U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY BULLETIN NO. 82. B. T. G W.i.mu n , /,„, j Bureau. M LANDS (IF THE Ml ALASKA COAST. ( ('. V. PIPER, Agrobiologist ix Charge of Forage Plant Introduction. GRASS AND FORAGE PLANT INVESTIGATIONS. [fiSl BD Ai 1,1 ST 22, 1905. r~ I/. OF f DEPOSITORY WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT P.RINTING OFFICE BULLETINS OF THE BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. The Bureau of Plant Industry, which was organized July 1, 1901. includes Vegetable Pathological and Physiological Investigations, Botanical Investiga- tions and Experiments, Grass and Forage Plant Investigations. Pomologieal Investigations, and Experimental Gardens and Grounds, all of which were for- merly separate Divisions, and also Seed and Plant Introduction and Distribu- tion, the Arlington Experimental Farm. Tea Culture Investigations, and Domestic Sugar Investigations. Beginning with the date of Organization of the Bureau, the several series of bulletins of the various Divisions were discontinued, and all are now published as one series of the Bureau. A list of the bulletins issued in the present series follows. Attention is directed to the fact that " the serial, scientific, and technical publications of the United States Department of Agriculture are not for general distribution. All copies not required for official use are by law turned over to the Superintendent of Documents, who, is empowered to sell them at cost." All applications for such publications should, therefore, be made to the Superin- tendent of Documents. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. No. 1. The Relation of Lime and Magnesia to Plant Growth. 1901. Price, 10 cents. 2. Spermatogenesis and Fecundation of Zamia. 1901. Price, 20 cents. ::. Macaroni Wheats. 1901. Price. 20 cents. 4. Range Improvement in Arizona. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 5. Seeds and Plants Imported. Inventory No. 9. 1902. Price. 10 cents. (>. A List of American Varieties of Peppers. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 7. The Algerian Durum Wheats. 1902. Price, 15 cents. 8. A Collection of Fungi Prepared for Distribution. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 9. The North American Species of Spartina. 1902. Price. 10 cents. 10. Records of Seed Distribution and Cooperative Experiments with Grasses and Forage Plants. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 11. Johnson Grass, 1902. Price, 10 cents. 12. Stock Ranges of Northwestern California. 1902. Price, 15 cents. 1.*!. Range Improvement in Central Texas. 1902. Price. 10 cell 14. The Decay of Timber and Methods of Preventing It. 1902. Price. 55 cents. 15. Forajre Conditions on the Northern Border of the Great Basin. 1902. Price, 15 cents. 10. A Preliminary Study of the Germination of the Spores of Agarieus Cam- pestris and Other Basidiom.vcctous Fungi. 1902. Price. 10 cents. 17. Some Diseases of the Cowpoa. 1902. Price. 10 cents. 18. Observations on the Mosaic Disease of Tobacco. 1902. Price, 15 cents. 19. Kentucky Biuegrass Seed. 1902: Price, 10 cents. 20. Manufacture of Semolina and Macaroni. 1902. Price. 15 cents. 21. List of American Varieties of Vegetables. 1903. Price, 35 cents. 22. Injurious Effects of Premature Pollination. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 2."?. Berseem. 1902. Price. 15 cents. 24. Unfermented Grape Must. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 25. Miscellaneous Papers: I. The Seeds of Rescue Crass and Chess. II. Saragolla Wheat. III. Plant Introduction Notes from South Africa. IV. Congressional Seed and Plant Distribution Circulars. 1903. Price, 15 cents. 26. Spanish Almonds. 1902. Price. 15 cents. 27. Letters on Agriculture in the West Indies, Spain, and the Orient. 1902. Price, 15 cents. 28. The Mango in Porto Rico. 1903. Price. 15 cents. 2'.). The Kited of Black Pot on Turnips. 1903. Price, 15 cents. 30. Budding the Pecan. 1902. Price. 10 cents. 31. Cultivated Forage Crops of the Northwestern States. 1902. Price, 10 cents. 32. A Disease of the White Ash. 1903. Price, 10 cents. ."..".. North American Species of Loptochloa. 1903. Price. 15 cents. [Continued on page .'! of cover.] Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/grasoutOOunit 3u . 82, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Plate I. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY -BULLETIN NO. 82. B. T. GALLOWAY, ( hiej oj Bureau. i ASS n; m II ALASKA COAST. C. V. PIPER, A.GROSTOLOGIST IN CHARGE OF FORAGE l'l.Wl INTRODUCTION. GRASS AND FORAGE PLANT INVESTIGATIONS. [ssued Utgusi 22, L905. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1 9 5. BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. P>. T. CALLOWAY. Pathologist and Physiologist, and Chief of Bureau. VEGETABLE PATHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. Albert F. Woods, Pathologist and Physiologist in Charge. Voting Chief of Bureau in Absence of Chief. BOTANICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. Frederick V. Coville. Botanist in Charge. i GRASS AND FORAGE PLANT INVESTIGATIONS. W. J. Spillman, Agriculturist in Charge. POMOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. (!. B. Brackett, Pomologist in Charge. SEED AND PLANT INTRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION. A. J. Pieters. Botanist in Charge. ARLINGTON EXPERIMENTAL FARM. L. C. Corbett. Horticulturist in Charge. EXPERIMENTAL GARDENS AND GROUNDS. E. M. Byrnes. Superintendent. J. E. Rockwell, Editor. James E. Jones, Chief Clerk. GRASS AND FORAGE PLANT INVESTIGATIONS. SCIENTIFIC STAFF. W. J. Spillman. Agriculturist in Charge. A. S. Hitchcock. Systematic Agrostologist in Charge <<\ Herbarium. C. Y. Ptpek, Agrostologist in Charge of Forage Plant Introduction. David Griffiths, Assistant Agrostologist in Charge of Range unit Cactus Investigations. < '. K. Ball, Assistant Agrostologist in Charge of Work on Arlington Farm. S. M. Tracy, Special Agent in Charge of Gulf Coast Investigations. D. A. Beodie, Assistant Agrostologist in Charge of Cooperative Work. Harmon Benton, Assistant Agriculturist. P. L. Bicker, Assistant in Herbarium. J. M. Westgate, Assistant in Charge of Alfalfa and Clover Investigations. Byeon Hunter, Assistant in Charge of Pacific Coast Investigations. It. A. Oakley, Assistant in Domestication of wild Grasses. C. W. Warburton, Assistant in Fodder Plant and Millet Investigations, M. A. Crosby, Assistant in Southern Forage Plant Investigations .1. s. Cotton, Assistant in Range Investigations. Harold 'l'. Nielsen. Edward J. Troy, Lyman E. Carrier, Leroy ('. Wilson, Lawrence G. Dodge, Assistants in Agronomy. Agnes Chase, Agrostological Artist 2 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL I '. S. I >EP \i:i Ml n i 01 A.GRIC1 i.i i RE, IU re \i "i Plant Indt si ri . ( )i i ii i: of the Chief, Washington, />. <'.. May /''. 1905. Sir: I have the honor to transmit he re with a paper entitled "Grass Lands of the South Alaska Coast,' 1 and to recommend that it be pub- lished as Bulletin No. 82 of the series of this Bureau. This paper was prepared l>\ Mr. ('. V. Piper, Agrostologist in Charge of Introduction of Grasses and Forage Plants, Grass and Forage Plant Investigations, and has been submitted by the A.grostol- ogist with a view to publicat ion. The four plates accompanying the paper arc necessary to a proper understanding of the text. Respect l'ull\ . B. T. ( i w.i.ow \ v. i ' 'h'n I of Bun au. I [on. James Wilsi »n, S( i n tai y of . Igrieultun . PREF \ ('!•:. Since the discovery of gold in Alaska in 1897 continuous calls for information concerning the agricultural possibilities of the Alaska Peninsula have come to the Department of Agriculture. Much valu- able information <>n this topic has been secured by the Office of Ex- perimenl Stations largely through the Alaska experiment stations at Sitka, Kcnai. and Copper Center in charge of Prof. ('. ( '. George- son, but as the work of these experiment stations was necessarily largely local in character, and as ii was highly desirable to study con- ditions in sections remote from the stations, the Office of Experiment Stations requested the Bureau of Plant Industry to send some one to explore as large an area of the Alaskan country as might be feasible. Accordingly Prof. ('. V. Piper, of the Office <>l' Grass and Forage Plant Investigations, was detailed to make this exploration under the joint auspices of the < ) tl i< ■< ■ of Experiment Stations and the Bureau of Plant [ndustry. The summer of 1904 was spent in this work. The area explored is shown in black on the map constituting Plate I. Many interesting fact- relating to agricultural possibilities in the region covered were recorded, and Professor Piper discus . them in the following pages in detail. For further information concerning the results of this exploration the reader is referred to the Annual Report of the Office of Experi- ment Stat ion- for the year L904. \V. .1. Siui.i.M an, Agrostologist. Office or Grass \m> Forage Plant [xvestigations, Washington, />. C, April 1 ',. WOo. CONTENTS. page. Introduction 9 The location of the grass lands ] i Kadiak Island 11 Alaska Peninsula and adjacenl islands . T2 Uhalaska and the neighboring islands 12 Kenai Peninsula 13 The Yakutat plain- I t [mportanl factors relating to the agricultural value of the grass lands \r, The abundance and permanent f native fodder plants h; Bluetop 16 Bi ach rye 16 Bhlr- lass 17 Silver tup 17 Siberian f< scue 1? Sedges 1? Alaska lupine 17 Fireweed 18 Food value of native Alaskan grasses i v Cultivable forage crops 19 Silage alone as a ration for milch cows 20 Alaskan experience in stock raising '.'I Hogs 21 Gloats 21 Sheep husbandry . . 22 Cattle 23 Population and available markets 25 Freights and transportation 26 Desirability of south Alaska as a home 26 Climate 26 Garden products 27 Fuel 28 ( !hi ice i if a location 28 Land laws appl3 ing to Alaska 29 Homesteads 30 Application for a homestead for surveyed land ::i Inceptive rights of homestead settlers 31 Homestead settlers on unsurveyed lands .... 32 Cultivation in grazing districts 32 Homestead claims nol liable for debl and nol salable 32 Soldiers and sailors' homestead rights 32 Soldiers' additional homestead entry :::{ Description of plates ... 7 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page PLATE I. Map of Alaska Frontispiece. II. Fig. 1. — A view of the fiat lands lying ai tin- head of Wmuan's Bay. Kadiak Island, Alaska. Fig. 2. — Mowing beach rye on Kadiak Island, Alaska III. Blnetop (Calamagrostis langsdorfii), (> feet high, on Kadiak Island, Alaska, July, 1904 I V. Fig. 1.— A view of Kadiak, Alaska, November 7. 1903. Fig. 2.