The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-08-27
MIRACLE IN WHEAT.
New Riches in Alaska
for the Farmer.
222 BUSHELS TO ACRE
Would Make Farmers Fab
ulous Fortunes at Only
50 Cents a Bushel.

Dy OSCAR r. u DAY IN saturday Evening Post.
When the United States paid eighty
millions for the territory of Alaska, it
was to the fur the purchasers looked
for a return on the investment. When
gold began to pour in from that great
country the investment was pronounced
good. But not in gold alone was Alas
ka destined to repay those early states
men for their real estate speculation n
Years after the yellow metal was dis
covered, there came an aged farmer to
that far northland, and took back to
the states the basis for wealth to his
country by the side of which the gold
from the hills axd icy river beds should
pale into insignificance.
1t was in 1903 that Abram Adams, q
native of Kentucky, who had gone with
the "Star of Empire to the great lest
to farm it, was taken with desire to
try his fortunes in Alaska. Leaving his
ranch in northern Idaho, he made a
trip to the land of promise and of gold,
but nothing came of his attempts at
discovery. Turning his attention the n
to exploring, he drifted along the coast
of eastern Alaska, where the Japan cur
rent flows near the shore and makes of
the land from coast to mountain eternal
spring. Many miles he explored, in
vestigating the possibilities of that
country for future farming and grazing
preparing himself for a report to the
farmers of his community.
He found many beautiful bays, splen
did beaches, sweeps of timber, and
meadows heavy with Juicy grasses.
Here and there were traces of gold, but
not of promising quantity, and then he
chanced upon surprising discovery.
Lodged in nook under protecting
rock, sheltered from the winds, was q
little familiar patch. Interested at once,
he investigated and found that here q
patch of wheat was growing, far from
any living human that could have
planted it, On hands and knees he
pulled away the matted straws. Yet, il
was certainly wheat that was just ripen
ing. The explorer sought among the
thick stems for some heads, but tht
wild game had been before him, and ht
was just about to give up when he dis
covered one head of wheat almost in
tact. A gigantic head it was! Fully
four inches long with its rough beard
ing, and broad in proportion.
Packing the head carefully away, tn,
old man brought it back with him t,
his ranch at Juliaetta, Idaho. Not
word did he say to his neighbors of hi
find. Whether it was wild wheat or no
he could not say. Perhaps some wilc
bird had filled it's crop with the grain
in an unknown region, where it grey
native, and coming to Alaska deposite,
the seed in fertile spot. And yet
was only curiosity that moved Adams
He never dreamed of his find being O
any value except as an experiment fo
his own pleasure.
In the fall of 1904 Mr.. Adams plante
his head of Alaska wheat on high an
all-too-dry land-the natural soil c
Idaho. 1t grew rapidly when the sprin
opened its founts, and in the summe
he had seven pounds of wheat from thi
one head. That was startling. H
hardly dared tell farmer of it. II
examined the kernels. Four times a
large as ordinary wheat, and in color
instead of the homely brownish- gra
of wheat of commerce-the pretties
cream color without a darker spot
, Seven pounds of wheat from one head
: and the fnest-looking wheat mortal ha
ever seenl Abraham Adams began t
dream.
Having tested the grains as winte
wheat, Adams saved his seven pound
to try as spring wheat, and in 1906 h
planted the whole seven pounds. Stul
dily it grew, and when it was harveste
he weighed in 1,545 pounds. His Alask
find had broken the worlds record fo
, wheat yield More than two hundre
aud twenty-five bushels to the acre wa
the ratio yield, and that without an
special petting or manipulation. Wit
the worlds average yield, 12. z busheI
to the acre, and fair yield for execr
tional land of twenty bushels, here wa
prospect of a miracle; revolution i
the wheat industry of the world. Bu
still there was something that nigh
dash every hope of a wheat miracle
Vas this Alaska wheat Of good qua '
Would it make good bread ?
With this last idea in mind the expo
rimenting farmer carried a mall quau
tity of his wheat to the Idaho expert
mental station at Moscow. He kne,
he had a wheat that yielded past an
belief. He had something marvelou