The Chitina leader., 1913-12-23
SHOULD TRY THE PRACTICAL


 experimental farms the north have served their pupoe conducted and that the system should be changed The farms established primarily for the purpose conducted and that the system should be produce grain and vegetables and the varieties from which best results could be obtained The system has been in ation several has proven that almost every variety of farm garden produce which will mature in 90 days be successfully in nearly all parts of the north The experience of the government and private parties who attempted farming in Alaska have shown that many varieties reproduce here even better than in many parts o the states. rr.ti e*@* 4& s ,sssa- $
 In all parts of Alaska there who have been working quietly with the purpose in view of showing the department how Alaska agricultural possibilities be demonstrated practical and to insure the settle men of the territory with cean industrious and healthy people, The present system of experimental farms while having been of great service the past not changed will rather than assist the development of the agricultural of the territory The farms demonstrated that the soil of the Alaskan valleys will produce abundance everything required by the people of the That service has been nesmabe value but the farms beginning to compete with the people who are attempting gain livelihood through ing the soil In Fairbanks during the the farmers entered protest against the experimental station there selling Its produce The farmers contended that the farming should be confined to experiments alone They do not believe for the government agents to plant several of potatoes which give returns of hun deds of bushels to that particular variety of spud can be successfully grown.
 The agricultural department having proven the theo retca should its attention the practical side of the matter number of practical farmers should be induced settle in the valleys here It is to be feared that the American agriculturs who has been accustomed to modern
 
 isolation and unusual conditions which these pioneers in Alaskan farming necessarily face Should the govern fail to induce American families to it could bring number of families from Norway Sweden and Finland and place them in different sections of the territory and believed they would make farming and sockraiing These immigrants would need assistance for me It might be two three years before they had reached point where they would be esustanng but it would not cost the any assist them than the experimental stations costing at present
 The agrcutusts these northern European countries accustomed to conditions similar to those prevailing Alaska. They frugal industrious raise large families and make splendid law abiding citizens few of these families placed advantage where they would find market for their produce would be followed by many others Norway Finland and Sweden with practically the of able soil Alaska, supports nearly ten and onehalf millions of people in addition exporting millions of dollars of produce annually The female members of the families in rural munies of the countries named help the the fields and herd the cattle and sheep the hills during the while the otherwise engaged That would help them win success
 We believe the scheme worthy of consideration by the agricultural department. The government farms should however still be maintained Experiments tried in the clean healthy soil of Alaska with its A hours of daylight summer will yield the world many varieties of grain and produce yet unknown to
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