AGRICULTURE IN ALASKA 185 



sists of a team of horses, 6 head of cattle, and about 30 hogs. 

 Part of the land was tide land, and dikes have been built to keep 

 out the sea. Turnips, peas, cabbage, potatoes, Swedish turnips, 

 beets, etc., are now grown extensively. The crop for this year 

 consisted of about 7 tons of potatoes, 20 tons of Swedish turnips, 

 several tons each of beets, carrots, parsnips, and a large quantity 

 of peas. Two silos are maintained at this place, and the owner 

 is able to carry his stock through the winter in very good con- 

 dition. He supplies some milk and meat as well as vegetables 

 to the village of Killisnoo, where there is a fish-oil and guano 

 factory, and also to the steamers touching there during the season . 



For the most part the same methods of cultivation are pursued 

 throughout nearly the entire country. The generally neglected 

 appearance of gardens is everywhere apparent. It is not con- 

 fined to the garden of the native, but too often that of the white 

 man is as poorly cared for. Often a vast amount of labor is ex- 

 pended in planting the crop ; but once planted, it is allowed to 

 care for itself. The result is a large and luxuriant crop of weeds. 



Bedding up the soil is practiced nearly everywhere. On the 

 lighter and better drained soils it is not as necessary as on the 

 heavy, poorly drained ones. Usualty the beds are formed about 

 3 or 4 feet wide and raised as high above the general level as can 

 be economically done. Most crops are planted in rows across 

 the beds, the distance separating the individual plants varying 

 according to the crop. Close planting seems to be the rule with 

 nearly every crop. The attempt seems to be to secure the largest 

 possible harvest from a limited area by planting a large amount 

 of seed. Potatoes are not infrequently planted 6 inches apart 

 in rows separated not more than a foot. The result of such plant- 

 ing is a thick growth of vines that covers the ground to such an 

 extent that the sun's rays never reach the ground. Such methods 

 can hardly fail to produce a yield of very inferior tubers. 



At present stock-raising is carried on to a very limited extent, 

 milch cows being the most common farm animal seen. At 

 nearly every village there were seen some cows, pigs, and poul- 

 try, while horses are kept at a few of the larger places. The 

 team at the Killisnoo farm is probabl}' the only team in Alaska 

 employed in agriculture, the other horses being used for team- 

 ing around the towns and packing around mining camps. At 

 several places dairies are maintained, supplies of milk and a 

 small quantity of butter being furnished most of the year. At 

 Kadiak some years ago an attempt was made to introduce 



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