Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-03-05


and here also is the head.
quarters from which the three other expert
ment stations are managed. One Of these i.
at Rampant, on the Yukon river, near the
arctic circle. Another is near Fairbanks, in
the rich valley of the Tanana, in the heart OF
Alaska, and third is on the Island OF Ko-
y diak, situated within a short distance OF
Seward, the ocean terminus of the new rail
road. Kodiak is bigger than Porto Rico.
lis specially is stock rearing and dairying.
The Fairbanks station is in the center of a
great agricultural region. 1t is devoted to
all-round farming Rampant is so far north
that 1t forms the best place for the breeding
OF oats, barley and wheat for the cold lands
lie experiments at Sitka are devoted to
vegetable gardening and the raising Of ber-
rics and other small fruit. This part OF the
territory IS mountainous and is largely made
up OF islands 1t has no great farming
areas, and the crops come from patches of
land about the bays or in the valleys New
ertheess, there are many small farms, and
the mining communities and towns are get
ting some OF their supplies from the country
about.
The experiment farm at Sitka lies under
the shadow of Mount Nerstovia within a
quarter of a mile OF the town 1t is gently
rolling, rising from the muskeg or swamp
up the slopes of the hills The farm has j
great greenhouse or fruit-forcing plant, and
the fields about this are devoted to vegetaz
bles and grain and to gardens and orchards
There are acres OF strawberries and rasp-
berries and orchards of apples, cherries and
apricots. The strawberries are finer than
have seen in any part Of the United States
or Europe. There are hundreds OF rows OF
them. The plants are vigorous and are
loaded with fruit. | saw some berries al
nnost as big as hens eggs and many over an
inch in diameter. The berries have been
produced by cross-breeding the wild native
plants with other strawberries brought here
from all parts Of the world. There are sew
eral thousand different kinds of Strawberries
growing at the station, and nearly all OF
them have more or less Alaskan blood in
their veins. | wish you could taste them.
They are strawberry all through Only
few have tart flavor, and the most are SO
delicious that they fairly melt in your mouth
The plants have hardwood not known to
our strawberries. They keep on bearing
Nor about two months during the summer,
and are still yielding fruit as late as Sep
TENDER.
Among the other experiments going on at
this station is the crossing Of the red AMI
yellow salmonberrles with the raspberry.
The salmonberry is as big as the largest
blackberry, but it is red or pale yellow in
|color. It is delicious to taste and is used ia
great quantities all over Alaska. Raspber-
rics also will grow we'll almost anywhere,
and the crossing is successful although the
new fruit partakes more of the flavor of the
salmonberry.
The station is also breeding apple trees
that will grow in many parts Of the territory,
and it is making experiments with cherries,
with filberts and other nuts of the harder
varieties.
The most surprising feature of the gar
dening is in pansies, peoples, roses and other
beautiful flowers. Among the pansies now
growing are many as big around as the bot
tom of a tumbler, and some are as black as
ink and as soft as silk pluslS There are also
roses Of exquisite perfume and peoples of
the most brilliant red and as big around as
tea plate. These peoples come from Asia,
and they are perennial They are among
the new wonders of Alaska
I went over the experiment farm with
Professor c. c. Georgeson who, under Sec
rotary Houston, has the management AMI
direction Of Uncle Sans agricultural work
in Alaska. There is no man better fitted by
ability and experience for the position I