El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-01

wish I could show you the vegetation
OF southeastern Alaska. For the past month
have been travelling along the coast and in
and out among the islands, and the flowers
and trees are a series Of surprises. The
topography Of the country is much like that
OF the Alleghenies or the Blue Ridge, but
the forests are thicker and the vegetation
is deuser. Nearly everywhere the bushes are
thick that II would be impossible 70
make your way through them without an
ak or a knife. The forest begins at the
waters edge and runs to the snow line,
which IS about a thousand feet above the
sea. For that distance the trees are choked
with underground; but above 1t the heavy
vegetation disappears. and there Is a patch
OF grass or moss that runs I'D to the line
Of perpetual snow.
Moss Thick in Forests.
There Is moss everywhere in the forest,
and this is 30 thick and so spOnEy that your
feet sink in to the ankles. Many OF the
trees are hung with fnosses. and the bushes
beyond the tree line seem to bend over and
cling to the ground, caused, 1 suppose. by
the heavy snow which lies upon them dur
ing the winter. The CHIEF trees are ever
greens. There are many spruce. and red and
yellow cedars, Including vast deal OF tim
Der that would make wood pulp and which
in the future Will probably supply the news
paper demands Of the states. As 10 is, the
Indians use the cedar bark to make rope,
and they tear out the inner part Of It and
weave IL into baskets and cloaks.
And then the wild flowers. They grow
everywhere. There are Alpine geraniums,
goldenrod and buttercups. and bluebells with
cups an inch long There are yellow viOlets
and red daisies. and lilies as black as ink.
and little blue forget-me- nots such as We
have in the states. Southeastern Alaska
has three varieties OF orchids, and It has
other air plants as well.
Is Land Of Berries.
Southeastern ALASKA Is a land Of berries.
The salmon berry Is ripe throughout the
summer. Il is twice as large as the larg-
est raspberry, and II tastes much the same.
aH- HfrnH
ground, and cranberries Of several varieties.
There are wild Strawberries and blueberries
and red huckleberries.
Strawberries are raised commercially at
HaineH and they are exported to Juneau and
other towns. They are ripe throughout the
summer, and are OF a character that would
command a ready market in any United
As to the cultivated parts Of southeastern
Alaska, they are few at this writing that
they are hardly worth mentioning. In the
thousand-mlle ride on the steamer from
Seattle to Skagway you do not see dozen
farms as big as a bedspread: and in most
places the land is 50 steep that it reminds
you Of the farms OF West Virginia, where
IT is said tho corn is planted with shot
guns from the opposite hills. Nevertheless,
81 you go back into the valleys you will
farmers have settled. Edward c. Russell
the editor OF the Alaska Dispatch, tells me
that 90 homesteads have been taken out
about Haines, and that there are many
Dairy Farm Near Great Glacier.
l took a photograph Of a dairy farm the
other day during an automobile ride to the
Mendenhall glacier. B. H. Behrends. the
banker. who was my host. told me that
another farmer nearby was clearing $1,000
o. $4,000 year in raising beef for the mar
kets OF juneau, and he pointed out a chick
en- farm or so on the way.
All OF these forms seems 10 me pitifully
small, and I doubt il they offer any great
opportunities 70 their owners The land is
so rough and so wooded that It costs sew
eral hundred dollars an acre TO clear it. and,
compete with the grain and food products
brought In from Washington and Oregon by
tho steamers that call almost daily at the
principal ports.
on the other hand, Prof. c. c. Ceorgeson.
who is at the head Of Uncle Sans farm
experiments in the territory, tells me that
there viii eventually be many small farms
scattered throughout this part OF Alaska.
He says that they will grow up 10 supply
the mining centerB with vegetables and
fruits. He does not expect them to come
soon. believing that it will be a task Of a
generation or so to clear the forests and
take OFF the moss. He thinks the coast
region is best adapted 20 gardening. chicken
raising and dairying while the natural
meadows may be utilized for stock raising.
Some Big Hubbard Plants.
I understand that small farms are grow
ing UP about many OF the fishing stations
One Of the best OF such Is that Of C. A
Burclghardt. the president OF the Alaska
Pacific Fisheries" at Yes bay Mr. Burck-
hardt tells me that he raises Hubbard with
leaves as big a parasol and stems as
long as baseball bat, and quite as thick
He grows strawberries that are four inches
in circumference. and they keep bearing for
two months OF the summer.
Mr.. Burckhardt spends his summers only
In Alaska, and he brings his COW back and
forth with him each season. The COW is
a Jersey named Daisy. She was first
brought up on account OF Mr.. Burckhardt's
little daughter. born six The
baby needed one cows milk and Daisy
came along 70 furnish It. The experiment
worked so well that Daisy has spent -her
summers In the north ever since. I under
stand that she seems 60 know when the
time has come TO Tit southwark. She goes