Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-10-07
MDLAW CHILDREN M SCt100L e
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To the average person the mention
ofAlaska brings to the mind picture
of ice and snow; that any person
should take up residence there to
follow the simple life of a farmer
seems beyond comprehension.
Nevertheless this territory is fast
becoming a garden-spot. With few ex-
ceptions the country will produce
everything in the agricultural line
grown in the states" Seeds and
labor are the two all-impOrtant fac
tors. The men and women who are
subduing the Alaskan wilderness need
not be exhorted to labor; they do their
share of the worlds work nobly, and
the garden seed is being furnished
them by the experiment stations on
application. The bureau Of plant in
dustry of the United States depart
ment of agriculture has kindly fur
nished seeds to the stations for this
purpose,
Persons who are seeking informa-
ton about Alaska are recommended
/ 70 read the letters published herewith.
They are in way more valuable than
reports from the experiment stations,
lin that they record the things the peo-
pie accomplish. These are only a few
Of the letters received on that sub
Jet. All that reach the station are
not written in the same sanguine mood
which characterizes most of these.
Taken as a whole, the season was not
favorable and many report failure,
though most Of the following letters
report splendid successes. Then,
again, the reader is recommended to
study them because of the practical
directions found in many. To garden
successfully in Alaska requires ex-
perience, whether one gets it for him.
/ self or utilizes the experience of 9TH
ers. The latter plan may often save
time and labor, to say nothing of dis
appointments. The reports show the
possibilities of the country. From the
southernmOst boundary to far north of
the arctic circle they tell what Alaska
can produce under ordinary pioneer
conditions, with very meager facilities.
Fred Patching, Fortman Salmon
Hatchery, Loring, Alaska, November
IA, 1907.-The season was probably
two weeks later than usual, but after
the good weather came it made up for
lost time. Burbank potatoes did well.
On one piece of ground which was 8S
by 90 feet We dug 2,846 pounds. Gold
Coin potatoes from four pounds of seed
harvested 81 pounds. White Nam
moth potatoes from four pounds of
seed harvested 46 pounds. Banner
potatoes from four pounds Of seed har-
vested AZ pounds. Early Ohio pota-
toes from IL pounds of seed harvested
ZIG pounds. Extra Early Ohio pota-
toes from four pounds OF seed har.
vested IL pounds. Some kind of dis
ease attacked the Extra Early Ohio
potatoes, which accounts for the small
yield. String beans, the Early Mo-
hawk, did well and were good yielders,
but toward the last were badly at
tackled with rust. The beans were of
good flavor. Beets, Dewings Blood
Turnip beets, did extremely well, grow
ing large and were of fine flavor. Giant
Feeding sugar beets grew well, but
did not grow very large. Cabbage.
the Early Jersey Wakefield, did well
and every plant made hard head and
was ready to use by August 1.
S. Stride, Haines, Alaska, November
20, 1907.-Thanks for trees md bushes
sent last spring. All are alive, but
the growth was not much on the APP
pies, about II inches. The apple trees
of 1906 did much better this year,
growing 26 inches. The raspberries
grew four feet canes, but one-half of
the fruit did not ripen before frost
came and destroyed it. 1 think if you
can get cross between the salmon
berry and raspberry it will ripen here
all right. My currants bore fruit and
are doing well. 1 sent to British Co
lumbia last spring for dewberry bush
es. but they were too long coming and
died. Shall try again. My potatoes,
rhubarb. carrots, and turnips did well.
/. S. Williams, Montauk Point, EAGLE,
Alaska, October Is. 1907.-The seeds
you sent me last year have been tried
with fair success. The cabbage did
not do well. believe the soil was not