Laurel outlook., 1946-03-20
ALASKA DESCRIBED AS
LAND OF EXTREMES IN
CUSTOMS, PLANT LIFE
&c

Tilted Alaskan GaruenS, al III
teresting paper describing the
n~orthernmost possession of the
United States was presented March
Ia by Mrs. j. R. Heebner at a meet
ing of the Laurel Garden club,
which met at Mrs. B. l.. Prices
home. A lunch was served to- ~
members and two guests. The next
meeting is to be at the home OF
Mrs. P. A. Johnston.
Mrs. Heebner said, concerning
Alaska:
"When we hear the word Alaska
we think of a cold, bleak country,
enc of deep snow and below-zero
weather, but l find we have a
wrong conception of that far-off
possession of the United States.
ALASKA is a country of extremes,
of the very old and the very new,
of ancient Eskimo and Indian Gull
lures and modern gold mining and
fisheries. Here are found side by
| side glaciers and Strawberries, dog
teams and airplanes, and a skin
boat whose design has not changed
in 1000 years is fitting with the
latest model outdoor motor. Alas
ka is one-fifth the size of the Unit
ed States and has almost every type
of climate and terrane.
ALASKA is not really cold; the
lowest winter temperature is a
little above the lowest records of
North Dakota, Wyoming and Mon
tana. In central Alaska the max
imum heat of summer is about that
of New York City, with a temper
ature as high as 100 degrees F.
The heat in the Attic is usually
humid. In summer the days grow
longer and longer until for a short
time they are "a hours long and the
sun never sets. The heat is con-
tinuous.
"The northern two-thirds of Alas
ka has an externally frozen sub
soil. There may be from a few in
ches to a foot of soil on top which
thaws and grows a sort of short
grass and small flowers, quite like
the ground above timberline on the
Coke City road. The mountains are
high and have many glaciers, while
the hills are low and are covered
with evergreens, the tall straight
Sitka spruce and the western hem
lock. Flowers are gorgeous in
Alaska, for the seasons are short, /:
the plants have an abundance of
sunshine, nights are short and the I:
rains and dews are heavy. Days :
o.1 Lo4 o~1 A.-h4c o,a oaa1 ,ooE-i :
ing an ideal combination which :
causes the flowers to rush into /:
bloom. 81:
Blossoms are large and colors :
vivid. Some varieties of dahlias |:
grow to nearly a foot in diameter, f:
without being disbudded or receiv- :
ing special care. Hollyhock plants :
are eight to 10 feet tall and fox :
gloves are six to seven feet. There !:
are 12-foot delphiniums. Nastur- :
iums, ~calendulas, pansies, snap :
dragons and morning glories are so :
large in size and brilliant in color :
that they are startling. Sweet peas :
grow like Jacks beanstalk and re- :
quire a ladder for picking. Even :
the weeds are surprising. Fireweed :
flowers are such an intense magenta :
that they almost glow with in :
tensity. Queen AIMS lace, water :
hemlock and yarrow have immense :
flowers. :
"There are immense rose gardens :
in Sitka, with roses as much as six :
inches in diameter. Lupines, both :
wild and cultivated, are very lovely. :
There is a tiny white gentian, and :
a wonderful variety of berries, red :
huckelberries and blue which are :
Also there are red elderberries, wild :
cranberries Of two kinds which are :
good for jelly and sauce. There is :
a ~cloudberry or baked apple berry, :
and tasting like that fruit. :
"The bunch berry and our famil- :
ar dwarf dogwood abound. In the :
vet bitches along the roads grows :
The N. w. type of skunk cabbage, :
very attractive flowers that :
are greenish yellow and Gala lily =
ike, not very fragrant but very =
much like our swamp lily. s
"The main vegetable crop is po- E
Also raised are cabbage, =
.auliflower, rutabagas, turnips, car e
'ots, beets, parsnips, lettuce, celery, =
peas, radishes, swiss chard =
md spinach. The vegetables at =
ain great size, such as 18-pound =
seven-pound cauliflower, =
.4-pound r~utabagas, 12-pound tur- =
lips, th~ree-pound heads of lettuce I'll
md two-pound potatoes. Straw -
are grown and attain good d
lies and fine flavor. -