The Alaska daily empire., 1915-10-16
AGRICULTURAL
 POSSIBILITIES
 ARE POINTED OUT

-l-
 Hugh H. Bennett and Thomas G.. Rice. in their recent report of the Cook Inlet district published by the Department of Agriculture, write as follows concerning the agricultural outlook in the susitna and Knik sec tions;
 Enough has been accomplished by the pioneer farmers of this region to determin that a number of crops can be successfully produced. It has been shown that potatoes of fair to good quality can be produced without fer tilization; that cabbage, turnips. gar- den beets onions, lettuce, cauliflower. liale. radishes. and several other veg etables are grown with good results and that small grain. particularly bar ley and oats. succeed. producing good hay or matured grain In addi. uon. native red.top, which makes good hay grows luxuriantly on all soils that have been cleared or burned over. There are natural meadows of this grass which in many places field from 9 to tons of hay per acre. This grass has spread itself over the en- tire region. It occurs as far as the slopes. even above the line where cultivation could be safely carried on. In addition to the enormous amounts of hay that can be cut from the na- tural meadows without the expendi- ture Of much labor this grass will af- ford excellent summer pasturage. There arc also other native plants which are valuable as food for both horses and cattle
 Although little has been done with the stock. it has been shown that cattle can be raised there. Horses are kept with but very little trouble they maintain themselves in summer but must always be fed in winter. There may be Q few places where they will be able to get some winter graz Ing. Cattle have been raised at Min ilchik In a small way for a long per iod of years. Part of the work ct the Kenai experimental station was with the raising of stock and the produc- tion of dairy products. A small dairy herd was maintained exclusively on native pasture and feed produced To- cally. and it was determined that cattle could be raised in that locality and butter and cheese Of good quality could be made from the milk.
 There remains much to be done in tho matter of adjusting varieties of crops to the conditions and in work ing out the best methods of soil man. agement; in fact. only the first steps have been taken toward the early de- yelopment of agriculture. but these first steps have shown conclusively that farming is practicable An ex- perimental station in the Knill section would give much assistance to the re- zion in determining the best varieties of crops to grow here and in putting into the hands of the farmers the seed of such varieties. At Kenai an experiment station was maintained until 1908.
 All grains will produce good hay. even with unreasonable frost Barley. oats. wheat have been matured at Knik. but only in an experimental way. There is every reason to be- lieve that the early varieties of grain can be ripened annually throughout that portion of the region not subject to chilling winds and unreasonable irosta.
 When the country is opened Co set clement by the building of a railway with branch lines and the construc- ton Of wagon roads there is likely to be established gradually an agricul- turo of considerable importance. That. it is believed. will eventually include either stock raising or dairying or both as the principle source of inc come. Agricultural development un- occasionally win be gradual-o slow growth accompanying the construction of hiehways. and railroads, the exDan- sion of mining and fishing industries and increase In population attracted by these industries. The conditions of tho climate. transportation. markets. soil and crop production should be