ALASKA EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 323 



Onions from seed have always been a failure here. 



Parsnips, same result as with carrots. 



Parsley was sown in a cold frame from April 29. It has made little progress. 

 The seed germinated, but the leaves are small and the amount small. 



Peas were planted April 27 in open ground, and have done well all summer. Seed 

 has matured in addition to furnishing green peas for table use. Blossoms are on the 

 vines now. 



Radishes have never given trouble. They grow well and to large size. They 

 retain their tenderness and freshness well. 



Rhubarb was not planted, as we have a large number of roots, most of which have 

 been raised from seed the past few years. Some of the stalks will measure 4 inches 

 in circumference. 



Spinach has always been a failure here. Seed stalks are sent up almost as soon as 

 the plants are through the ground. I had two or three plants that were in good 

 form for greens this summer. 



Turnips always do well. We gathered some that weighed 2\ pounds, and were 

 smooth and tender. 



Ruta-bagas have not done so well as turnips. The tops are very large, and they 

 would make good forage, but roots are small. 



The clovers were sown early in May, and some of the seed germinated. There are 

 some plants now to be seen, but the stand is not good, nor do the plants look flour- 

 ishing. White clover sown several years ago in our front yard is doing nicely and 

 spreading rapidly, notwithstanding the constant tramping of the children. 



Romanow spring wheat, Manshury barley, and Finnish Black oats were sown in 

 the garden May 7, and all made a heavy growth. Some stalks of oats and barley 

 stood 6 feet high, and the wheat was little less in height. The barley has been cut, 

 and the yield was excellent. On 210 square feet there were 9| pounds of grain, 

 which is at the rate of 40 bushels per acre. 



The oats and wheat are not matured at this date, but may mature sufficiently to 

 make seed before heavy frosts come. 



Other patches of each were sown, May 29, 30, and June 1. The growth has in all 

 cases been good, even on new soil, but none will mature except possibly a small 

 patch of barley, which is now turning yellow. The grain could have been sown early 

 in April had it been here, and in that case all would have stood a favorable chance 

 of maturing. 



I received a good-sized shipment of garden and farm seeds from a w T ell-known 

 seed company in the States, and it may interest you to know the result of planting 

 that. As the seed did not reach here until June 10, the chances were against suc- 

 cess, but some kinds did well. 



A barrel of potatoes, consisting of Salzer Sunlight, Earliest, All the Year Round, 

 Daughter of Early Rose, Sir Raleigh, arrived in bad condition, from being so long on 

 the road, owing to a mistake on my part, but have proved that they are all good seed 

 for Alaska. The yield is good and the tubers large and smooth. 



Some sand vetch was tried on a sand field near the beach and is worthless. 



Earliest Russian millet amounts to nothing, although tried in various localities. 



Giant spurry made a good growth on good soil, but on sand did nothing. 



Timothy could not be expected to do better on old or new ground. 



Dwarf Victoria rape on good soil has made a good yield of forage. 



Cow and hog peas in favorable places have done fairly well. 



Spelt was planted on sand and on new soil. On the first it grew 14-24 inches 

 high and was well headed, but the stand was light. On new soil the stand was 

 better, the straw good, and the heads larger. Neither had time to mature. 



I secured also some shrubs and trees as follows: 



A crab apple which has made a fair growth this summer; an apple, which is 



