The Harrison times., 1915-09-18
POSSIBILITIES Of DEVELOPMENT Of
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN ALASKA
Bureau Of Soils of the United States Department Of Agriculture
Makes Reconnaissance Survey Of the Vast aTea-cmate Soils
Crops and Other Conditions Bearing Upon Agriculture Are
DeScrbed-POneer Conditions Prevail.

through the Susitna and Matanuska
valleys will make accessible a large
area Of good farming land and, un.
questionably, settlement will follow,
probably at a rapid rate. Already $50
homesteads have been registered along
Knik Arm and others have been tax.
en- up. A number of prospectOrs and
miners, most Of whom previously had
not been identified with agriculture,
are now supporting themselves in the
neighborhood of Knik largely with the
| products of their farms, assisted by
the earnings OF a few days outside
work during the summer"
Yukon-Tanana Region.
The Yukon-Tanana region COM
prises CD the lowland of the lower
Tanana river, from the vicinity Of
McCarty to the Yukon river, known
as the Tanana Flats; (2) the lowlands
ef the Yukon river, chiefly comprised
In the Yukon Flats; and CD the area
of highlands or hill country between
the Tanana and Yukon lowlards, the
Yukon-Tanana uplands. In discussing
the area as defined above, 1t is not
meant that this includes all of the ag-
ricultural land of interior Alaska.
This is simply the area to which the
Investigations were specifically direct
ed. Farming lands are reported to eX-
ist in considerable areas along the
upper Tanana river, and good grazing
is said to be available about the head
waters Of White river, in the Mentasta
pass section and in other places out
side the limits Of the area described" :"
On the soils of the Tanana pot
toms good crops of vegetables and
grain-hay are produced Immense
quantities of hay and good grazing
can be derived from the native grasses
which thrive on these soils. In addi-
tion, large quantities of grain, hay, and
root-crop forage can be easily grown"
In the hills north Of the Tanana
bottoms is found the best soil seen
in Alaska. This is a deep, mellow silt
loan (Fairbanks silt loam), having
good drainage and moisture-holding
capacity. 1t occurs on the lower
slopes, and is largely susceptible of
easy cultivation. There are approx
imately a half million acres OF this
valuable soil. This type of soil is the
same as that at the Fairbanks expert
ment station, where such good results
have been had with grains and pota.
toes. On the southward-facing slopes
1t yields over 200 bushels Of potatoes
per acre, without fertilization. Early
varieties Of oats and barley mature in
normal years. Wheat and rye also
have matured at the Rampant and
Fairbanks stations. All varieties OF
grain give good yields Of hay on this
soil, even in years of early frost. Tur-
nips, cabbage, beets, carrots, lettuce,
celery, and several other vegetables
are grown with unusual success, both
as regards quality and yield. Native
redtop grass springs up quickly. fol.
lowing the removal of timber"
There are still larger areas of 9th
er cultivable soils on the slopes of the
hill country. These are not so deep
as the Fairbanks silt loan, but they
produce good crops of excellent po-
tatoes, various vegetables, grain, and
grass. Probably 100000 acres of
such land exists in the country be-
tween the Tanana and Yukon rivers.
Copper River Regions.
The Copper river regions are the
Copper river basin and the copper
river Delta.
The Copper river Delta occurs
where Copper river enters the Pa.
cifc ocean a short distance north.