— A different view of Kadiak, March 26, 1904 8 38 :;s B. P, I. 104. G. F. IV 1- I 13 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOI Til ALASKA COAST. INTRODUCTION. A glance al the accompanying map of Alaska (PL I) will show thai ilif coast line beginning at Dixon Entrance, in longitude L32 . latitude •"> I 30', and extending to Unalaska, in longitude L66 and latitude •"> I . is nearly in the form of a semicircle, or, rather, of a half ellipse, the east and wesl diameter of which would be about 2,000 miles and the north and south diameter about half this distance. Near the northernmost pari of this coast line arc two large inlets, the eastern one Prince William Sound, the western one Cook Inlet. It will be further noticed thai islands are very numerous on the coast and thai the coasl line is much indented by narrow inlets or fiords, a fad heiicr -how li on larger maps. The principal places mentioned in tin- paper arc likewise indicated on the map. Officially, the region from Mount Saint Elias eastward i- known as southeastern Ala-ka. that wesl of this peak as southwestern Ala-ka. From an agricultural standpoint, however, there is a much better and very marked divid- ing line. From Cook Inlet eastward practically all of the lands lying near the coasl are densely timbered up to an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 feet. From Cook Inlet westward, excepting Afognak Island and a -mall portion of [vadiak Island, the lands are devoid of timber, and are for the mo-t part grass covered. The total area of the coasl grass land- i- ahont 10. 0(H) square miles, nearly all of which lie- between Cook Inlet and I'nala-ka. a distance of about 700 mile-. At lea-t our hall' of this land would seem capa- ble, in time at least, of profitable utilization. From various cause- it lias remained until now practically unused. South Ala-ka is a mountainous country, a greal range of -now- capped peak- on the main la ml paralleling the cut ire coast. Eastward from Cook Inlet great numbers of glaciers arise in the higher moun tain-, and many of these rivers of ice extend downward to the sea. Westward from Cook Inlet no glaciei's reach the sea, although many of the mountain peak- are from 5,000 to 8,000 feet high. This strik ing difference apparently depend- on a much -mailer annual rainfall and -now fall. '■> -•'an::. No. s.' 05 u 2 10 GRASS LAN I is OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. In general the lands are hilly, sometimes rising - abruptly from the seashore, but seldom too steej) to afford a luxuriant grass covering. More often, however, the hills near the coast are low and rounded, with intervening valleys. In places there are wide areas contiguous to the coast of from 100 to 1,000 feet elevation and comparatively level. Most of the smaller islands, too, have comparatively gentle slopes, and either are under 1,000 feet elevation or have but few hills reaching above that height. The coast line everywhere is indented by numerous bays or inlets, into many of which rivers flow. At the heads of these bays there are, as a rule, considerable areas of flat or nearly flat lands. Such locations naturally afford the most advanta- geous sites for agricultural settlements, especially as these flat lands are exceedingly well grassed, and with little preliminary labor can be prepared for mowing. Where the land is level it is very likely to be wet and covered with a growth of peat moss. Under such circumstances it supports but a scanty vegetation. Even on the hillsides this peal moss may become established, and where it does so the grasses quickly become less lux- uriant. The decay of this moss and of other vegetation results in the formation of a humous soil, very retentive of moisture. So deep does this humus become that the real soil is often entirely concealed. Where it is possible to destroy this moss by burning, the result is always a heavy crop of grass or other plants. Most of the land that lies at less than 1.000 feet elevation is covered by a most luxuriant growth of native grasses. Over large areas these grasses are fre- quently 6 feet high, thus furnishing a large quantity of fodder. On the remaining areas, lying at higher elevations or on exposed slopes. the grasses are too short to cut for hay. but furnish splendid grazing. That grass in Alaska is exceedingly abundant and fairly nutritious and that cattle will thrive upon it are facts beyond question. But these facts in themselves are not sufficient to enable a prospective settler thinking of engaging in stock raising to determine whether or not such a venture would be likely to prove profitable. The mere abundance of grass of fair quality is not sufficient to insure success in stock raising in an isolated region like that under consideration. The following statements regarding the Alaska grass lands and the factors that have a bearing on their profitable utilization are based on as complete a survey as one season's work would permit, together with the facts previously recorded by reliable authorities. A detailed report of the conditions actually observed will appear in the Annual Report of the Office of Experiment Stations for L904. The present bulletin designs rather to cite these facts in their bearing upon the south Alaska glass lands as a desirable held for stock LOCATION "I I IN. GRASS LANDS. 1 1 THE LOCATION OF THE GRASS LANDS. The accompanying map (PI. I) indicates the general location of the southern Alaska areas which arc covered with grasses. These areas differ considerably in detail and arc here discussed separately. KADIAK ISLAND. Kadiak fsland, which lies oil' the mouth of Conk inlet, is about LOO mile- long by 50 miles \\ ide. li is mountainous in character, the hills rising more or less genth from near the seashore to heights of 1,000 to 3,000 fed. Ai the end of .Inly. 1904, there was still considerable snow at 2,000 Peel i PI. IV i. bul this is said to be quite unusual. This island, like most of the Alaska coast, i- much cul into by long, narrow bays, into most of which How streams. The Hat lands lying at the deltas of these streams arc. a- a rule, very heavily covered with grasses (PI. II). The slopes also, up to an altitude of 1,500 feci, arc well grassed, except where there are thicket- of alder or willow : hut these slopes are usually too steep to utilize otherwise than by grazing. The total area of these hillside lands is much greater than that of the approximately level stretches, in the proportion of at least 20 to 1 . ( )n the hillsides the principal grass is bluetop {CalamagroHtis langsdorfii) , which often cover- large areas in a pure growth. This wa- exceedingly line on hillsides burned over in March, by which mean- the old straw and mos^ were destroyed, thus permitting bet- ter drainage and making the soil warmer. In such places this grass i- often 6 feet high. On the contrary, if the hills are burned over in June the fire is likely to kill the grass roots as well as the moss, with the resull thai fireweed usually take- possession of the ground. Other grasses than bluetop on the hillsides are relatively unimpor taut, though sometimes considerable areas of Siberian fescue occur. and on the higher slopes arc a number of low grasses of forage value. On the llai land- before mentioned the tall beach sedge {Carex cry ptoca r pa) forms a broad fringe along the -bores of the bays and sloughs, especially on land- which are occasionally covered by tide water. Back of tin- sedge, beach rye [Elyman moll in) form- a more or less broad /.one. often mixed with patches of a coarse bluegrass (Poa glvmaris). In the -till drier portions bluetop occupies the ground almosl exclusively. The three plant- mentioned furnish the greal bulk of forage on Kadiak I-land. and indeed on most part- of the Alaskan coast, bul the bluetop is more abundant than all of the other grasses combined. Bluetop ha- -lender stems and thin leave-, thus curing verj readily and making a sweet and palatable hay. Beach rye. on the contrary. 12 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. has thick stems and thick leaves, in consequence of which it cures slowly. Beach sedge has a three -sided, solid, pithy stem, and is therefore very difficult to dry. All three of these plants grow so luxuriantly that they often yield 3 tons of hay or more per acre. Of forage plants other than grasses the lupine and fireweed, here- after described, are both abundant. In a green state they are readily eaten by sheep, but cattle prefer the grasses. In portions of the island which have been more or less closely grazed for some years it was noticeable that the taller wild graces had largely disappeared, being replaced principally by bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and wild barley (Hordeum boreale). Cattle seem to be much more fond of the former than of the latter grass, although in parts of northern Europe the wild barley is considered a most excellent grass. All of Kadiak Island, except a small portion in the extreme north- east, is practically timberless, as are most of the adjacent islands. In the valleys, however, there is usually a small number of cotton- woods and willows, and on wet slopes scrub willows and alders form dense thickets. Afognak Island, however, which lies northeast of Kadiak, is quite densely covered with spruce. ALASKA PENINSULA AND ADJACENT ISLANDS. The whole region to the west of Kadiak Island might briefly be described as similar to that island, but entirely deviod of timber, the shrubs being more scrubby and the grasses less luxuriant. The peninsula itself is very mountainous, and for considerable stretches along the coast the hills rise abruptly from the water's edge. In the bays and inlets, however, there are frequently considerable areas of comparatively level lands well grassed, though seldom as luxuriantly covered as those before mentioned. The islands lying off the coast are comparatively low, and some of them are said to be exceedingly well adapted to stock raising. Such areas as were examined indicate that in general there is a greater variety of forage grasses than to the eastward, but most of them are smaller in size. At the present time there is a mail steamer plying once a month between Valdez and I nalaska. This boat carries the mail, and stops at such points as business demands. The population of this entire region is exceedingly sparse, and many of the outlying islands would probably have to be reached by means of sailing craft. I \ ALASKA AND THE NEIGHBORING ISLANDS. Unalaska and (he neighboring islands differ on the whole compara- tively little from Kadiak Island, though the vegetation as a rule is LOCATION OF CHE GRASS LANDS. 