THIRTY-THIRD BIENNIAL SESSION 
81 
Interior, and was gone some six weeks. Upon my return to Sitka, my 
first care was to inspect the apple crop, but to my chagrin, found that I 
had none; the apples had all dropped off, so the rosy hopes of spring were 
blasted. I do not know what the cause was; whatever it was it affected 
the native crab in like manner, so that it was not due to any quality of the 
cultivated varieties. 
At Haines, near Skagway, on the main land, several of the settlers have 
planted apple trees which had been grown at the Sitka Experiment Station, 
and these trees are also beginning to fruit. In fact, they are doing better 
there than they do at Sitka, because the summers are warmer and dryer, 
although somewhat shorter. 
Passing southward from Sitka I find that the prospect for apple 
growing becomes better and better. At Wrangle there were two or three 
bearing apple trees several years ago, but unfortunately, they were destroyed 
when a building which stood near them was burned. 
In Northern British Columbia we find that apple growing is possible. 
I am told that early varieties do fairly well; at Bellacoola, and at Alert Bay, in 
about latitude 50°, there are two or three small orchards which I have seen 
loaded with fruit. It would therefore seem that the region between latitudes 
59° and 60° on the Alaska Coast is about the limit for apple growing, 
with the present cultivated varieties. 
We have used the wild Alaska crab as a stock for root grafts, crfown 
grafts and top grafts, but as yet, only one of these grafts, the Oldenburg, 
which is worked in the top of a native crab, has blossomed. The union is 
perfect, and the branches of the graft have not so far outgrown the stock. 
It is more than probable that our earlier summer varieties can be partially 
adapted to the climate by grafting them on the native crab. 
We have made several attempts at cross-fertilizing crab blossoms with 
pollen obtained from the States, but so far with no success whatever. 
Now that we can obtain pollen from improved varieties grown at the 
station, the work can be prosecuted to better advantage. Hardy summer 
varieties have been distributed quite liberally all over the territory by the 
Sitka Experiment Station, but with the exception of some trees at Haines, 
and some at Juneau, I have not learned that any of these trees have 
blossomed. Those that we have sent to the Interior have either been 
winter-killed, or they are leading a precarious life, stretching their branches 
along the ground, and not daring to raise their heads above the snow-line. 
At the Rampart Station, we have apple trees six years old, which form 
small bushes, about two feet high. 
From the facts so far collected I venture the opinion that apples may 
be grovm in Southeastern Alaska to a very limited extent, if the following 
points are observed: 
(1) Select only hardy early maturing varieties; (2) graft them on the 
native crab; (3) grow the trees as dwarfs, and plant them in sheltered 
locations. 
Looking into the future, it appears,' not only possible, but very probable, 
that good varieties of apples can be developed by crossing our cultivated 
sorts on the native crab. 
