OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 189 



whether a sufficient agriculture and horticulture can be developed 

 in Alaska to form an important suljsidiary industry to aid in the 

 permanent development of mining, fisheries, and lumbering, which 

 will undoubtedly be the leading industries of this region. If all the 

 food suijplies of the population engaged in these industries must 

 be transported from the United States and Canada, it is evident that 

 the development of Alaska will be much slower and more uncertain than 

 if a considerable portion of these supplies can be produced in the Ter- 

 ritor}'. It has already been shown that the green vegetables raised in 

 Alaska have been an important factor in maintaining the health of the 

 mining communities. If our investigations should do nothing more 

 than establish on a sound basis the growing of vegetables in little gar- 

 dens about the cottages of miners and fishermen in Alaska, they will 

 make an adequate return for the funds expended on them. But there 

 is a fair prospect that they will do much more than this. There are 

 large areas on the western peninsula, in Cook Inlet, and on the islands, 

 which are naturally adapted to the growing of live stock. The fact 

 that a considerable number of domestic animals have already been 

 maintained in this region would seem to show that an animal industry 

 might be developed there. The Department will attempt to find out 

 under what conditions this can best be done. 



The growing of grain and other forage crops on a large scale in this 

 region and in the interior is still problematical. The experiments 

 which the Department has thus far conducted have been very largely 

 made with reference to the determination of general agricultural pos- 

 sibilities of the Territory. The growing to maturity of such plants as 

 wheat and oats in any region, even in small quantities, furnishes an 

 excellent indication of the climatic and soil conditions of that region 

 with reference to its agricultural possibilities, for we know quite defi- 

 nitely what is required for the maturing of such jDlants. 



In southern Alaska, which is the only i^art of Alaska seen by most 

 tourists, the forests cover most of the land. The natural meadows 

 which occur in considerable numbers are usually of quite limited extent 

 and for the most part escape the notice of visitors pursuing the ordi- 

 nary lines of travel. The clearing of land for agricultural purj^oses 

 in this region will necessarily be expensive, and will only be done as 

 lumbering takes away the trees and increase of population makes a 

 demand for agricultural products. In most respects this region does 

 not differ materially from that of Puget Sound. It is probable that 

 ultimately it will become the home of a considerable j)oi)ulation, part 

 of whom will engage in agriculture ; the growing of such crops as oats, 

 barlej^ potatoes, buckwheat, turnips, and other vegetables, together 

 with dairying, will become important industries, and it is probable that 

 fiax will be largely grown for its fiber here as it will be in western 

 Washington and Oregon. 



The headquarters of the experiment stations of Alaska were locatea 

 at Sitka because this is the capital of the Territory and is conveniently 

 located with reference to communication with all the coast region as 

 well as the interior. As the work of the experiment stations in Alaska 

 develops, the scientific operations always associated with such work 

 in this country will be performed in the laboratories to be established 

 in the headquarters building. Here will be brought, for examjile, 

 samples of soil and of cultivated and native plants from different 

 parts of the Territory' for chemical analysis and botanical examination 

 and such other studies as will determine their value for agricultural 

 purposes. 