13 decidedly less luxuriant. The grasses are much the same in kind, although differing in their relative abundance. Some difficulty would be experienced on these islands in finding sufficient tall grass in furnish winter fodder in case large quantities were necessary, though in some of the more sheltered valleys small areas were ob- served where the grasses were very tall. There is quite a herd of cattle at Unalaska which, according i<> local reports, receive bul vers slight attention during the winter, only a small quantity of feed being cut for them. The principal advantage of Unalaska and the neighboring islands would seem to lie in the fact that they are on the lint' of travel of the vessels going to the Yukon and to Nome. 1 1" sufficient numbers of cattle were raised on these islands, doubtless little difficulty would be experienced in finding a market for them at the above mentioned point-. Indeed, a Seattle company, which pur- poses, among other things, to engage in cattle raising primarily for these northern market-, has already begun operation- on Aktin Island. M \ \l PENINS1 LA. Kenai is the name given to the large peninsula lying between Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska. That portion of it on the east side of Cook Inlet and north of Kachemak Bay, comprising an area 100 miles long by 20 to 30 miles wide, is an extensive plateau. \\< south ern portion, on Kachemak Bay, lies 500 to 1,000 feet or more above the sea level. It slopes mainly to the westward, so that that part from Anchor Point northward is but 100 to 200 feet above the sea level. Most of this land is timbered with spruce, hut there are con- siderable area- of grass near Anchor Point, near Homer, and on the north side of Kachemak Bay. At Homer there is an extensive sand spit, about I miles in length and from one- fourth t<> 1 mile aero--, which supports a good growth of several grasses and sedges. Beach rye is the most important and most abundant, bul red fescue, bluegrass, and seashore grass furnish considerable grazing. At the base of the spit the land rises grad- ually to the high plateau above, the scattered timber giving the ap- pearance of mountain park-. The open portions of this land support a luxuriant growth of bluetop, often 6 feet tall. At a rough estimate the open grass laud- in this vicinity comprise about 2,000 acre-. The site of a proposed Finnish colony is on the north side of Kache- mak Bay, not far from it- head. From the colony site to the head of the \k\\ arc extensive tide Mat-, which are mainly covered with sedges about 2 feet high. The marshy nature id' these land-, together with the coarse nature of the forage, make- them id' hut limited value. Undoubtedly they can he much improved by diking. 14 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. The grass lands of the colony site proper consist of about 500 acres of excellent land, covered with a luxuriant growth of bluetop. These lands lie close to the seashore and less than 100 feet above it. Back of these lands are hills 500 to 1,500 feet high, the plateau on the top of which consists in part of extensive grass areas. .Much of this grass is bluetop, often 6 feet high. Other areas are pure growths of Siberian fescue. Interspersed with these are several other good grasses, but none of them in great quantity. These plateau grass lands are apparently very extensive. To render them accessible, will, however, require the building of roads or trails up to the easiest slopes. At Anchor Point there is but little grass land near the sea- shore, but on the plateau behind are considerable areas much like those just described. The plateau at this point is. however, much lower. An important circumstance in relation to all of the grass lands of this region lies in the fact that they are underlaid with coal, which is exposed for miles in the bluff's along the coast. In view of this fact it is doubtful if title to the land can be gained by homesteading it. At Kenai there are no naturally grassed lands, except the sand dunes along the beach and the marshes lying inside of them. The dunes are covered principally with beach rye and bighead sedge (Carer macrocephala) . In the brackish marshes red fescue and sea- shore grass are plentiful. Here also is found poison parsnip ( Oicuta douglasii) in small marshes, and there is a record of some native cows having been killed by it several years ago. TIIK VAKUTAT PLAINS. The only extensive areas of grass lands known in southeastern Alaska are those lying in the river valleys near the coast south of Yakutat. Inasmuch as these lands have been several times referred to in reports, and as they are now in part accessible owing to the building of the Yakutat and Southern Railway, a careful examina- tion was made of them. The above-mentioned railway has been built. primarily to reach the several rich salmon streams flowing into the ocean south of Yakutat, it being impracticable to fish them by ap- proach from the ocean. This railway is projected to be built to the Alsek River, a distance of 45 miles. At present it is built only to the Setuck River, L0 miles from Yakutat. Practically the whole of this region is an old glacial moraine, com- posed of line gravel, which slopes very gently to the seashore. The land close to the seashore is somewhat higher than that lying behind, and is heavily timbered. Owing to this strip of higher land most of the streams How parallel to the coasl for some distance near their debouchments. It is alone' the valleys of these streams that the grass LOCATION OF THE GRASS LANDS. 15 lands lie, bul owing to the flatness of the land and the slighl eleva lion above the sea level they are very ill-drained, notwithstanding the gra\ ellj nai ure of 1 he soil. Traveling along these rivers in a canoe one receives the impression thai the grass is tall and rank on these flat land-. This, in fact, is the case on a vvy narrow strip just alone- the river dank-, where there is a line growth of bluetop (l alamagrostis laiigsdorfri) and sedge (Carex sitchensis Presc). This strip of tall era-- is, however, nearly always confined to the immediate dank- of the rivers. Tin' great ma— of the land i- covered with a thin layer of bog moss, which supports bul a -cant vegetation of grass and sedges less than a loot high. It is a conservative statement to say that fully 80 per cent of these Yaknlat grass lands are thus scantily grassed. Apart from this scant amount of grass, which practically precludes the cutting of winter forage, another serious difficulty presents it-elf in the fact thai poison parsnip {Cicuta douglasii) occurs quite plentifully over all the land that i- the least boggy, which, as before -tated. i- so per cenl of the area. Thus, even if these meadows were used onlj for grazing, greal care would need to he exercised in the spring, when era— i- -canty and the >weet hut very poisonous tubers of this plant: are frequently forced to the surface by the frost. While the above statements arc true concerning the Yakutat meadows as a whole, there are -mall areas which are exceptional. For example, alone- the lower Ankow River occurs a narrow strip of several hundred acres well grassed with silver-top (Deschampsia ccespitosa) and beach rye (Elymus mollis) and iwv from Cicuta. Care would need to be exercised in utilizing even this, as the sur- rounding boggy lands bear an abundance of poison parsnip. \eain. the strip of land lying jusl within the ocean dunes is often well grassed with beach rye and red fescue {Fextiica rubra). A particularly good area of arable laud lies alone- the railway where it reaches the Setuck River, This consists of 3 or I square miles of gravelly, well-drained, level land, at present looking much like a worn oul meadow. It i- apparently very well adapted to such cultivated grasses as smooth brome-grass and tall meadow oat-grass. It will undoubtedly grow all sorts of hardy vegetables. The present era-- covering i- rather -canty, but it i- probable that this can be greatly increased l>\ cultivation. This particular piece of land is well worthy of the attention of homesteaders. It is within the bounds of possibility that the larger pan of the Yakutat plain can be drained ami made into line meadow lands. In it- present state, however, this land i- not adapted to stock raising, with the exception of such small areas as above noted. 16 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. IMPORTANT FACTORS RELATING TO THE AGRICULTURAL VALUE OF THE GRASS LANDS. In determining whether or not the grass lands previously described offer a desirable held for settlement, a number of factors that bear more or less directly upon the problem need consideration. These factors may be discussed in the following sequence: (1 ) The abundance and permanence of the feeds available. (2) The possibility of raising forage on cultivated lands. (3) The known facts in regard to live-stock raising. (1) The available markets. (5) Transportation facilities and freight rates. (6) The desirability of south Alaska as a home. (7) The choice of a location THE ABUNDANCE AND PERMANENCE OF NATIVE FODDER PLANTS. Live-stock husbandry in Alaska will have to depend primarily upon the native plants, supplemented in time, perhaps, by such additional ones as experiments shall indicate may compete with the native plants, or which upon cultivated land will yield heavily enough to be profitable. The most important and abundant of the native forage plants are as follows: Bluetop. — Bluetop (Calamagrostis langsdorfli) is by far the most plentiful tall grass in Alaska, growing along the whole coast. On Kadiak Island and the Kenai Peninsula it is especially abundant, often being 6 feet high and very dense (PL III). It grows witli special luxuriance on hillsides that have been burned over early in the spring. This burning destroys the moss, and thus makes the soil I letter drained and warmer. Bluetop also flourishes on the level boggy lands, but prefers a well-drained soil. Owing to its thin stems and leaves it cures very readily, and is therefore the usual hay grass of Alaska. It is often called redtop, but this name should he restricted to the true redtop, a very different grass. There are no accurate data bearing on the point as to how well this grass will withstand continued cutting, but the general belief is that it rapidly becomes thinner in stand. It is noticeable about villages where cows are kept that the bluetop is scarce, being replaced by other grasses, especially bluegrass and wild barley. The area of bluetop is so great, however, that in many places it would be quite practicable to manage so as not to cut the same plats two years in succession, which practice would probably maintain the density of the stand. Beach rye. — Along all the quiet shores and inlets of Alaska. wherever there is low land near the beach, there is a strip of beach rye (Elymus mollis) occurring just above high-tide level. Some- NATI\ I. I ' IDDER PLANTS. 1 « times thi- strip is only a few feel wide, but on the low level lands near the head- of fiords there are often large area- of it 3 to 5 feel high (PI. II. fig. •_'). One patch of it examined had been cut the year previous, and on this the stand was scarcely half as dense as on neighboring piece- which had not been cut. This observation ac- cords with the experience of others. Where sand dunes occur on the coast, as at Kenai and near Yakutat, beach rye is an important -and binder. In such location- it i- often very different in appearance from that found in other situations, the head- being short and thick. This is the result of infestation by a parasitic v\ orm. Bluegrass.