Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-01-26
EXPERT SEES FUTURE
FoRALASkAN 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 to- Levi Chubbuck. special agent
for the department ct agriculture, who
has just returned from the northland.
Mr.. Chubbuck spent the entire sum-
mer making u general reconnaissance
OF agricultural lands that may be sur
veyed for homesteadiug by the general
land Office. The chief areas examined
were the Sushitna basin north of Sew
ard. the Copper river and the Tanana
valleys. Concerning agricultural prog
ress and possibilities in Alaska be
makes statements that may be consid~
! cred most conservative. but that will
! be amazing to the great majority Of
| those ''outside."
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 nutri-
| tive value of which for stock seems
well 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.
A Great Dairyins Country.
"Nearly all of this land except some
p: side hill areas has more or less stand
ing and fallen timber on it. but much
Is Immediately available tor grazing.
| With adequate winter protection stock
thrtves. aud the market with the de-
velopment of roads would seem a.
| sured. At present every pound Of meat
consumed must come from Seattle, and
meat is Of first Importance in the diet
ary OF so cold country as this. In
many parts of the country also it costs
the consumer 81 u pound. All dairy
/ products. too, are brought in by steam
er at high cost. and this IL certainly q
dairytng country: / Z r. = :"ss;~ '*'E: ...zs
'"There need be no speculation a. 70
i some present possibilities. Farming
has just begun in few localities in
this region, and local conditions are
most varied. but oats and barley are
being successfully grown. timothy
hourishes, and the root crop is OF high
excellence.
! Found Many Fine Farms.
! II have been astOnished at the
] amOunt IF fa rn,inr nndor NEW .ron,,.}
Seward. l had expected practically
none. and instead find half dozen
/ fourishing ranches on a commercial ba-
sis and dozens of home gardens. Pota-
toes of first quality are being grown in
half a dozen neighborhoods. excellent
turnips grow freely. and there seems
| no difficulty with beets, carrots. rad
| 1shes, beans, peas and lettuce. Cab
bage and caulif1ower are surprising
| success in some localities. believe
! this list can be extended almost indeti-
nitely with careful selection Of varie-
| ties. study, of soil requirements and
! acclimatization by selective breeding.
The possibilities are still practically
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. and the
most" successful tests have generally
been in the least likely locations. )
Regarding climatic conditions
have been somewhat surprised With
| In thousand feet of sea level in fairly
open country the growing season is not
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
| fr0sts 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-
sation 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 Snshitna group of valleys, as an
example generally applicable, is still
impossible even to estimate, as much
Of the territory is unin habited and still
because Of its undeveloped state rath-
er than because it is inaccessible.
There is total area OF about 900
square miles along the western edge.
of Renal peninsula bordering Cook in
let. the greater part of which is prob
lably available and some small valleys
in, the interior OF the peninsula I
roughly estimate the rest. which in4
cludes the Knik Arm region and Ma
tanuska valley to the eastward. the
Yentna to the westward. tile main.
Sushitna valley and smaller. tributaries
running northWard far int, i,e$s in-..
terror al. say. square miles. hut 8
It might exceed: this consid erabl ~.