The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-11
Satisfactory Experiments Made by
U. s. Agricultural Department.
SPECIAL NoWiN SEATTLE
Preparing His Third Annual Report
of Work and Results mt sifka
station for the Government
Grain of All Kinds VIII Grow
kn-FIax Successful Crop.

HTOr. y. NreDTktSOIt Spttidi dktHE VI
the United States agricultural depart
ment. In charge Of the experimental sta
ton at sfka, has arrived from the North
for the purpose of making his annual re-
port to the government. giving results of
his work during the last summer. This is
Prof. Georgeson's third year at Sitka-
and although he has been handicapped
In his work by lack of sufficient funds,
having only a $4,000 annual appropria
ton, he has proven beyond question that
Alaska, In course of time will be as
promising q field for agricultural and
stock-raising IA:rsuits as II is today from
a mining standpoint Prof. Georges on has
three assistants in his work, but owing
to want OF funds he has been unable TO
hire the requisite labor or to complete
many contemplated improvements.
Prof. Georgeson was seen at the Rain
fer-Grand last evening and he stopped
long enough from the work on his annual
report to give the Post-Inteligencer some
facts connected with his experiments. He
said:
Great Possibilities for Grain.
81 was first sent TO Alaska in May. 1893.
My first attempt was to ascertain what
could be grown In the line of vegetables,
and, with that end in view secured the
use of several garden patches Mt sltka.
! was repeatedly told by THE old settlers
that it would be useless for me to at
tempt grain. as II would not grow there.
Nevertheless i seeded a few small patches
of barley and oats, several varieties. and
they all matured perfectly: although not
seeded until the latter part Of May. was
then told It was an exceptional season.
that II could not be done again. but last
year and this year / have grown better
grain than in the first year
There Is not the slightest doubt that
grain can be natured almost anywhere
in Alaska. ] have this year obtained sam
pies of perfectly ripe barley. oats. wir~at
and rye. from sese ral points in the in
grains were grown and matured there this
year. With one exception they were vol
unteer products from seed accidentally
grow and mature without culture. It
stands to reason that they will grow and
improve with culture.
Splendid Flax Raised
II also grew fax at Stka the first
year. II attained a height of over three
feet. matured seed and produced fiber
Of excellent quality. There Is no doubt
that flax can be made successful crop
I'm the coast region of Alaska.
MY Instructions the first year of 1898
were to examine the coast region and
reserve lands for experiment stations at
suitable places. With this end in view
We started a station at Kenai. or the
Renal peninsula In Cook inle', We made
q reservation of 800 acres there. Some
of this land has since been cleared and
matured grain SUCCESSFULLY"
''At Holy Cross mission on the lower
Yukon, they raise hundreds OF bushels
OF potatoes every year and also all the
ather vegetables that they can use in
their schools They have a sort of Or
phanage there with about 100 children.
Last year we continued our expert
ments In testing the adaptability OF vari-
Gus kinds OF grains TO the climate, both
at Sitka and Kenai. and put up a head
quarters building at Sitka. This build
Ing will be fitted out with laboratory.
botanical herbs rum and such scientific
apparatus as will be required in the in
vestigations. For want of sufficlent funds
however the building has not been com
pieted
stations on the Yukon.
This year was instructed to go into
the interior and make reservations OF
lands which may hereafter be used for
experimental purposes. accordingly
made reservation of little over 100
acres at Fort Yukon, which lies at the
bend OF the Yukon. some four or Ave
miles north of the Arctic circle. IL Is
probable that whatever can be found to
thrive there will thrive south of there.
! also made a reservation of 800 acres at
Rampant. on a suitable piece OF land One
OF my assistants was left in the interior
ready broken up some small patches of
ground with a view to seeding next
spring, chiefly with grain.
vegetables will grow anywhere In the
Interior. and they will grow most sue
cessfuily, The most important thing
from an agricultural standpoint, Is to as
certain whether the season Is long enough
to mature ordinary farm crops: and from
what l have seen. | have no doubt what
ever that Alaska will yet become an Inn
portant agricultural state.
There are not less than 10000 square
miles that can be utilized for agricul-
turai purposes In some form. The win
tiers are r, long IA, and severe e1, grasses
chance, and plenty of hay can he made to
keep live stock during the winter. For
about Ave montha OF the summer season
they can md abundant feed out OF doors
Natural Feed for Cattle.
II found that the soldiers at Fort Glib
hon cut grass with "A moving machine
and made hay for their horses and mules
for winter use This piece of meadow was