- The true Kentucky bluegrass i /'<><' pratensis) is com- mon all along the AJaska coast, where it thrives to perfection. It shows a tendency to occupy the ground where closely grazed, and cattle exhibit a marked preference for it. Several closely allied species also occur, and it i- an important fact that they persist ami increase where other grasses disappear, which seems to insure the permanence id' pasturage of a high quality. Silver-top. — The very nutrition- grasses known a- silver-top (Deschampsia c&spitosa and D. bottnica) occur in some abundance, especially in gravelly soil-, whether on the hill-ides or near the sea- shore. Owing to their -terns being nearly leafless they yield hut little hay. but the numerous fine basal leave- furnish most excellent forage. Siberian fescue. — Siberian fescue [Festuca altaica) makes large tussocks, especially in gravelly soil and in open timber up to L,000 feet elevation. In such location- it often make- a nearly pure growth It seems to he fully a- nutritious a- the well-known sheep fescue, hut i- a much larger grass. Sedges. — Two tall species id' sedge, Carex cryptocarpa and C. sitchensis, in place- make dense stands :'> feet high or more, especially in wet -oil: in the case of (he former, more especially in tidal marshes. Considerable quantities of tin- sedge were cut for hay near Kadiak. and it i- said to furnish excellent \\^'i\. These sedges are both quite smooth and soft, unlike most other-. Alaska /"/>/'//<. The blue-flowered plant known as Alaska lupine (Lupinus unalaschensis) is quite tall, often 3 feet high, and some- times occupies large area- almost to the exclusion of other plant-, li i thick leaved and rather fleshy, ami i- the only leguminous plant thai i- really abundant in Alaska. Sheep eat it readily. Should it prove palatable as well a- nutritious t<> cattle the problem of a o | winter ration for milch cow- would be considerably simplified. Ex- periments with it as silage, both pure and mixed with grass, are much to be desired. 29975 \... si' 05 \i — 3 lb GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. With the exception of this plant the only legumes of forage value in the grass regions arc two specie- of wild pea. both of which, unfortunately, are rather scarce. Fireweed. — The well-known plant called fireweed (Epilobium an- gustifolium ) often occupies the ground to the exclusion of others, especially where the land has been burned over in summer and the grass roots thus destroyed. Sheep seem fond of it. It is possible that this plant may prove profitable as silage, at least when mixed with grasses, but no tests with this end in view seem to have been made. Its great abundance at times makes such a test desirable. There are three possible ways of preserving the above-mentioned plants for winter feed. The more easily dried — as bluetop and blue- grass — may be made into hay. Continued sunshiny weather on the Alaska coast is not to be depended upon, so that haymaking is accomplished only with much uncertainty. Where one needs but a small amount of fodder, little difficulty is experienced in select- ing the few necessary sunshiny days. Where, on the contrary, one needs great quantities of winter feed, haymaking is impracticable. Resort in such cases must be had either to brown hay or to silage. Brown hay is simply half-cured hay, made by stacking the grass green or half dry — really a compromise between hay and silage. Sometimes salt is scattered over the layers while it is being -lacked. It is more or less used in all countries where haymaking is difficult. While analyses show it to contain practically as much nutriment as hay or silage, cattle are not eager for it, and it can be considered only an emergency feed. Unquestionably when large quantities of winter forage are needed for stock, silage must be depended upon, and undoubtedly, all thing- considered, it will be the most satisfactory \\'c<\. Practically the only Alaska forage plant thus far used as silage is beach rye. and the experiences with this plant of Prof. C. C. Georgeson, special agent in charge of the Alaska Agricultural Experiment Stations, and of others who have grown it. show it to be both palatable and nutri- tious. In all probability other Alaskan grasses, and perhaps other plants, will be found to be quite as satisfactory. Where timber is available silos may be constructed of logs, like the one at the Sitka Experiment Station. This silo has the advantage of enabling a man to utilize his own labor. On the other hand, the material for stave silos can he secured at very reasonable price-, and this doubtless is the best silo to use in the timberless regions. Idol) VALUE OF NATIVE \I.\sk\N GRASSES. Chemical analyse- have been made of the principal Alaskan grasses, and while these can be properly interpreted only in connection with i LJLTIV M'.l I. FORAGE CROPS. digestion experiments, their comparison with the analyse; arcl grasses furnishes some measure of their value. 19 of stand- Inali/ses of Alaskan grasses (air-dried samples taken when in flower). Calamagrostis langsdorfii (Bl Sedgi Beach rye I'hhiim pratt ■• • Timi it li\ Pou prah nsis < Bluegrass > Descnampsia bottnica (Silver-top agrostis aleutica Water Protein. Nitro extract. < Irude Ash ' Percent. Percent. Fervent. Percent. Percent. ;. is 11 92 - 19 8 II I 58 M 32 12 71 8 '.'l - 94 i ii III INI 1 03 2 \-> 2 ii 2 in :.' h; 1.37 40.37 45 34 15. 69 1 1 l"i i ■ s)4 30.31 30.08 34 24 31.54 38 -'.i . .. in 65 7 .51 1.58 I 15 i v [nalyses of standard grassi s foi comparison. I 'u, i pratensis i Bluegrass Am ostis alba I Redti ip Phleum pratt n* Timi ii by Dactylis glorm rata I < Ircbard grass oipsia in spit a Sili er top) Calamagrostis canadi nsis Bluejoint) Water Protein Pat. Nitro gen free extract. Crude Bber. Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent. i; ii 14.30 15.01 Ii 30 I4.:*i 111 Mi 8 l- 6.01 9.04 11 in 2.84 2.28 I 06 3. 15 in. In ii; ;: n.90 47. IIS 35 82 22 09 21.71 I Ash /'. /■ cent. :. 90 I 18 5 12 9.37 . 19 The analyses of the Alaskan grasses were all made by the Bureau iif Chemistr} of the Department of A.rgiculture, and with the excep- tion of the first three, from material collected in 1904, were originally published in Bulletin X<>. I s . Office of Experiment Stations. The other analyses have been compiled from various authorities. i 1 i.n\ \r.ii. n iK \(,i: < i;i IPS. The experiences of a number of individual investigators, as well as the tests made al the Sitka and Kenai experiment stations, throw a good deal of light on the possibility of growing fodder plants and forage crop- on cultivated land. Much more testing is necessary, however, before some of the conclusions which at present seem prob- able can be considered demonstrated. In the way of grasses the tests made at Sitka by Professor George -i n muck soils showed tall meadow oat grass to be the most prom- ising. Tall fescue, bluegrass, meadow foxtail, ami redtop did fairly well, while orchard grass, timothy, and Italian rye-grass were not promising. From observations on a number of these and other grasses introduced by chance, some rather detinue conclu ton may be drawn. Timothy is more or less abundantly introduced at various place- on the coast, but doe- not as a rule thrive very well, being often inferior m size to the native mountain timothv. It is altogether 20 <;i;ass lands of the south Alaska coast. probable, however, that a variety of timothy suited to the conditions might readily be secured by selection, as chance specimens of the plant seen Merc very fine. The success of such a selection, however, will largely depend on the possibility of growing seed in Alaska. Among other useful grasses that have become accidentally intro- duced and show marked adaptability to the conditions are redtop, rough-stalk meadow grass, bluegrass, and fowl meadow grass. White clover thrives everywhere along the coast and is an aggres- sive plant. Red clover and alsike are not promising and alfalfa does not thrive. In the way of cereals, the earliest varieties of oats and barley will mature for two or possibly three out of five seasons. Of course, such a crop is not entirely lost if the grain fails to mature, as it can be utilized as hay or silage. On this account it will probably be wisest to grow the crop mixed with field peas, as such a mixture will make excellent silage, whereas oats alone could only be preserved as hay. a difficult thing to do so late in the season. It is to be clearly under- stood that under present conditions it is unnecessary to plant any cultivated ground in such crops as grass, or perhaps even legumes. The above facts are of value simply as indicating what well-known forage plants will thrive, thus to some extent showing the future agricultural possibilities of Alaska. SILAGE ALONE AS A RATION FOB MILCH COWS. The writer has been unable to find any published data on results obtained by feeding milch cows nothing but grass silage. Presuma- bly the best of results would not thus be obtained. In order to obtain some light on the subject. Dr. James Withy- combe, director of the Oregon Experiment Station, was requested to conduct such a test. The results of his experiment arc reported as follows : The silage test was made on a nonbreeding Jersey cow which freshened in February, 1002. In January, 1904, this cow was fed largely on silage, with a moderate amount of mill feed and light ration of hay as a preliminary prepara lion. From February 1 to April 30 she was fed wholly on corn silage and a light ration of ground oats daily. She consumed during the ninety days' feeding 3,785 pounds of corn silage and 270 pounds of the oat chop. The following table shows variation in weight and her product ion : Date. Weight. Milk. A\ er age test Fat. Hati' Weight. Milk. Aver- age test Fat. 1 lecember 1 January 1 February 1 955 iit:> Lbs. 196 l!)9 1T« P. ct. 5. !t Lbs. LI. 36 it ;i 111. 15 March 1 April 1 April 30 Lbs. 925 890 860 1,6s. L95 m /'. ct. 5 8 Lbs. 11.31 12. 15 ALASKAN EXPERIENCE IN STOCK RAISING. "_' 1 Tbe uow was In good condition at the close of the experiment, which indicates thai silage may with safety constitute :i large portion of the ration of a dairy cow. This experiment was undertaken at the suggestion of the Govermuenl ngros- tologisl to determine in a measure if ii were practicable to winter cattle in Alaska on grass silage. The •"■ pounds of ground oats were fed daily for the purpose of bringing the corn silage up to a protein standard equaling thai of mixed-grass silage. Protein percent ugt <ull> of a lilylike plant {Fritillaria Jcamtschatica) , which, however, is noi very abundant. Unfortunately these animals are prone to feed on fish offal and other sea refuse, and as a consequence their flesh has a disagreeable flavor. Unquestionably there is too little feed adapted t<> hogs to make their raising profitable in Alaska. Goats. Angora goats have Keen tested by the Alaska Commercial Company at Kadiak and by Rev. ('. P. Cue at Wood I -lam I. According to Mr. Washburn, formerly resident superintendent of the Alaska Commercial Company at Kadiak. the company had a lew years ago aboul 50 head of these animals on Ukamak Island, neat' Kadiak, which were entirely self-sustaining, increasing about 60 per cent each year. The mohair i- said t<> have been good, both in quan- tity and quality. Rev. ('. I'. Cm', id' Wood Island, ha- several head of Angora goats which have passed the la-t two winters with but little cafe. This year hi- herd ha- shown very satisfactory increase, and no difficulty is anticipated in wintering the kids. A large part of their I'rfA i- derived from willow- and other browse, and where this is abundant (he animal- n 1 but little feed in winter. Owing to their tracta- bility and the ease with which the\ are kept, especially where browse i- abundant, Angora goats should prove most useful animals both for the Datives and for w lute-. 