om) 
the market gardeners of the vicinity. 
If it were not for this, the financial side 
would show up better than it does. 
Nearly everyone grows potatoes, and the 
number of tons which are imported from 
the Puget Sound country has been ma- 
terially reduced by the growing of the 
native product; yet it is estimated that 
not less than 500 tons were imported for 
use at Fairbanks and the camps on the 
various creeks in that region during the 
past season. This being the case, it is 
not considered that the station entered 
into competition with potato growers. 
Last year some 30 tons of potatoes were 
raised on nearly seven acres of land. 
This year more than a thousand bushels 
were grown on five acres, which shows 
an average yield of 200 bushels per acre. 
Aside from growing a crop for market- 
ing, many different varieties were 
planted in order to determine which of 
them are the best suited for that region. 
“The crop has not been sold at this 
writing, and the price will be low com- 
pared with the price of former years, but 
the crop from these five acres may sell 
for at least $2,000, or at a rate of $400 
per acre, which will afford a good profit. 
It is a question whether the potato mar- 
ket will continue to be profitable, how- 
ever. The population gradually dimin- 
ishes as the placer ground is worked 
out, and the homesteaders are gradu- 
ally extending the area in potatoes. The 
time will come when the price of the 
native-grown potato will be so low that 
there will be no profit in it. 
“In this connection it is well to call 
attention to the fact that potatoes grown 
on lowlands, aS a consequence suffer 
from early frosts and seldom mature 
normally. They are therefore soft and 
watery when cooked, and when placed on 
the market they ruin the reputation of 
the Alaska-grown potato. Ranchers 
should transfer their potato growing to 
southern slopes of the low hills. There 
they will grow a potato of better qual- 
ity which will not be discredited in the 
market. 
“Attention is again called to the fact 
that there is a great difference between 
varieties of potatoes. The early maturing 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
sorts are better suited to this country 
than the late potatoes. Only early vari- 
eties should be grown, and of the early 
varieties the best cookers should be se- 
lected for culture. If these points were 
heeded, the consumer would not disecrimi- 
nate against the native potato in favor 
of the outside product as is now the 
case. 
“Tt is desired to emphasize once more 
that the results of sprouting the seed 
before planting, which have been attained 
at both the Ranipart and Sitka stations 
are greatly in favor of this practice. It 
is not practicable to sprout the seel when 
several acres are to he planted—not 7’1n 
less special provisions are made for 50 
doing. 
Cabbage 
“Next to potatoes cabbage is the most 
important garden vegetable. Nearly every 
settler aims to raise a few heads, and 
in the towns cabbage is an important 
market vegetable. It is always a lead- 
ing crop with professional market gar- 
deners. However, since land is abundant 
and town dwellers quite generally cul- 
tivate part of their lots, householders 
who have the time and inclination very 
generally raise at least a portion of the 
cabbage as well as other vegetables which 
they consume. Seed was sown March 27 
of all the varieties mentioned below and 
the plants transferred to cold frames 
April 18. On May 27, 50 plants of each 
variety were set in the field. The per- 
centage of marketable heads of each vari- 
ety was as follows: 
Percentage of marketable heads of cab- 
bage produced in 1912. 
Per cent. 
Copenhagen Market... cessscsseccecesees 92 
Danish Ball Head... 0.0000. coccceessecessseceeeee 56 
Dark Red Stonehead aw eeeeeeesceeeeeees 90) 
Harly Baseball... cccncececsseccceceeccecconee 86 
Harly Jersey Wakefield... oe 94 
Early Winningstadt.... eee eeeeeee 82 
FONSI... eee eee esceecceceseceneceneeeccenencecees 82 
Large Late Drumhead.uuuie ec eeeeceeeeeee 80 
Large Late Flat Dutch... 88 
Market Gardener Flat Dutch.......00000.0...... 88 
SAVOY -..ncceccecnaccecesenesencarscccessavececuccenensnseceaeeeecs 50 
“The Early Wakefield has, all things 
considered, been the most satisfactory 
variety so far tried. It stands the test 
year after year. It is a sure header, and 
