The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-12-31
NEWS NOTES OF
NATIONS CAPITAL
Especial to the Silver State.)
Farming in the Frozen North.

farnl1ng IN the Frozen North.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.-There
came to Washington a few days ago a
man from Alaska, j. II. Young, vice.
president of the Copper River and
Northwestern railroad, and president
Of the Alaska Steamship company, who
had something to say in corroboration
of the position taken by the depart
ment of agriculture that farming is
destined to be a profitable industry in
Alaska. But who would think of farm
ing the frozen soil of Alaska unless he
had experienced
Looking at the ground in the
rough said Mr.. Young, Zone would
be justified in saying that it is hope
less. Covered with several feet of
moss, snow and ice, and frozen to an
unknown depth, it would seem hardy
farmer who would undertake to make
a crop. And yet it is easier brought
into cultivation than ordinary mes
quite land of the southwest One or
two burnings remove the moss and
the sun does the rest. After the
ground is broken it never freezes again
beyond the ordinary winter depth
"When the black earth is turned
up to the sun it becomes store house
of heat units all through the summer
These are given off during the winter.
This, in time, will make t. e habitable
portions of Alaska more equitable in
climate.
Around Dawson they are now
raising potatoes as fine as any pro-
duced in the state of Washington.
The crop last summer amounted to
several tons. Strawberries and all
small fruits thrive, and cabbages. tur-
nips, carrots, lettuce and other garden
vegetables grow with luxuriance that
is fairly tropical. Timothy grows to
the nights of a man s waist and pro-
duces head as long as your hand.
Wheat, barley and rye promise to be
successful crops.
"Our railroad,' said Mr.. Young,
is already making wonderful changes
in that part of Alaska. The town of
Chitina has sprung up within three
months, yet it already has a news
paper, several good buildings and
hotel will soon be running
els there much immigration Mr.
Young was asked.
"We are not encouraging the immi-
grafton of farmers into the Chitina
basin,' was the reply. cit will be
time enough and they will come fast
enough when the mineral resources Of
that part of Alaska are developed, and
am satisfied that there will be big
rush of miners there in the spring on
account of the quartz discoveries near
the coast.
To Lease Mineral Lands.
II has lOnU haao fba no1icxy af fba
government to give away the mining
lands to whoever would work them.
This has applied to oil lands as well
metals, but the interior department is
now of the opinion that these lands
should not pass out of the ownership
of the government, but that they
should be leased on royalty basis.
While this plan is something of a
novelty in this country, it seems likely
that bin will be agreed on and prob
ably passed at this session of congress
to require oil men to pay the govern
ment for all oil they take from public
lands. The principal objection to such
a bill seems to be the fear that federal
supervision would entail annoyance
and perhaps injustice on the operators.
Parcel Post in the Orient.
While we are grvely discussing the
advisability of making certain innova-
tions in this country, they are going
right ahead in the Philippines and do
ing things. Word has been received
from the consul general at Hongkong
that the Manila government has put
in effect parcel post arrangements with
Hongkong. Tt is intended to extend
this policy to other colonial establish
ments in the Orient.
The parcels post is popular insti-
tuition in many countries, and in
France even the market gardeners send
their products to market by means of
it. Congress is wrestling with the sub
ject and it is making the committee on
postoffiees and postroads gray and
careworn.
Foreign Trade Opportunities.
Numerous commercial opportunities
are reported by foreign consuls, with
inquiries for information from Ameri-
can dealers concerning automobiles,
agricultural machinery, electrical
specialties, peanut planting, cultivat
ing and hulling machinery, sandpaper,
rebuilt typewriters, -four mill and
metal working machinery, carbon
black and oil black for ink manufac-
ture, feather plucking and picking ma
ehinery, agencies for American goods,
copper brass, aluminium. glassware, po-
tatoes, dried fruits, surgical supplies,
a tramway concession to Jerusalem,
shellac. steel furniture, tin tubes for
tooth paste, petroleum pipe line,
wooden shoepegs, cotton seed oil and
cake, biscuit, ribbons, sardines, can
dies. American novelties, gasometers
and American goods of all sorts