22 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. Sheep husbandry. — Two definite attempts have been made to establish sheep raising in south Alaska, though small numbers have been kept at various points for short periods. The first attempt was made by the Alaska Commercial Company, which in 1883 imported a band of about 300 sheep from California. Unfortunately no accu- rate record of this experiment is available, and the accounts of various persons differ considerably. Many of the sheep died the first winter, according to some reports from lack of shelter, according to others from scab. The remainder were kept on a small island near Kadiak. where the only shelter was a small grove of spruce, but in winter they were usually transferred to new grazing grounds where they could feed on the tall, dry grass. In very severe weather they were sometimes sheltered and fed hay. These sheep are said to have yielded about f) pounds of excellent wool per head each year, and the annual increase is reported to have been about (50 per cent of the adult animals. No particular care was given them, and the last were slaughtered about six years ago. The venture, even excluding the loss of the first winter, seems not to have been profitable. The only sheep now in Alaska art' on the ranch of the Frye-Bruhn Company, near Kadiak, who have about 80 head. These sheep are the remnant of 9,000 which were shipped in from Oregon in L902 and L903, the remainder having perished. At first sight it would seem that this appalling loss of more than 08 per cent was conclusive evi- dence that sheep raising in Alaska is not likely to prove profitable. Inquiry into the causes of the mortality do not bear out this conclu- sion necessarily. About 500 of the sheep were drowned in March, 1903, by being caught at the head of a narrow cove by the incoming tide. One hundred and fifty head were lost by becoming frightened and jumping over cliffs. The rest of those that died succumbed to scab, which broke out in January. L903. Owing to lack of shelter it was then impossible to treat them by dipping, as that would practi- cally have been equivalent to killing them. The result was that all lnit so died of the disease. Thus all the mortality was due to causes entirely preventable. It was interesting to learn that several head of these sheep which ran wild survived the winter without care, and the writer was informed by trustworthy witnesses of other cases of this kind. In the light of present knowledge it is difficult to say whether sheep can be profitably raised in southwestern Alaska. In regard to the two attempts which have been made, it is noteworthy that in both instances the animals were shipped from a comparatively warm and Ary climate to one cool and notably wet; furthermore, that none of them perished from any cause directly connected with the Alaska conditions. There are. however, some further difficulties in connection with ALASKAN EXPERIENCE IX STOCK RAISING. 23 sheep raising in Alaska which need careful consideration. It is the general opinion in Kadiak that in an ordinary winter sheep can not safely be lefl without care after the beginning of January, [ndeed. many would place the lime a month or six week- earlier. New grass never appears before May 1"». and often not until June 1. Therefore, under the best of conditions, sheep will nerd four and a half months nf feeding and shelter. The superintendent of the Frye-Bruhn ranch, after one winter's experience, thinks that feed and shelter should be given for a longer period than that mentioned. Another serious difficulty lies in the lateness of the lambing season. It i- generally agreed that lambing should not take place before June 1. The lambs will need shelter and feed l>y December 1 or earlier, unless one takes serious chances of losing many. Whether sheep raising could be made profitable at present under such conditions remain- to be demonstrated. The mere fact thai sheep in small numbers have wintered without care is no proof that successful sheep husbandry can thus be carried on, nor even that one or two months' feeding will suffice. The risks involved in such a procedure are too great to warrant a careful stock raiser in taking an\ chances. Destructive wild animal- are no menace to sheep raising on the islands. Eagles may destroy a few lambs, but these birds are easily exterminated. Kadiak bears are too scarce ami too easily destroyed to merit consideration. ( )n the mainland, however, both wolves and brown hear- may prove troublesome. In the light of present knowledge one i- safe in saying that sheep can be raised on the Alaska coast if adult- are given five months" feed and -heller and the lambs a month more — this with the ordinary sheep of the western ranges. With more hardy breeds better adapted to the conditions the outlook for success would In- better. It need hardly he -aid that extreme caution should he taken to import only perfectly healthy animal-. -The greal mortality caused by scab and the great danger of such a disease as foot-rot in a damp climate de- I thai extreme care be taken not to introduce these diseases. ' "/- . Cattle have been raised at nearly all the Alaskan coast settlements ever since the Russian occupation. Some of the original stock, according to local tradition, i- -till represented in the hand of cattle at Nannilchuck. These are small animal-, but -aid to be ven hardy. Nearly all of the cattle kepi near the villages are milch cows, mo-tl\ grades, but a number of Holsteins and Jerseys were seen. When owned li\ white- the animal- are given shelter and \'r>'<\ for about five month-. When they belong to the native- they are forced to exist through the winter with little or no care, eking out an exist - ence hv feeding on browse and seaweeds. No accurate data could he 24 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. gathered concerning the amount ami character of the milk yield, but it was universally said that the milk is most excellent in summer, and good in winter when the animals are properly fed. It is unfortunate that no accurate records could he obtained as to the winter yield of cows fed only on native hay or silage. Several herds of beef cattle have been successfully maintained in the neighborhood of Kadiak. The experience of the Alaska Com- mercial Company is thus summarized by Mr. Washburn, the former superintendent at Kadiak: We have bred stock on the islands of Kadiak, Ukamak, and on Long Island. On Long Island we have about 40 head of cattle. .These cattle arc ted from two in si\ weeks each winter. The remainder of the time they have been aide to get their own subsistence. During occasional winters we have carried our stock through with no feeding. We have had very good increase from them, and should say that the percentage of calves raised from the breeding cows is aboul 75. The cattle on this island have not been boused except during the short period when we were obliged to feed the- i. On Ukamak Island w have a be, .. of about Ho head, winch are entirely self- sustnining. We have not fend it necessary either to feed or shelter these cat- i during the winter season, and the increase has been fully as good as that of the herd on Long Island. On Kadiak Island we have not kept any stock cattle, but only a herd of dairy cows and some working horses. These we have, of course, fed regularly during the winter season for about five months. We are able to cure sufficient hay on a lot we have leveled, and we have used the only mowing machine in western Alaska. We have obtained very good results from feeding the Alaska hay to both cows and horses, and find that they require no more grain when fed this bay than when we feed hay imported from California, The Frye-Bruhn Company, of Seattle, began operations near Kadiak in July, 1903, importing about 200 head of beef cattle, mostly Herefords. Owing to unpreparedness and inexperience, about 140 head of this number were lost during the first year. Most of these were killed by falling over cliffs. Owing to the fact that the earliest grass appears on the steep southerly slopes, the cattle crowded in such places: in some instances the sod. loosened by the frost, gave way and precipitated them over the cliffs. In other cases the cattle used their horns when crowded, the wounded ones losing their foothold in endeavoring to escape. As precautions, more care is taken in select- ing the early feeding grounds and the cattle have been dehorned. The common experience of cattle owners in Alaska ha- been that the animals fatten readily on the grass in the spring, and remain in good condition without care until kite in the autumn. Some Herefords slaughtered at Kadiak in duly furnished beef of remark- ably line quality. From the experience had at the Kenai Experiment Station, oxen keep in good working condition all winter on no other feed than native grass hay and silage, and the limited experience of others POPULATION \M> AVAILABLE MARK I. IS. 25 has given similar results. Ii is not probable, however, thai animal- will remain fal on such feeds alone. Nothing has been done up to the present time in the way of intro ducing breeds thai are likely to be especially adapted to the peculiar conditions. It is highly probable, as has been pointed out by Pro- fessor Georgeson, that long-haired hardy breeds like the Galloway or the West Highland cattle will prove much more successful than breeds adapted primarily to a drier and warmer climate. POPl L.ATIOM \M> WAILABLE MARKETS. No very accurate data are available as to the present population of the Alaska coast towns and villages, which furnish the only markets close t e » the grass lands. The population of the principal towns alon»- the coast is approximately as follows: Sitka, 1,500; Valdez, 1,000; Seward, 500; Kadiak, 50; Unalaska and Dutch Harbor, 600. The total population from Valdez to Unalaska, inclusive, is about s.oiM). of whom less than one half are whites. From Valdez to Sitka, excluding the former, the population is perhaps 4,000. about half of them white. Thus the coast of Alaska from Sitka to Una I ask a provides a market population at present of not more than 6,000 people, as no market for meat or dairy products can be expected so far as the natives are concerned. No account is here taken of the town-; lying alone- the interior channels in southeastern Alaska, whose populations aggregate per- haps 8,000 white-, though a portion of this market could perhaps he reached. Skagway and Valdez are the principal south Alaskan point- which supply the interior, and consequently are of especial importance in considering market-. A considerable market for beef and dairy products could perhaps he established by shipping from Unalaska to the population of the Nome district and the lower Yukon. Unalaska i- on the line of transportation from Puget Sound to Nome and the Yukon River, though at presenl few of the vessels stop there. Thus the presenl available market- in Alaska for live-stock product- are very limited. The supply for these markets at the present time is shipped from Puget Sound. It is evident, however, that it is possible to raise in Alaska far more produce of tin- kind than the local market- can consume. The onlv ether market- that can possibly be readied are those furnished by the cities of British Columbia and of the State of Washington. Freight fate- aie at present, and perhaps w ill lie I'm- -nine lime to come, such that dairy product- and wool are the only article- (hat could profit aU\ he -hipped to such d i-lant port-. 