Evening star., 1917-03-25
east Kmowm Part of Uncle Samm's Great Dominion


islands for dairying, but there is diff
ference of opinion as to whether 1t
would pay. The climate is such that
grain will not mature, but grasses Of
all kinds grow in abundance, and on
the lowlands there is more or less grass
vegetable mold mixed with volcanic
ash. The country is very rugged and
there are no places where farms of any
size could be made.
There is no doubt but that cattle can
be raised on the Island of Kodiak. That
island is not one of the Aleutians- 1t
lies far to the eastward, being only
about 200 miles west of Seward. 1t
is south Of the Alaskan peninsula and
separated from it by Shelikof strait.
Kodiak is the largest of the Alaskan
islands. Its area is almost as great
as the state of Connecticut and 1T
raises some of the finest grass that
waves under the American flag. The
island is for the most part treeleSs
and the hills are covered with green.
The Russians raised cattle there and
Americans have had farms under cul-
t1Eation there as far back as 1880 The
government stock farm is at the east
ern end of the island, about fifteen
miles from the harbor and town of
Kodiak. The town has perhaps 500
people. nearly all of whom have gar
dens in which they raise cabbages, po-
tatoes and turnips. Some of them keep
be used during the snowstorms
recently received a letter from
Prof. c c. Georeeson. who is in charge
OF our agricultural experiment sta
tion IN Alaska and who knows more
about farming conditions here than any
one else in the territory. He makes
annual inspections of the stations and
II was at his advice that the Kodiak
farm was established. He writes me
that he expects to bring some Holstein-
"a tote yIr,
lngton to cross breed them with the
dalloWays l quote from this letter:
Inc Alaskans need a hardy dairy
COW and one that is a good mixer
poor mixers and we have been SLOW
IN increasing their milking QUALITIES
although we are progressing 1t Is my
ldea TO cut across lots and Introduce
some good milking blood into the Gal
IoWays. We Shall cross them with the
stefn-FrieSians, and we shall then
nave pure-bred Galloways and crosses
me Galloways are valuable also ON
aScount sri'' OF their heavy coat of hair.
rms is of value in a cold climate an5
bel1eve that we shall raise Gallowav
robes which will be as yaluahIa ~
Aiaska as buffalo robes were once to
the states" '' ~
Ahother experiment Prof. Georeeson
oI the T1betan or Mongolian wax into
.he island of Kodiak in order to cross
! win the Galloway cattle. So far the
anGers at Yrs OF me Agricultural Department
at washington have not consented to
TINS introduction. but Mr. Georgeson
IS still urging it and it NAV be.tried
next year. The director of a Russian
hhsperament hsp uris station at Irkutsk. Siberia.
meslc animal of Mongolia. and he finds
mat 1t cross-breeds readily with the
oomestlc cattle. The hybrids are more
braad br less sterile. but some of them are
breeders; and If a strain could be es-
tapllshed 1t would be of great advan-
tage to Alaska. The Siberian wax are
es. gooa for milk and beef and also as
nraL. rninh+ ANIMALS M and burden bearers. They
might be used by the miners and pro
spectors in carrying packs over the
country Before the war broke out
'ro,. Georgeson had made arrangements
IN Baltimore. at $500 a pair. but he
could not obtain the departments per
mission 10 buy them. 1 know we have
an number of yak in the Geological Gar
thrive there in a climate which is much
the same as that of Kodiak
Inc hills of Kodiak Island are still
covered with the ashes of the Katmai
volcano which fell in 1912. The vol
cano Is only ninety miles west of Ko-
diak. and the ashes were carried over
lhe Island by west wind. which blew
for two days during the eruption. The
ashes fell like snow for forty-eight
hours. and they covered the whole is
land with ashes and sand to a depth of
eighteen inches without drifting. There
were numerous slides of ashes down
the hills and mountainsides, and where
they drifted they swept away fences
and almost buried some of the expert
ment station buildings. Some Of the
sheep and calves We're suffocated by
the ashes. and the livestock outside the
barns were without feed and water dur
ing that time.
For a time it was thought that the
eruption had ruined the island for
agricultural purposes. Nevertheless.
grain was planted the next year, and
it was then found that the ashes have
acted upon the soil like a thick coat
of fertilizer. The grass has come up
through it and it is growing better
than ever. The crops are thriving. and
the last state of the island is better
than the first. All vegetables are doing
well apd the grain seems to get a great
deal Of plant Food from the ashes.
FRANK a. CARPENTER.