Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-01-14
EXPERT SEES FUTURE
FOR ALASKAN FARMING
Important Statement by Govern
ment Agent Just Returned.

There are many thousands of miles
of good tillage land in the valleys Of
the southern coast of Alaska. to say
nothing of the great interior, accord.
ing &c Levi Chubbuck. special agent
for the department of agriculture. who
has just returned from the northland
Mr. Chubbuck spent the entire sum-
mer making general reconnaissance
of agricultural lands that may be sur
veyed for homesteading by the general
were the Sushitna basin north OF Sew
ard. the Copper river and the Tanana
valleys. Concerning agricultural prog
reas and possibilities in Alaska he
makes statements that may be cOnsid-
cred most conservative. but that will
be amazing to the great majority of
those outside"
1.-The most obvious fact concerning
nearly all the valleys of this area
have seen-from tidewater northward
$50 miles-is that they are natural
grazing lands. There are certainly
thousands of square miles of very
high quality of wild grass. the nutrl-
tive value of which for stock seems
we'll established The grass often
stands six and seven feet high and is
of the most luxuriant growth; also it
can be cured and is OF good keeping
quality.
Great Dairying Country.
Nearly all of this land except some
side hill areas has more or less stand
ing and fallen timber on it. but much
is Immediately availa BILE for grazing.
With adequate winter protection stock
thrives, aud the market with the de-
velopment of roads would seem as
sured. At present every pound OF mes'
consumed must come from Seattle. and
meat is of first importance in the diet
airy of so cold a country as this. In
many parts of the country also it costs
the consumer 81 a pound. All dairy
products. too, are brought in by steam
err at high cost. and this is certainly a
dairying country.
There need be no speculation as to
SOtuC plSSSHt al hAh6
has just begun in a few localities In
this region. and local conditions are
most varied. but oats and barley are
being successfully grown, timothy
flourishes, and the root crop is of high
excellence.
Found Many Fine Farms.
Il have been aStonished at the
amount of farming under way around
Seward. had expected practically
none, and instead | lind half dozen
hourishing ranches on a commercial ba-
sis and dozeus of home gardens. Pota-
toes of first quality are being grown in
half dozen neighborhoods, excellent
turn!ps grow freely. and there seems
no difficulty with beets, carrots. rad
ishes. beans. peas and lettuce. Cab
bage and caulitlower are a surprising
! success in some localities ! believe
this list can be extended almost indeti-
nltely with careful selection of varie-
ties. study Of soil requirements and
acclimatiZation by Selective breeding
The possibilities are still practicaii:
unknown. but we do know that they
are far greater than most people even
here in Alaska Imagine. Some OF the
most promising parts OF this area
have not been tried at all. aud the
most successful tests have generally
been in the least likely locations.
Regarding climatic conditions !:
have been somewhat surprised. With
In a thousand feet of sea level in fairly
open country tile growing season is nut
shorter than in the mountain region of
New Hampshire. Peas are safely
planted in May. and danger from frost
is considered over after the first few
days in June. In the fall the first
frosts are rarely before the second
week in September. 1t is true that the
summers are cooler than in the north
ern states and on the immediate coast
have more rain. but there is compen
eation in the fifteen to eighteen hours
of sunshine daily and the continuous
daylight for nearly three months.
1.-The exact area of the tillage lands
in the Sushitna group of valleys. as an
example generally appliabIe, is still
impossible even to estimate. us much
of the territory is uninhabited ana still
because of its undeveloped state rati,-
er than because it is inaccessible.
There is total area of about $500
square miles along the western edge
of Kenai peninsula bordering Cook in
let. the greater part of which is prob
! ably available and some small valleys
in the interior of the peninsula.
, roughly estimate the rest. which in
cludes the Knik Arm region and Ma
tanuska valley to the eastward. the
Yentna to the westward. the mair
9 Sushitna valley and smaller tributaries
: running northward far into the in,
: terror at. say. $500 square miles. but
it might exceed this considerably"