20 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. No predictions can here be ventured concerning the future devel- opment of south Alaska. The present resources are mainly furs, fisheries, and mines. The fur industry is becoming less and less important. The fisheries are already highly developed, but are capable of considerable increase. The mines undoubtedly will be- come more and more important. It is probable, too. that the exten- sive explorations now carried on in prospecting for oil will result in the development of another important industry. FREIGHTS AND TRANSPORTATION. At the present time both freight and passenger rates to and be- tween Alaskan ports may be considered moderate. The great bulk of the freight traffic is northward, a condition that is not unlikely to continue. Any permanent increase in the traffic to and from Alaskan ports will naturally be accompanied by a corresponding lowering of rates. The transportation companies doing business in south Alaska seem to be quite as liberal as conditions will permit, and so far as expressed sentiment goes their general policy will be the wise one of encouraging as far as possible any industry that promises to add to the sum total of the traffic. DESIRABILITY OF SOUTH ALASKA AS A HOME. < 'Innate. — The south Alaska coast lies in the same latitude as northern Labrador, the north of Scotland, and the south of Sweden, but none of these regions is very similar to it. In fact, south Alaska has several peculiarities which render dose comparison with any other region difficult. In general, the climate is a moist one. accom- panied by no great extremes in temperature. The thermometer very seldom reaches zero in winter, nor does it exceed 7.V Y . in summer. The following tables give the more important meteorological data as compiled from various published reports, localities in Sweden, Canada, and the State of Washington being included lor comparison: Monthly mill annual mean temperatures at points in Alaska ami eslewhere. Station. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. F. July. Aug. Sep! Ocl Nov. Dec. An nual. F, o F F F o F /' ° F. o F o F ' F. /• F. Sitka" 31.4 32 9 :i. r >. t; 40.8 47.0 52 l 55, 1 55. 9 51.5 II '.1 38 1 33.3 43.3 Sitka '■ ... 34.2 83.0 31 . 2 41.9 16 9 51.6 54.4 56.6 52.3 45. ; 39. 8 86.0 44. i r> 28. 2 32.6 36. 3 43. :>. 19.5 54 ; 50.0 42. 3 84.7 30 5 in 6 I'nalaska" 30.0 31.9 30.4 35 6 in '.i 16.3 50.6 51.9 15. 5 37.6 33. 6 30. 1 38 i I'nalaska b 33. 5 30.5 32.6 35. 2 in 1 45. 9 19 6 50 3 16.0 in l 34.6 32. 8 39.3 Porl Angeles, Wasli 34.7 36. T 41.7 15, 6 50 6 54.0 56 6 56.8 52. 7 it ; 4:;. 4 38 3 16 1 i it tawa, < !anada 11.9 12.2 17.6 41.5 63. •; 66.9 70.4 68. : 57.7 13.1 34.5 17.8 12 1 Stockholm, S w e 29. 5 83. 8 39 5 ra.r, 57 n 59 I 59. 3 53. 6 tu 6 35 6 27. 3 43.4 " Prom records kept by the Russian Government b From records of the United States Signal Service DESIRABILITY OF SOUTH ALASKA AS a HOME. \.verag.e precipitation . 1. s P. -4 1 a -_ > z i 5 s z _ „ >-s PE| ^-: < S Hj ~ /- : y. - E* H hi. In. hi. In. /li hi. h«. hi. /... hi. hi. hi. hi. hi. Sitku 8 iri 7.78 5.03 :; 1. 14 li 67 10. W 12.90 in 77 29 :,1 Kadiak 6.56 3 6. 18 1 (11 i 7 26 s IW fi ;.i; 7 !M 11 M 68. 16 92 11 26 II tJnalaska L3.81 7.68 7.51 I 1'.' I 26 1 1 . US Iii comparing the data for Sitka, Kadiak, and LTnalaska it will be noted that the average mean temperature of Sitka i- a little higher than that of K adiak. which in turn is higher than that of LTnalaska. It will also be noted that Sitka and LTnalaska have about the same rainfall considerably greater than that of Kadiak. A matter of more practical consequence than cither the copious rainfall or the comparatively high mean temperature is the rather low total of effective temperatures during the months from .May to September, inclusive. By effective temperature is meant that above 13 !•'.. at which plant growth practically begins. These totals, as compiled by Evans," arc as follows: Sitka • 1, IT'.l. 1 KadiaU 1. 152. 1 I'nalaska 624.5 furl Angeles, Wash 1. 671. i illawa. Canada .'.. 12-1. 7 Scotland 1, 692. 7 Stockholm, Sweden -J. 704. D The difference in totals between Sitka and Kadiak is very striking, but not -ii much as that between Kadiak and LTnalaska. Undoubt- edly this effective temperature factor is the principal cause of the -harp demarcation between the timbered and the timberless regions on the Alaska coast. Gardi n products. This same factor the low total of effective tem- peratures — limits also the variety of garden products that can be grown, but along the whole coast a considerable variety of vegeta bles is successfully raised, such as potatoes, turnips, cabbage, cauli- flower, Brussels sprouts, kale, lettuce, pea-, radishes, and rhubarb. Red currants and rrA raspberries grow wild on Cook Lnlet, and these hardy varieties will thrive at mosl place- along the coast at Sitka even the ordinary garden varieties ripening. In southeastern Alaska salmon berries, cranberries, and huckleberries grow wild in abun dance. Bulletin So. I s . Office of Experiment Stations, t'. S. Department of Agri culture. 28 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. Fuel. — In the timbered region a supply of fuel is easily obtainable, while in the timberless country a rather scant quantity is secured from scrubby willows and alders and from beach drift, Coal of an inferior quality, but still fairly satisfactory for domestic use. is abundant along Cook Inlet, At present none of this is mined, but considerable quantities are gathered from exposed ledges, or from drift on the beaches. Most of the coal used along the Alaska Penin- sula, • however, is at present shipped from Puget Sound. In some localities the paraffin residue from oil seepage is utilized as fuel. CHOICE OF A LOCATION. In general, Kadiak and the neighobring islands and the Cook Inlet country are the most favorable places for live-stock raising on account of a great luxuriance of grasses and contiguity to timber. The Cook Inlet region enjoys the reputation of being the garden spot of the Alaska coast, apparently producing finer vegetables than else- where, though lying farther north than the Alaska Peninsula and most of the territory described in these pages. The accessible grass lands here are, however, comparatively limited. On the other hand, Unalaska and the neighboring islands, while possessing less abundant grass and perhaps a less favorable climate, can perhaps reach markets in the Nome region and on the lower Yukon. At Vakutat. while the grass is not overabundant, the loca- tion is more favorable for shipments southward. The j)rime requisite of any Alaska location is a sufficiently large available supply of winter forage. Of summer range there is an abundance nearly everywhere, but the utilization of this is definitely limited by the number of cattle one can safely winter. The all- important point is therefore to have a sufficient acreage of land from which hay or silage can be secured. By selecting locations on the fiat lands that so commonly occur at the heads of the narrow fiords one can easily control for all practical purposes great areas of grazing lands. The writer can not refrain from quoting here the following opinion of a widely traveled man from California, who for three years has been engaged in placer mining on the beach on the west side of Kadiak Island and who is seriously considering taking up a homestead and bringing his family to Alaska: In .-ill my travels I have never found a place where one can live so well or so cheaply as I have done for (lie past three years. I can raise all sorts of hardy vegetables and berries, besides the wild ones, and have unlimited grass to keep cattle and sheep. Fish of the choicest snrts salmon, halibut, cod, and many others- are very abundant, and the stream flowing by my cabin door swarms with trout. In the way of big game there are hears. Of small game LAND LAWS APPLYING 10 ALASKA. 29 ducks and geese are plentiful lu the spring and fall, and fresh gull eggs may he had for the gathering. To add to all this, if ready money is qoI available, 1 can always make g 1 wages at least by washing oul gold <>n the beach. Surel} there is here a combination of resources thai makes failure well-nigh impossible. LAND LAWS APPLYING TO ALASKA. The follow ing repori regarding the methods by which title may be secureo to agricultural lands in Alaska was prepared in the office of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, through the cour- tesy of the Secretary of the Interior. It refer- solely to acquiring title to agricultural land- and not to the town-site or mineral laws, <>r to mis-ion claims under -eel ion - _'7 of the act of dune 6, L900 ( 3] Stat. L., 330) : Section l of the act of Congress approved May 14, 1898 (30 Stat. I... 409), extending the homestead laws to Alaska, may be summarized as follows: First. Extending the 1 testead laws and the rights incident thereto to the district of Alaska. Second. Extending to such district the righl to enter surveyed lands under provisions of law relating t«> the acquisition of title through soldiers' addi- tional homestead rights. Third. Granting the righl to enter unsurveyed lands in said district under provisions of law relating to the acquisition of title through soldiers' additional homestead rights. Fourth. Prohibiting the location in said district of any indemnity, deficiency, or lieu lands pertaining to auj land grant whatsoever orgiuating outside of said district. Fifth. Limiting each entry under this section to so rod- along the shore of any navigable water, and reserving along such shore o space at least so rods between all such claims, and prohibiting the entry or disposal of the shore (meaning land lying between bigh and low water mark i of any navigable waters within said district. Sixth. Limiting each homestead in said district, whether soldiers' additional Or otherwise, to 80 acres in extent. This section was amended by the acl of March 3, 1903 (32 Stat. I... 1028), the pro\ isioiis of which may he stated as follows : The amendatory •'"'' doc- not specifically reenacl that portion of the acl of 1898 which granted the righl to enter unsurveyed lands in the district of Alaska under the provisions of law relating to the acquisition of title through soldiers' additional rights, hut it is provided thereby "that in re than one hundred and sixtj acres shall he entered in any single body by such scrip, lion selei tion, • r soldiers' additional homestead right," which seems to negative any intention to i lify or repeal the existing law with regard to the exercise of such rights in the' district of Alaska further than to limit the amount which may he entered in a single bodj m |(>0 acres. Further, that portion of the amendatory act which provides that "no indemnity, deficiency, or Inn land selections pertaining to any land granl outside of the district of Alaska shall he made, and no land scrip or land warrant of anj kind whatsoever shall he located within or exer cised upon any lands in said district, except as now provided by law." seems to 30 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. recognize that there are such outstanding rights; but, unless soldiers' additional homestead rights are thereby considered .