The daily Alaskan., 1912-11-05
TELLS IF
 ALASKA FARMING

Washington, Nov. 1-The annual report of the Alaska experiment stations for 1911, which has been made public by the Department of Agriculture, shows an activity in agricultural pursuits in the terri tory and successful crops and eX- periments. In spite of drawbacks and the skeptical feeling of off cials of the stations, considerable progress was made in experiments in small fruits and apple growing. Successful tests were made with varieties Of cherries, entrants, and raspberries.
 The most encouraging tests were made with vegetables and the re- suits obtained were highly satis- factory. Of these crops the report says:
 The potato is by long odds the most important vegetable grown in Alaska. It constitutes a very i'm portant item in the peoples diet. Everybody uses it; everybody knows how to grow it; and with proper care it can be grown all over the Territory. But in spite of this, sev- eral thousand tons are imported to Alaska every year About a thous- and tons are shipped into the Fairbanks region alone each sum mer from the Puget Sound district It is maintained that outside" po- tatoes are drier and mealier than those grown in Alaska; and they therefore bring a higher price in the market than do native grown potatoes. It is denied that Alaska grown potatoes are of inferior Qual- ity. This is true of some varieties when grown under poor culture in wet soil, but 1t is not true Of an varieties. It is the function of the experiment stations to ascertain which varieties are best adapted to the country. and for this purpose a large number of varieties are grown on a small scale. These are then compared to each other as 70 yield a quality, and the inferior ones are rejected. while the best ones are distributed among those who may wish to try them.
 Next to the potato, cabbage is the most important vegetable iu the country. It is grown everywhere, and in spite or @ large home pro duction great quantities of cabbage are imported to all sections Of AL aska. Puget Sound cabbage may be found on sale in every grocery store in the coast region as well as in some of the interior towns where shipments can be delivered before the freeze-up. As in the ease of potatoes. varieties of cabbage dirre. greatly in their adoption to the eli. mate"
 CauurIower. peas, lettuce, radish. es and other vegetables are also grown Experiments are being made with dairying. and hay and grain crops.
 The report further states.
 That sheep breeding can be made a success in the coast region of Alaska has been proven by the last years experience with the sta ton flock. Forty ewes were pur- chased in the spring of 1910. Five of these were lost during the win ter, but the remainder have done exceedingly we'll It is a question of starting with the right kind of sheep. Pure-bred Mcriuo or Ner- ino grades of the kind that are used SO extensively in the forest pastures of Idaho and Montana are unsuited to the country. In fact no short wooded sheep are desirable. A short, thick wool holds the moisture and loads down the animal with a weigh to such an extent that a sheep not in the prime of condition is not able Co rise once having lain down. The sheep for the country arc the large, long-wOoled breeds. The wool sheds the rain. This is the class Of sheep at the station
 1sE A1agl., Gfa4r1ghfn TnmWHWE' 'g