192 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
of the Geological Survey and the first part was done last summer. 
A basis has now been established that makes it needless for farmers 
taking up land in Alaska to bear the cost of the surve}-. They 
have, in fact, virtually no expense except getting to the place 
they want to occupy. 
]Votc and Comment 
Numerous homesteads have already been taken up in the terri¬ 
tory, notably in the Tanana valley of the Interior, in the new 
Kotsina-Chitina country recently penetrated by the Copper River 
and Northwestern Railway, around Seward and in the Susitna 
basin. There are four well-developed fanns near Seward, several 
around Knik on Cook Inlet and any number in various parts of the 
interior. They are making money, too, wherever they are near 
local markets not too available to Seattle. Around Fairbanks, for 
instance, the only competition that homegrown oats and potatoes 
must meet is produce shipped by rail to Seattle, then carried on a 
2,000-mile sea voyage and transferred to river steamers that must 
haul it up-stream another thousand miles. The cost of all this haul 
makes a protective tariff in favor of the local farmer that even the 
Aldrich bill cannot equal. Compared with gold mining, even as it 
is in Alaska, these northern farmers have been doing almost as well 
in a surer, easier wayc 
Moreover, there is room for a great many more. A mining 
camp will absorb many hundreds of tons of supplies in a year,, a 
large part of which can be grown locally, and there are many mining 
camps. One article for which there is always a demand is oats. 
The heavy work of the trails make hearty feeding of pack horses 
necessary, and oats are everywhere at a premium. Yet they can 
be easily and successfully matured in a score of valleys of the 
territory'. 
The suitability of Alaska for stock raising has been amply 
proven, and this, it is predicted, will play a large part in its future 
fame. Yet this industry is only just begun. We may not have 
enterprise enough to go and pioneer ourselves, but we may well 
watch with interest the progress of this most important develop¬ 
ment. 
OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS 
Not only are birds of value as insect destroyers, but many feed 
largely on weed seeds. Among the seed-eaters may be mentioned 
the doves, finches, sparrows, bobolinks, quail and blackbirds. 
From examination of many stomachs, it has been found that during 
the winter sparrows live almost entirely on weed seeds. Assuming 
that a sparrow eats one-fourth of an ounce per day, and coundng 
only twenty birds to the square mile, it can readily be seen that 
they dispose of enormous quantities of seed in the course of a year.— 
The Nut-Grower. 
Hartford, Conn., March 17. J. H. Hale, the peach grower of 
South Glastonbury, has been appointed a member of the state 
railroad commission by the governor .—New York Packer. 
Catalogues Received 
Diggs & Beadles, 1709 E. Franklin St., Richmond, Va. Cata¬ 
logue of superior seeds for 1911. 
The Good & Reese Co., Springfield, Ohio. Catalogue ot orna¬ 
mentals. R OSes a specialt}'. . 
Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries, Huntsville, Ala. Bulletin No. 
3 of surplus stock, March 15, 1911. Bulletin No. 4, March 22, 1911. 
Bulletin No. 5, March 28, 1911. Bulletin No. 6, April 4, 1911. 
Bulletin No. 7, April ii, igii. Bulletin No. 8, April 18, 1911. 
Vreeland Chemical Co., 50 Church St., New York City. Des¬ 
criptive circulars of Electro arsenate of lead, and lime-sulphur. 
The “New-Way” Motor Company, Lansing, Michigan. Cata¬ 
logue of power sprayers. 
J. T. Swan, Auburn, Nebr. Card describing Swan’s dpple 
pickers’ jacket. 
F. W. Watt Lime Co., Glens Falls, N. Y. Pamphlet advertising 
Jointa Lime. 
J. Woodward Manning, Reading, Mass. “Landscape Planting 
for Pleasure and Profit.” 
H. G. Hastings & Co., Atlanta, Ga. Catalogue No. 41, spring, 
1911. Also “Southern Hay and Forage Crops.” 
Finca “Mulgoba” Nursery for TrojDical Fruit Trees, H. A. 
Van Hermann, Mgr., Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba. First annual 
catalog. 
Mount Arbor Nurseries, Shenandoah, Iowa. Bulletin No. 2, 
March 27, 1911. 
Fraser Nursery Company, Huntsville, Ala. Box lots in cold 
storage and surplus, April ist, 1911. 
The Palisades Nurseries, Sparkill, N. Y. “Palisades Popular 
Perennials.” 
The Goulds Manufacturing Co., 58 Pearl St., Boston, Mass. 
“Water Supply for the Home.” 
Knight & Bostwick, Newark, N. Y. Special post card of 
surplus stock. 
The William H. Moon Company, Morrisville, Pa. “Privet for 
Hedges,” with special prices on privet hedges. 
The H. L. Frost & Bartlett Co., 315 Atlantic St., Stamford, 
Conn. “Apparatus and Equipment Used in the Care of Trees.” 
Sam. H. James, Mound, La. Post Card regarding pecans. 
Westbury Nurseries, Isaac Hicks & Sons, Westbury, N. Y. 
Trees for Long Island. Stock list, March, 1911. 
Sherman Nursery Co., Charles City, Iowa. Surplus ]i.st, April 3d 
The Conrad & Jones Co., West Grove, Penna. Roses, cannas, 
shrubs, etc. 
Jackson & Perkins Company, Newark, N. Y. Last spring 
bulletin. 
BOX STRAPS 
WARD-DICKEY STEEL COMPANY 
Manufacturers of Planished Sheet Steel 
INDIAN HARBOR, IND. 
HAVE YOUR CUSTOMERS kept their promise 
to pay their bills at Easter? If not, do not wait; 
but send the claims to us, When we remind 
them they will probably pay. 
NATIONAL FLORISTS’ BOARD OF TRADE 
56 Pine Street, NEW YORK 
The Southwestern Nursery Co. 
of OKEMAH, OKLAHOMA 
will have for late Fall and early Spring an exceptionally fine lot of 
ONE YEAR APPLE, PEACH, PLUM and BUDDED ROSES; 
TWO YEAR CALIFORNIA PRIVET, CAROLINA 
POPLARS, and CATALPA SPECIOSA. 
WE INVITE YOUR INSPECTION. 
SURPLUS STOCK 
500,000 California Privet, from 2 to 4 feet tall, one and 
two years old. Two-year old plants were cut to the ground 
last spring and are good, clean stock. Send for wholesale 
list. We also offer at low prices, Japan and German Iris, 
Hardy Phlox and Robusta Cannas. 
WOOD HARMON & CO. 
NURSERY DEPARTMENT 
Kingshighway and E. 15th St. BROOKLYN, N. 
