328 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



I have received no seeds yet, and it is hardly likely that another mail will reach me 

 this fall, as navigation will soon close for the winter. 



In regard to the seeds I planted last spring, will state that my knowledge of garden- 

 ing is very limited, but have had very fair success so far. I have less than an acre 

 in cultivation. 



Parsnips are the finest and largest I ever saw, and the first I have heard of being 

 rak ed in the vicinity. 



Turnips grow to an enormous size, and of fine flavor. (Captain Glenn took a 

 sample of my turnips last year to Washington. ) This year my seeds were bad some 

 way, as most of them went to seed. I don't know the reason why. 



The Scotch kale is a perfect success here. Two men who came here from where 

 it is raised extensively say it was the finest they ever saw. 



Cabbage is small, but heading fast at present. They have heads about the size of 

 a pineapple cheese, and are of a fine flavor. 



Ruta-bagas are large and fine; have just taken mine into the root house. I had 

 some so big that three filled a 30-pound candy pail. 



Lettuce, peas, radishes, cauliflower, and potatoes are a success. 



I made a failure of cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, and parsley, and a partial failure 

 of onions, but I think they could be grown from seed. 



• The natives above raised some potatoes, turnips, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, pars- 

 nips and radishes. They are very anxious to learn. I am a very poor teacher, as I 

 must learn myself before I can teach others. Instructions about planting should go 

 with all the seeds you send out. Some of my failures were due to my inexperience. 

 Yours, truly, 



Prof. C. C. Georgeson, Sitka, Alaska. 



[Received too late for last year's report. — C. C. G.] 



G. W. Palmer. 



large turnips — indian gardens. 



Knik, Cook Inlet, via Sunrise, Alaska, 



October 15, 1901. 



Dear Sir: Agreeable to your request I will send you a report of the seeds I planted 

 last spring. These were the seeds you sent me a year ago. The seeds you sent me 

 last spring were received too late for planting, so I did not try the wheat, oats, or 

 clover seed. 



The seed you sent me a year ago reached Tyonek too late to be forwarded by boat, 

 and I had to send a native after them overland (about 100 miles or more). I have 

 about one-sixth of an acre under cultivation and have not used any fertilizer; of 

 course, the work has all been done by hand. I spaded the ground May 14 and 15. 

 May 18 and 19 I planted potatoes, ruta-bagas, onions, turnips, parsnips, radishes, 

 lettuce, beets, carrots, asparagus, peas, and mustard; of these all except the potatoes 

 were in narrow beds. On May 30 I transplanted cabbage and cauliflower, and planted 

 some cucumbers and beans. 



Cucumbers, beans, mustard, asparagus, and onions were a failure because of dry 

 weather. Radishes were destroyed by a white worm, which goes into the root and 

 lives there until it is eaten up. 



Lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale were not a good crop on account of dry 

 weather in the spring. No rain fell here until July 5. I have to carry water a 

 long way, so I do not water my plants at all. 



The potatoes, turnips, parsnips, and carrots yielded well. I have 30 bushels of 

 potatoes as fine as ever raised anywhere. One turnip weighed Yl\ pounds. 



I have more than sufficient of all kinds for the winter. 



