The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-03-15
FARMING FOR ALASKA
Grains, Flax, Clover and Segeta0ies
Thrive surprisingly-AlsoG Goats,
Sheep and Cattle.


One of the important reports which
has Just been submitted to congress by
the secretary of agriculture and ordered
to be printed deals with the agricul-
tural investigations in Alaska. 1t is
important because it brings out some
facts in regard to the agricultural capa-
bilities of our vast Northern territory,
which will astonish those who have re-
garded it as useless ice box, which at
most, was valuable only for the gold it
might contain or for the fur and fish it
yields.
These Investigations, as far as they
have gone, indicate that it has latent
capabilities which, when developed,
may sustain a large population and
make it prosperous state. And why
not? The little country of Finland,
which lies between Sweden and Russia
in the same latitude and is less than
one fourth the size of Alaska, has q
population of 2.5OO,O0O and exports
both grain and livestock, as well as
vast quantities of dairy products. The
author of the report, Professor G. G.
Georgeson, who has charge of the in
vestigations, brought to Washington /
varieties of spring wheat, a dozen
varieties each of barley and oates, and
also rye, buckwheat and flax, all of
which had matured at the experiment
stations at Sitka and Kenai, in the
Kenai peninsula. The report states
that red clover lived through the winter
at Sitka, made luxuriant growth
and matured seed, and that vetches
and other forage plants did equally as
we'll. All of the common hardy veget-
ables were grown to perfection, some
caulihower at Kenai measuring IA
inches across the head.
A statement by the superintendent
of the Alaska Commercial Company in
regard to his company's experience
with livestock at Kadiak is of more
than passing interest, because it reveals
possibilities in the stock industry
which are bound to be of much impor-
lance in the future development of the
county. The company has for many
years kept cattle, sheep and Angora
goats on some of the small islands near
the town of kadiak. On one of these
islands it was not found necessary to
feed or shelter the cattle at all, winter
or summer Year in and year out they
lived in the open and were maintained
solely by the native grasses, which are
abundant in all of Southwestern
Alaska. The herd increased yearly
about rs per cent of the breeding cows.
A flock OF Angora goats increased 80
per cent annually and gave very good
results in mohair. A flock of sheep
has been kept for the past l6 years on
pasture, the year around. The in.
crease was something over 60 per cent,
and the clip averaged about five
pounds of wool per head yearly. There
seems to be no doubt that animal hus-
bandry can be successfully prosecuted
in different parts of Alaska.
Land for agricultural experiment sta
tions has been reserved at three places
in the coast region; namely, at Sitka,
Kadiak and Cook Inlet, and develop
ment work was begun the past season
at Sitka and Kenal. A headquarters
building was erected and partially COM
pleted at Sitka. 1t is to contain
Offices, laboratory, library and quarters
for the person in charge. Most of the
scientific work will be done at Sitka.
The stations are equipped with work
oxen and all the tools necessary for
pioneer farming. The report enumer-
ates also the lines of experimentation
which are of chief interest to that
country. They include those which
relate to the improvement of the soil.
the selection and improvement of small
grains, experiments with vegetables,
the introduction of fruits and expert
ments relating to the various branches
of livestock industry.