ALASKA EXPEEIMENT STATIONS. 339 



Onions. — Sow very thinly in a row on warm, well-drained soil as early as the 

 ground can be worked. Some of the reasons for failure are too thick seeding (the 

 plants should be at least 3 inches apart), too poor soil, and poor drainage. Save the 

 small onions and use them for sets next year. 



Parsnip. — Treat as directed for carrots; but they need more room. Plants should 

 be at least 4 inches apart in the row. 



Parsley. — Sow thinly in a row. The leaves are used for garnishing and flavoring. 



Peas. — Plant in rows in early spring. Support vines with short, bushy brush. 



Radish. — Sow a little in a row once every ten days from the opening of spring. 



Rhubarb. — Sow thinly in a row on rich soil in early spring. Let the plants remain 

 over winter where they grew, but protect them with a layer of hay, straw, or long 

 manure. The following spring plant them out in some sheltered corner of the gar- 

 den 3 feet apart each way on rich, well-prepared ground. With liberal manuring, 

 winter protection, and working of the soil in summer they will last a dozen years. 



Spinach. — It requires rich, well-drained soil. Sow about the middle of spring in 

 a row. 



Turnip. — Sow thinly in early spring and again about the first of July. Don't let 

 the plants crowd each other. 



Ruta-baga. — Sow thinly in rows, in early spring, and thin the plants till they 

 are 9 inches apart. 



Red clover, white clover, and Alsike clover. — A small package of each of these clo- 

 vers is sent out to test them in Alaska. Sow thinly on well-prepared ground. Pro- 

 tect from animals. Note if they live through the winter, and if so let them go to 

 seed and note if the seed matures. Do not mix them nor sow them with grasses of 

 any kind. 



FIELD GRAIN. 



A small amount of field grain will be distributed consisting of Romanow spring 

 wheat, Manshury barley, and Finnish Black oats and Burt Extra Early oats. These 

 grains are sent out with a view to test their adaptability to different regions of the 

 Territory. Those who receive them-are requested to give them a careful trial on 

 good soil. The general directions as regards soil which are given above for the cul- 

 ture of vegetables should be observed. Only a very small quantity of seed of each 

 can be supplied, and it is recommended to sow it in rows 2 feet apart and hoe the 

 rows as in the case of vegetables. Sow them as soon as danger of severe frost is over. 



Romanow spring wheat. — This is the earliest spring wheat which we have so far 

 tested at the Sitka Station. It has matured wherever tried in Alaska. It has a good 

 straw, fine heads, with brown chaff and short beards. It was imported from north- 

 ern Russia by the United States Department of Agriculture. 



Manshury barley. — This variety is one of the earliest tested and has never failed to 

 mature wherever tried. It is quite commonly cultivated throughout the Northern 

 States. 



Finnish Black oats. — The seed sent was imported from Finland in the fall of 1900. 

 It has not been tested in Alaska, but it is believed to be as early as any variety 

 known. 



Burt Extra Early oats. — This is a variety which has matured in Alaska wherever 

 tried. It is grown to a limited extent in the Northern States, 



SAVE THE SEED. 



Those who succeed in maturing these grains are earnestly requested to save the 

 seed and to continue growing them year by year in order to obtain a stock of Alaska- 

 grown seed. The Romanow spring wheat and the Finnish Black oats can not be 

 supplied again. 



C. C. Georgeson, 

 Special Agent hi Charge of Alaska Investigations, 



