The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-29
HOW ALASKAN FARMS
 ARE IRRIGATED Moisture Comes From Substra- tum of Frozen Soil VERY LITTLE RAINFALL Berries and Vegetables of the Finest Kind Are Raised in Alaska. Dogs Are Used Mostly for
 Transportation
VERY LITTLE RAINFALL

Washington, July 2S.-Farming by sub irrigation and with the moisture supplied | by melting ice is a novel agricultural | method adopted in the interior of Alaska, | according to the official report of Chief | Special Agent Mckenzie, who supervised the taking of the recent census in the Fourth district of that territory. The system is proving surprisingly success | full Many kinds of vegetables are being grown thus rendering living conditions more tolerable in the far northern coun- try The future is most promising in this | respect, believes MT. Mckenzie. Not only enumeratng the population, but gathering statistics on agricultural mining and manufacturing conditions was the work of MT. Mckenzie All the con- | crete facts will be given in figures, which | will be given out later. The census | agents remarks regarding the farming operations are most interesting. He says that some homesteads have been taken up and that on them farming is conduct ed on a considerable scale.
 Farming in Infancy
 "Agriculture in this portion of Alaska is yet in It's infancy says MT. Mckenzie. but 1t has arrived at such proportions as to be considered almost wonderful in It's results. If all the returns are taken, | they will show very remarkable con- dition when it is considered that 1t is a condition existing within the Arctic cir | cle.
 | All the growth is attained between May 20 and September 15. He attributes the fact that crops ripen not only to the fact that the sun shines from 16 to "A hours per day. but to the correlative fact that the plants are supplied with moisture from beneath where the melting ice of lords a regular and constant supply.
 Rain is practically unknown" he says, but the necessary moisture comes from below" The thaw never extends deeper than three feet and often not further than IS inches, but the thaw Is regular and the water supply sufficient to force a rapid growth
 | Celery, lettuce, radishes, cabbages, turnips and potatoes thrive. and, Mir. Mckenzie declares, they are so much better than in the states" that the high price charged by the growers is quite justifiable. Raspberries grow to | be as large around as 2b-cent pieces, and blueberries and cranberries grow wild in great profusion. Experiments have been made with strawberries and grain and while no great success Is | recorded the outlook is encouraging. Dog Is Favorite Carrier
 The dog Is the favorite carrier throughout Alaska. The horse can be used only on the government trails, and the reindeer has been found to | be unreliable "As beast of burden the reindeer has his limitations" says MT. Mckenzie, "and so far has not proven a substitute for the dog. If the rein deer wants to work lie will do so. but if not so inclined he will quit wherever he may be and all the driv- ing in the world will not get anything out of him. Horses are good only on good roads, but the dog will travel anywhere The dog will work at any temperature while a horse cannot work 1 below 50 degrees"
 Manufacturing Is confined to the city of Fairbanks. It consists largely of making tin stoves, window sashes and doors.
 The total product of the mines was easily obtained by MT. McKenzie from the banks, but 1t was difficult to get 1 individual returns because of the lack of method on the part of the mine owners. Very few keep books except to show the outline of production and the food purchased. They are con- i tent" says Mr. Mckenzie, If there is gain in their bank accounts at the end of the var"