-is scrip rights, iliis Department is noi advised as to any other law permitting the exercise of any such rights in the district of Alaska. Soldiers' additional homestead applications, under sections 2306 and 2307, Revised Statutes, are received as heretofore, but not more than L60 acres can be taken in a single body. The act of 1898 is amended so as to increase the amount of land which may I niored as a homestead in the district of Alaska to 320 acres, and in providing therefor grants such rights to "any person who is qualified under existing laws to make homestead entry of the public lands of the United States who has settled upon, or who shall hereafter settle upon, any id' the public lands of the United States situated in the district of Alaska, whether surveyed or uusur- veyed." If a person he qualified, therefore, to make homestead entry under existing laws, he may enter not to exceed 320 acres, upon which he may have settled, in the district of Alaska, and without regard to the amount he nii^ r ht be authorized to make homestead entry of elsewhere: but the right to locate a soldier's additional homestead right in the district of Alaska, without settle- ment, is not thereby changed. Only 160 acres or less may be commuted. No entry of any kind in the district of Alaska can. however, be allowed for land extending more than 160 rods along the shore id' any navigable water. which is twice the extent originally permitted by the act of 1898, and along such shore a space of it least SO rods is reserved between all claims, being the same as originally provided in the act of 1898. HOMESTEADS. The homestead laws secure to qualified persons the righl to settle upon. enter, and acquire title to not exceeding :;'_'ii aires of public land, by establishing and maintaining residence thereon and improving and cultivating the laud for the continuous period of live years. A homestead entryman must be the head of a family or a person who has arrived at the age of 21 years, and a citizen of the United States, or one who has filed his declaration of intention to become such, as required by the nat- uralization laws, to which section ."> of the act of March .'!. 1SP1 \-_lc Stat. L.. 1095), attaches the conditions that he must not be the proprietor of more than 160 acres of land in any State or Territory, and that since August 30, 1890, he has not acquired title to. nor is now claiming under any of the agricultural public-land laws, an amount of land which, together with the land now applied for. will exceed in the aggregate 320 acres. Where a wife has been divorced from her husband or deserted, so that she is dependent upon her own resources for support, she can make homestead entry as the head of a family or as a femme sole. Where an unmarried woman settles upon a tract of public land, improves tin' same, establishes and maintains a bona fide residence thereon with the intention of appropriating the same for a home under the homestead law. and i hereafter marries before making entry of said land, or before making appli- cation to (Miter said land, she does not. on account of her marriage, forfeit her right to make entry and receive patent for the land: Provided, That she docs not abandon her residence on said land and is otherwise qualified to make homestead entry: \ml provided further. That the man whom she marries is not, at the lime of their marriage, claiming a separate tract of land under the homestead law. (Act June 6, 1900, 31 Stat. L„ 6S3.) LAND LAWS APPLYING TO ALASKA. ."> 1 MM' I n VTION b'OK A HOMESTI U) ml: SURVEYED LAND. ro obtain a homestead tbe partj should selecl ami personally examine tbe land and be satisfied of its character and true description. He must file an application, stating his true name, residence, and post office address, and describing tbe land lie desires to enter, and make affidavit that be iv ii, .1 Hi,' proprietor of inure than Pit) acres of land in any State or Territory; thai be is n citizen of the United States, or thai be has filed his declaration of intention to become such, and that be is the head <>f a family, or over 21 years of age, .-is th<> case may be; that bis application is honestly and in good faith made for the purpose of actual settlemenl and cultivation, and uol for the bene lit of anj other person, persons, or corporation, and that be will faithfully and honestlj endeavor t mply with .-ill the requirements of law as to settlement, residence, and cultivation necessary to acquire title to the land applied for; thai he is uol acting as ageul of any person, corporation, or syndicate in making such entry, uor in collusion with any person, corporation, or syndicate to give t In -ii i the benefil of the land entered, or any part thereof, or the timber thereon : that be does not apply to enter the same for the purpose of s] illation, hut in l:impi1 faith in obtain a home for himself, and that he has not, directly or in directly, made, and will uol make, any agreemenl or contract in any manner with anj person or persons, corporation, or syndicate whatsoever, by which the title which be mighl acquire from the Government of the United Stales should inure, in whole or in part, to the benefil of anj person except bimself; and. further, thai since Augusl 30, 1890, be has no1 acquired title to uor is be , claiming under anj of the agricultural public-land laws an amount of land which, together with the laud he is seeking to enter, will exceed in tbe aggre gate 320 acres, and that he lias not theretofore had the benefil of the home stead laws, and must paj the legal fee and thai part of the commissions which is payable when entry is made, and furnish the usual nonmineral affidavit. on compliance bj the pariy with the foregoing requirements the receiver will issue his receipt for the fee and that part of the commissions paid, a duplicate of which be will deliver to the partj'. The matter will then be entered in tbe ds of the districl office and reported to the General Land Office. The applicant must in every case slate in his application his place of actual residence and his post-office address, in order that notices of proceedings rela five to his entry may be sent him. The register and receiver will note the post cilice address on their tract hooks. INCEPTIVE RIGHTS OF HOMESTEAD SETTLERS. An inceptive righl is vested in the settler by the proceedings hereinbefore described. He must, within six months after making his entry, establish his actual resilience in a bouse upon the land, and iiiusl reside upon and cultivate ihe land continuously in accordance with law for the term of five years. Occa sional visits i,. the land once in six months or oftener do not constitute resi deuce. The I lestead party must actually inhabit the land and make it the home of himself and family, as well as improve and cultivate it. At the expiration of five years, or within two years thereafter, be may make proof of his compliance with law by residence, improvement, and cultivation for the full period required, and initsi show that the land has not been alienated excepl as provided iii section 2288, Revised Statutes (sec. 2291, Rev. Stat.), as amended by section 3 of the act of March 'A, lS'Jl (20 Stat, L., 1095), 32 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. The period of continuous residence and cultivation begins to run at the date of actual settlement in case the entry at the district land office is made within the prescribed period (three months) thereafter or before the intervention of a valid adverse claim. If the settlement is on unsurveyed land, the latter period runs from the filing of plat iu the district land office. (Act May 14, 1880, 21 Stat. L., 140.) HOMESTEAD SETTLERS ON UNSURVEYED LANDS. A homestead settler on unsurveyed public land not yet open to entry must make entry within three months after the filing of the township plat of survey in the district land office. (Act May 14, 1880, 21 Stat. L., 140.) CULTIVATION IN GRAZING DISTRICTS. In grazing districts stock raising and dairy production are so nearly akin to agricultural pursuits as to justify the issue of patent upon proof of permanent settlement and the use of the land for such purposes. Proofs can only be made by the homestead claimant in person, and can not be made by an agent, attorney, assignee, or other person, except that in case of the death of the entryman proof can be made by the statutory successor to the home- stead right in the manner provided by law. Sections 2291 and 22!>2. Revised Statutes, provide for obtaining title to lands entered by a homestead settler by his heirs. The act of June 8, 1880 (21 Stat. L., 166), provides for homestead claimants who become insane. HOMESTEAD CLAIMS NOT LIABLE FOR DEBT AND NOT SALABLE. No lands acquired under the provisions of the homestead laws are liable for the satisfaction of any debt contracted prior to the issue of the patent. (Sec 2296, Lev. Stat.) The sale of a homestead claim by the settler to another party before becoming entitled to a patent vests no title or equities in the purchaser as against the United States. In making final proof the settle!- is by law required to swear that no part of the land has been alienated except for church, cemetery, or school purposes or the right of way for railroads, canals, or ditches for irrigation or drainage across it. (Sec. 2288, Rev. Stat., as amended by sec .", of the ad of March 3, 1891, 26 Stat. L., 1095.) SOLDIERS AND SAILORS' HOMESTEAD RIGHTS. Any officer, soldier, seaman, or marine who served for not less than ninety days in the Army or Navy of the United States during the rebellion, and who was honorably discharged and has remained loyal to the Government, and who makes a homestead entry of 320 acres or less on any land subject to such entry, is entitled under section "-'.".nr, of the Revised Statutes to have the term of his service in the Army or Navy, not exceeding four years, deducted from the period of five years' residence required under the homestead laws. If the party was discharged from service on account of wounds or disabilities incurred in the line of duty the whole term of enlistment, not exceeding four years, is to be deducted from the homestead period of five years; but no patent can issue to any homestead settler who has not resided upon, improved, ami cul- tivated his bomestead for a period of at least one year after he commenced his improvements. (Sec 2305, Rev. Stat.) LAND LAWS W\n \ [NG DO \i \ska. Similar provisions are made In the acts of June 16, 1898 < 30 Stat. I... IT:: i . and March I, l'.iui (31 Slat. I... 847), for the benefil of like persons who served in the late war with Spain or during the suppression of the insurrection in the Philippines. \ party applying to make entry under the provisions of section '_'.". I MKY. Any officer, soldier, sailor, or marine who served for no1 less than ninety days in ihc Army or Navy of the United Stairs during said wars, who had. prior to June 22, 1874, the date <>f the approval of the Revised Statutes, made a borne stead entrj of less than 160 acres, may enter an additional quantity of land. adjacent to bis former entry or elsewhere, sufficient t<> make, with the previous entry. 