasses
and vegetables in districts contingu-
Gus to the gold fields. and aSricultur-
al experts pronounce the scheme prac-
tcabls
Ever since the discovery of gold in
Alaska and the great influx of people.
the government has been instituting
Investigations A. to the agricultural
possibilities of the country, with a
view to making IT less dependent upon
outside supplies and living cheaper
The results are a surprise to the peo-
pie not thoroughly familiar with Alas
kan conditions. The present agricul-
tural appropriation bill now provides
= fund OF $4,000 for the establishment
OF q regular government experiment
station. which will put Alaska on the
same footing In this regard as the
other states and territories which en-
10Y this assistance from the national
government. The scientist who u
likely to be appointed director Of the
experiment station to be esA AblishSd
is Prof. c. c. Georgeson. who spsat
last year. in behalf OF the department
Of agriculture. in Alaska, planning
experimenting and surveying. Mr..
Georgeson is q native OF Denmark and
thoroughly familiar with the coDdi-
tions of agriculture In Northern Eu-
rope, and he expresses himself ~ csr-
tain that much development Will ensas
from a series of Systematic and prac-
teal experiments and farm education
Of the people. Before starting vsst
last year he procured seeds for trial
from agricultural ofncials In Norway.
Sweden. Manitoba and AiAnssotA
where climatic conditions Approximate
those found in Alaska. He planted
various crops At Sitka. Juneau. SkaS-
uay. and number Of other places.
and the results were generally highly
successful. II was a simple practical
test. involving no labor or skin b.
yond that required everywhere fer .
successful cultivation OF the soil; ~
the barley. oats and clover produced
we're AS nne as the best grown in tAs
state. The yield OF oats and barley
vas SO remarkable that Secretary W.
son recently took sample bundles o(
them to a cabinet meeting. to show
the president and his associates what
could be done in Alaska in the farm
ing line
Tie territory was shown to b sno-
able OF producing very hne nax for
fiber. and this may become An import
ant Industry. IL is one which ia not
developed in the states. The grovth
q! the various clovers was enormous
seedlings reaching a height of over
t~o feet during the season.
The climate and soil, Prof. Georxe-
son says. are favorable generally to
the growth of all hardy and semi
hardy vegetables. and q varied And
lusuriant garden may b maintained
with comparative ease, He raised sue-
-sssfuily asparagus. beets. cabbaeA
cauiiilower, carrots, kale, lettuce. o.
ions parsnips. peas. radishsa, salaify.
and potatoes. Investigations made hy
him show that while little effort has
been made by anybody to grow nslA
crops OF any kind. and NO systsnatio
or thorough trials have been under.
taken. yet In the aggregate a Grsat
number OF different plants have bssn
successfully raised. Distances arc 10
great and settlements so sparse that
little knowledge is possessed At one
point as TO what the Inhabitants of
another section may be doing.
The advantage for stock raising
seems excellen. Cattle grow fast and
produce good beef. Grass feed 10
abundant. red-top growing As high ~
mans head. Timothy also does we'll.
The department OF agriculture is just
in receipt of sample OF oats and
timothy from point south OF Circle
city, where they have reseSded them
selves for several years. The oat
heads are hard and large. II il un-
necessary to import hay into Alaska,
although this Is done to some exten t
at cost OF $40 ton: but the con-
sirnr,ion OF silos for keeping green
feed during the winter would obviste
any such necessity. At 4 mum Der Of
points whore gardening has proven
very unsuccessful the people are poor
and II is almost impossible for them to
get good seeds.