The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-07-01

fse1ii Sdliho' INOIlc OI JllSHu were pronounced successes except field peas and common vetch. Both of these were produced successfully for hay and silage.
 Potatoes Most Important
 Potatoes, from an industrial standpoint, is the most important Alaskan crop. It is grown mostly for home use in Southern Alaska, but in the Panama and Matanuska Valleys it is a commercial crop.
 The harder vegetables can be grown anywhere in Alaska, as was demonstrated first in experiments and later in practical ways. The SlJka station was responsible for the introduction, from Finland, Of the Petrowski turnip, and this is grown throughout the Territory. Other vegetables included: radish- es, turnipS, kale, Brussels sprouts. carrots, parsnips, parsley peas, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kohl rahi, rutabagas, onions, leek. spin ach, endive, horse radish, rhubarb, and celery. These are all grown in the open. Hothouse vegetables introduced are: tomatoes, cucum- bers and squash.
 Bush fruits included entrants. raspberries and gooseberries, which are grown successfully along the south coast and in the interior. Strawberries are indigenous to AL aSka, but the native varieties when crossed with imported strains were found to be greatly improved in both quality and size The varie- ties produced at the Sitka station are now Gessiminiated widely over the Territory.
 Livestock Breeding Work
 Experimentation in livestock breeding was started at Kenai in 1899 That station was closed in 1908 and the stock was transferred to Kodiak and continued there for 24 years. Tn that time 358 head of pure bred Galloways were bred at Kodiak. In 1881, the station was closed and the breeding herd disposed of. The stock was proved to be excellent for beef in South western Alaska.
 The Holstein Fresian breed of dairy cattle was introduced in 1916. The experiment with this strain, used both for dairy and beef purposes, was not so happy and this was discontinued and the stock sold.
 Search For Dairy Stock
 The search for dairy stock was prosecuted diligently over long period of years. None of the var ieties mentioned proved entirely satisfactory. In 1916 plans were made to cross the Galloway and Holstein breeds. Expectations at the time were that it would re- quire from 30 to 40 years to pro duce satisfactory type that would breed true to type.
 The first hybrid heifers were dropped in 1920 and females of the fourth generation are now in the herd. The first generation hybrid COWS averaged approximately 5000 pounds of milk yielding approxi- mately 240 pounds of fat per lac tation. A gradual increase of milk produced by the animals selected during succeeding generations in- dicated that progress was being made in that phase of the work. Second and third generation COWS are now producing 10000 to 13,000 pounds of butter. All indications pounds of butter.g All indications are that a number of the animals will in the succeeding generations, be breeding true to type.
 Gains May Be Lost
 The advance made by this ex- pertinent is more than likely to be lost due to the abandonment of the stations. Experiments to date with the hybrids indicates that if the work should be continued under supervision that 25 years would permit the attainment of a breed especially suited to Alaska. When it is realized that it has re- quired from 150 to 300 years to successfully breed the Jersey and types on the Channel Is- land. the Ayershire in Scotland, the Holstein in The Netherlands, the Brown Swiss in Switzerland and the Swedish COW in Sweden, this is readily recognized to be an ex- tremely short time for such pro- ject to be completed.
 Other live stock grown with suc- cess by the Experiment. Stations includes sheep of several varieties, milk goats, and hogs. Yak were introduced and after some dis couraging experience at Fairbanks, the project was transferred to high CT attitudes and is proving more successful. Crossing this anmal with domestic cattle was also un- dertaken with varying results.
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