160 acres. (Rev. Stat., 2306. i Tins right was extended by section 2307. Revised Statutes, to the widow, if unmarried; otherwise to the minor orphan children bj proper guardian. If there be no widow, unmarried, and no minor orphan children, the right is held to be an asset of the soldier-entryman's estate. to i" 1 disposed of by his personal representative as other personal property. (20 L. I>.. 510 and 658. i An assignment by the heirs will he accepted it' accompanied by a certificate of the proper court showing that no administration has ever hern had "ii the soldier's estate and that they are all the heirs entitled to the right. The right was formerly regarded as a personal one and not transferable, but under authority of the decision of the Supreme Court of the United states in the case of Webster i\ Luther i 163 U. S., -"-".I I, it is now held to be assignable with- out restriction, and residence and cultivation are nol required in its exercise, either by the original beneficiary or by his assignee, whether the original entry was perfected or abandoned (24 I.. D., 502). It was for rly the practice, on proof of militarj service and original entry, under section 2306, Revised Statutes, to issue a certificate in the name of the soldier entryman. showing his additional right and its area, but the practice was discontinued by circular of February 13, 1883 (1 I.. D., 654), .and it is held that there is no statutory authority for the same and that the soldier can obtain the righl for himself and sell it to another without certification (23 L. !>., l 52 i . By the ad of March ::. [893 (27 Stat. I... 593), provision is made that where soldiers' additional homestead entries have been made or initiated upon a cer- tificate of the Commissioner of the Genera] Land Office of the righl to make such entry, anil the certificate of righl is found to be erroneous or invalid for any cause, the party in interesl thereunder on making proof of his purchase may. if there is no adverse claimant, perfect his title by payment of the Go\ eminent price for the land, hut no person may acquire more than 160 acres through the location of any such eertili. By the act of Augusl is. 1894 (28 Stat. I... 397), all certificates regularly issued ari' declared to be valid, notwithstanding any attempted sale or transfer, and holders thereof desiring to exercise a righl of entry in their own names 34 GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. must file such certificates in the General Land Office, together with satisfactory proof of ownership and of bona fide purchase for value. If, upon examination, the proof so filed is satisfactory, an additional certificate will he attached to the original authorizing the location thereof, or entry of land therewith, in the name of the assignee or his assigns. (Circular of October 10. 1894 ; 19 L. D., 302.) Existing homestead laws, while recognizing settlement upon unsurveyed pub- lic lands, do not authorize the entry or the patenting thereof until the public surveys have been regularly extended over them. This section as amended, however, in terms authorizes the entry of unsurveyed lands in Alaska, and makes provision for a private survey for the purpose of patenting the claim, if the public surveys have not been extended thereto at the time it is desired to sub- mit proof, as is hereinafter referred to. In executing surveys for homestead applications the instructions now pre- vailing will be followed, and the limit of 160 rods as to frontage will be mens ured along the meandered line of said frontage. The form of the tract sought to be entered, if upon unsurveyed land, is pre- scribed in the act as follows : If any of the land * * is unsurveyed. then the land * * * must lie in rectangular form, not more than a mile in length, and located upon the north and south lines run according to the true meridian. That is. the boundary lines of each entry must be run in cardinal directions, true north-and-south and east-and-west lines by reference to a true meridian (not magnetic), with the exception of the meander lines on meanderable streams and navigable waters forming a part of the boundary lines of the entry. Thus a frontage meander line, and other meander lines which form part of the bound- ary of a claim, will lie run according to the directions in the Manual of Sur- veying Instructions issued by this Office, but other boundary lines will be run in true east-and-west and north-and-south directions, thus forming rectangles, except at intersections with meander lines. In other respects the rides previously adopted to govern surveys of claims under the act of May 14, 1898, will continue to lie followed, of course taking into consideration the limitations as to area of claims. Every person who is qualified under existing laws to make a homestead entry of the public lands of the United States who settles or has settled upon am of the unsurveyed public lands of the United States in the district of Alaska with the intention of taking the same under the homestead law shall, within ninety days from date of settlement or prior to the intervention of an adverse claim, file the record of bis location for record in the recording district in which the land is situated, as provided by sections 13 to Id of the act of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat. L. 326 to 328). Said record shall contain the name of the settler, the date of settlement, and SUCh description of the land settled on. by reference to some natural object or permanent monument as will identify the same. If at the expiration of the time required under sections L'-J'.H and 2292, "Re- vised Statutes, and as modified by section •J::<>ri. Revised Statutes, or at such date as the settler desires to commute under section 2301, Revised Statutes, the public surveys have not been extended over the land located, the locator may secure a patent for the land located by procuring, at bis own expense, a survey of the land, which must be made by a deputy surveyor who has been duly ap- pointed by the surveyor-general, in accordance with section 10 of the act of May 1 1. 1898 (30 Stat L. 409), and the provisions of the act of March ::, 1903, as herein set forth. LAND LAWS APPLYING CO ALASKA. .'ST) When the survey, either public or private, as herein provided for is approved lf the surveyor general of Alaska is located al Sitka. Section m of said .ict of May 14, 1898, also provides thai all affidavits, testii y, proofs, and other papers provided for by this acl and by said act of March '■'>. 1891, or by any departmental or Executive regulation thereunder, by depositions or otherwise, under commission from the register and receiver of the land office, which may have been or may hereafter be taken and sworn to anywhere in the United states, before any court, judge, or other officer authorized by law to administer an oath, shall he admitted in evidence as if taken before the register and receiver of the proper local land office. And thereafter such proof, together with a certified copy of the field notes and plal of the survey of the claim, shall be Bled in the office of the surveyor-general of the district of Alaska, and if such survey and plat shall be approved bj him. certified copies thereof, together with the claimant's application, shall he tiled ill the United States land office in the land district in which the claim is situated, whereupon, at the expense of claimant, the register of such laud otliee shall cause notice of such application to he published for at least sixty days in a newspaper of general circulation publshed nearest the claim within the district . Recenl Foreign Explorations. L903. Price, 15 rents. 36. The "Bluing" and the "Red Rot" of the Western Yellow Pirn-, with Special Reference to the Black Hills Foresl Reserve, 1903. Price, 30 cents. .".T. Formation <>r the spores in the Sporangia of Rbizopus Nigricans and of Pliycoiuyces Miens. 1903. Price, i~> cents, 38, Forage Conditions and Problems In Eastern Washington, Eastern Ore gon, etc. 1903. Price, 15 cents. 39. The Propagation of the Easter Lily from s l. 1903. Price, 10 cents. I". Cold Storage, with special Reference to the Pea« and Peach. 1903. Price, 15 cents. n. The Commercial .Grading of Corn. 1903. Price, 10 cents. rlnve New Plani Introductions from Japan. 1903. Price. 10 cents. (3. Japanese Bamboos. 1903. Price, 10 cents, u. The Bitter Rol at Apples. 1903. Trice. 15 cents. 15. The Physiological Rdle of Mineral .Nutrients in Plants. 1903. Price, '< cents. 16. The Propagation <>f Tropical Fruit Trees and other Plants. 1903. Price, 10 cents. it. The Description of Wheal Varieties. 1903. Price, 10 cents. is. The Apple in Cold Storage. 1903. Trice. 15 cents. 19. The Culture Of the Central American Rubber Tree. 1903. Trice. 25 cents. 50. Wild Rice: Its Faes and Propagation. 1903. Trice, id cents. 51. Miscellaneous Tapers: [. The Wilt Disease of Tobacco and Its Control. II. The Work ut' the Community Demonstration Farm at Terrell. Tex. III. Fruil Trees Frozen in 1904. IV. The Cultivation ut' the Austra- lian Wattle, v. Legal and Customary Weights per Bushel of Seeds. VI. Golden Seal. 1905; Trice. 5 cent's. 52. Wither-Tlp and Other Diseases til' Citrous Trees and Fruits Caused by Collelolrichuiii G1030SporloideS. 1904. Trice. 15 cents. .".::. The Fate Palm. 1904. Trice. 20 cents. 54. Persian Cull' Dates. 1903. Price, It) cents. •V,. The Dry Ro1 of Potatoes. 1904. Trice. II) cents. 56, Nomenclature of the Apple. Tin."'. Price, 30 cents, 57, Methods Used for Controlling Sand Dunes. 1904 Price, 10 cents. 58, The Vitality and Germination of Seeds. 1904. Trice. In cents. •V.i. Pasture, Meadow, and Forage Crops in Nebraska, 1904. Trice, in cents. U0. A Soft Rot of the Calla Lily. 1904. Price, 10 cents. til. The Avocado in Florida. 1904. Trice. 5 cents. ii'_'. Notes on Egyptian Agriculture. 1904. Trice. 10 cents. 63. Investigations of Rusta 1904. Trice, in cents. • '.I. A Method of Destroying or Preventing the Growth of Alga? and Certain Pathogenic Bacteria in Water Supplies. 1904. Trice. 5 cents. 65. Reclamation of Cape Cod Sand Dunes. 1904. Trice. 10 cents. 66 Seeds and Plants Imported. Inventory No. in. 1905. Trice. 20 cents. 67. Range Investigations in Arizona. 1904. Trice. 15 cents. 68. North ' nerlcan Species of Agrostis. 1906. Trice, in cents. 69. American Varieties of Lettuce. 1904. Trice. 15 cents. Tii. The Commercial Status of Durum Wheat. 1904. Price, in rent-. 71. Soil Inoculation fm- Legumes. 1905. Trice. I."> cents. 71'. Miscellaneous Papers: I. Cultivation of Wheat in Permanent Alfalfa Fields. IF The Salt Water Limits of Wild Rice. III. Extermination of Johnson crass, i v. inoculation of Soil with Nitrogen Fixing Bac- teria. 1905. Trice. .", cents. 7.".. The Development of Slugle-Germ Bee! Seed. inn.". Trice. 10 cents. 71. The Tri.kh Pear and other Cacti as food for Stock. 1905. Price, 5 cents. 75. Range Managemenl in the State of Washington. 1905 Price, 5 cent-. 76. Copper as an AF'ii id.' and Disinfectant In Water Supplies. 1905. Trice. 5 cents. 77. The Avocado, a Salad Fruit from the Tropics. 1905. Trice. .", cents. 7s Improving the Quality of Wheat. (In press.) 7'.' The Variability of wheat Varieties in Resistance to Toxic Salts, iin press.) B0. \irrii -nit ui;»l Explorations in Algeria. (In press.) 81. Evolution of Cellular Structures. (In pre UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 3 1262 08928 3260