The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-28

Inlet. between Il and the mountains oc-
cupytng the eastern portion OF the KenAi
peninsula. r. q strip some thirty or forty
miles wide. q Ieve! bIun OF coed. fertile
land
Character Of the Soil.
The mountains are about 500 feet high
and catch a good deal of the moisture
brought from the southeast. giving 10 ihe
pieateaU sheltered behind them a fine.
sunny climate 20 warm the soil. The small
areas cultivated at Ka9.ak this season
were too light and sandy in spots to stand
the lack OF the usual amour; OF rain. but
the soil on the reservation there Is good
and ioamy.
At Sitka the growth OF cereals was slow,
on account Of the GOODNESS, but the grain
stools on, well. and the straw Il heavy
and long. The seed furnished TO Mr.
Georgeson was from various parts Of The
United States and other countries and
grown in different ATTITUDES. More was
from Maine than from any other single
locality, but considerable also from Mime
sofa and from Russia, and some Of the
grains from Sweden. As Nigh, be sup
posed, the northern-8rown seeds produced
the best results; but the Swedish grain
did not excel that from American sources.
The variety of grains, forage and garden
vegetables capable Of being grown in the
coast regions is surprising 20 persons who
have regarded Alaska only as a land OF
gold and glaciers All the common grains
OF the temperate zoDe-oats, barley. wheat,
rye. buckwheat and fax produce album
dainty. Buckwheat grown from Maine and
Siberian seed matured, but that from
Washington did not. Potatoes grow tine
and large. dry and msaly: onions. pars-
ntps. beets and AL root crops in abundance
and of very fine quality. Radshas are
ready Tor the table in three weeks from
sowing the seed. and lettuce and cabbage
grows rapidly. sweet and crisp. In fact,
all hardy garden vegetables can be pro-
duced there Ia abundance. Both red and
white clover blossoms freely and bears seed
In profusion. and once started spreads it
self through neighboring areas.
For stockraising the country Is. in Mr..
Georgesons opinion. unexceiled. The few
cattle already there are fed exclusively ON
native forage. and are all In first-class con-
dition. On kadiak island cattle have run
at large for the past eight years, taking
caro- of themselves, and so wild that when
one is wanted for the slaughter II mas TO
be brought down with rife: but they are
in good hesh. and In the towns where
cows are domesticated the milk is of the
first order of excellence. The vetches and
alfalfa and several species OF grasses grow
luxuriantly when once introduced.
farmer living on Admiralty island.
about seventy i've miles northeast of Sit
ka grows vegetables for such local mar
ket as he can find at Killisnoo. and is do
ing well. He Seeds from late April TO the
middle of May. and has fine crops.
Islands Furnish Best Ground.
Winter rye sown in the fail grows over
six feet high and Is ripe August Is. Both
the red and the white Saskatchewan wheat
developed full heads of plump, hard ker
nels. as good for -four milling as any grown
In Minnesota or North Dakota, Mr..
Georgeson brought back with him samples
of the various grains grown. which may be
seen at the Chamber OF Commerce
The islands. he believes. furnish the best
ground. The residents both native and
American, have been much interested in
his operations. but az first had little conf
dence In much resulting from them. Until
very recently no attempts had been made
to farm there systematically. Nothing had
ever been raised there except few eota-
toes and onions and the inhabitants. hav-
ing been so long accustomed TO importing
almost all their eatables from abroad, had
come 10 think that was the only way to
get them there the idea OF home produc-
ton not having been presented to them
with conviction of It's practicabiity.
But during the time already spent in ex-
pertinent work there enough has been ac-
complished TO prove that any enterprsing
man with a knowledge of farming who se-
lects favorable spot can supply any To-
cal market he may find. and with little
hunting and fishing can make a good NV
ing. Further experiments will be carried
or during the next year to find how BEST
To clear up and drain farms. 10 improve
existing conditions and to encourage tho
people to develop the agricultural resources
of the land. and to convince them OF what
Mr.. Georgeson declares unhesitatrgiy
that there Cals be accomplished In Alaska
In an agricultural way more than people
have heretofore dreamed Of
During the current year there has been
erected in S,ka for the use of the expert
meut station II commodious headquarters
building. 80 by 42 feet and two stories hiSh.
al a cost OF 81. 20. This building stands on
the site of the old Russian castle which
burned I'm 1894 and VIII be occupied during
the winter by Mr.. Georseson's assistant.