ALASKA EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 823 



Entcrpri.so.s of this nature should lie cncourajred us long as thov do not 

 encroach on the rights of settlers. The grass is there going to waste. 

 Turning it into beef and nuitton is to transuuite it to a useful purpose. 



WORK AT SITKA STATION. 



The cultural work at the Sitka Station is detailed in the following 

 pages. The weather conditions, which arc of such preeminent impor- 

 tance in the latitudes of Alaska, were partly fav()ral)le and partly not. 

 The spring was late and cold, delaying })lanting. August was the most 

 favorable month, having twelve clear days, and the temperature reached 

 a maximum of 79 F., but growth had not l)een rapid eiiough u\) to 

 that time, dune had eight clear davs. and Julv onlv live. The results 

 were that all crops were late in maturing. 



VEGETABLES. 



The vegetaldes here noted were all grown on soil which had been 

 cultivated but three years and which is far from being comparable 

 with average good garden soil. It will take several j-ears more to get 

 it in good tilth. 



Biitiis. — Broad Windsor, seeded May '1\. June l."J, germinated 

 well; strong, liealthy plants. .July 1, vcr}' vigorous grower. Jul}^ 

 15, 12 inches high, in l)loom. August 1, no pods set yet. August 15, 

 many pods set. Septemlier 1, a large munber of pods ready for use. 



The \N'indsor bean deserves to be cultivated in ever}' Alaskan gar- 

 den. The beans should be used when about full grown, but before 

 they begin to ripen. They should be cooked like Lima beans, and 

 compart! \cry favoiably with the latter in flavor. It is the one varict}'^ 

 of bean which is hardv enough to grow successfullv in Alaska. 



Improved Golden Wax Bush, seeded May "IV. June 15, only a few 

 plants, yellow and sickly looking. July 1, growing slowly, first 

 leaves out. July 15, sickly plants, ver}' poor. August 1, i)lants 

 small, l)uds formed, none open. August 15, only a few pods set. 

 Septemlier 1, pods large enough to use as snap beans. The few plants 

 which we attempted to raise i)roduced about a (piarter of a crop of 

 marketal)le snaf) beans; still, on drier soil, they would doubtless have 

 done better. Occasionally one hears of l)ush beans doing well, l)ut 

 ordinarily they arc not a sure crop. 



Th()rl)urn Dwarf Lima, seeded June S. July 1, germinated poorly, 

 plants y«'ll()w and sickly looking; many plants pulled ui)()r l>roken off 

 by ravens. July 15, not doing well. August 1, failure. 



Jirt'ts. — Exti-a Kaily P^gyptian, seeded May 21. June l.">, up and 

 doing verv well. Jul\- 1, growing slowlv. The same condition »Julv 

 15. August 15. doing w(>ll in last ten days. September 1, growing 

 fast. October 8, not large, but of good (juality. 



