El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-22
Frank G. Carpenter
Copyright, 1915. by Frank
G. Carpenter.l

sunlight they get. and for This reason
the people claim that they have n
growing season quite as long as that
in the northern parts Of the states
rms Degln!s3 some time in May, and con-
tnues until along in September.
The people add to the growing sea-
son by starting their vegetables in hot
beds and hothouses and many sp-out
their potatoes indoors, putting down a
layer OF potatoes, then layer Of earth
then layer OF potatoes and So on
When the weather warns I'm tbe1, see
out the sprouts. and thus gain several
weeks on Jack Frost
The summer season at Seward e
about 146 days, and there is a period of
1856 days IN the summer durinar which
no frost has been recorded. The aver
age growing season over the whole
region is perhaps ITO days or as long
as that Of much OF the northern parts
Of the United states proper.
Is Well Wooded
The most of this country is wall
wooded. The best trees are in the low
lands and on the lower Stones of tba
mountains, the timber stopping AZ
about 1000 feet. The woods are in
groves OF spruce, hemlock and popiar
with patches of bushes and open Tnpas
dows between. The open places have
been largely caused by forest fires
and you frequently find considerabie
trees are usually small A few of the
spruces are more than two feet in
diameter; but many are no bigger
around than telegraph poles. The
poplars grow in dense forests They
are tall, straight and beautiful There
are cottonwoods in the lowiands thai
reach thickness Of two or three
feet.
The best trees are on the best lands
and nearly everywhere trees large
enough for log cabins are to be had.
So far much Of the timber is Dro-
tected by the government reservations,
and IN Seward they pay high for lum-
ber which has been brought from
Puget sound, distance as great a.
that between Cape Cod and the Mis-
souri, river This is so Notwithstanding
there is fairly good timber ten or ~
miles away. Indeed most people in
Alaska thing the country is overcon-
served. Uncle Sans fears for posterif,-
hanging, like Sindbad's DOld Man OF
the Sea- around their necks.
Cost of Clearing Land.
7 have made some INQUIRIES as IN tho
cost Of clearing the land. II ranges
from 500 to several hundred dollars
per acre. Even the first figure seems
high until one considers that s1OO in
labor would not begin to clear and Dre-
pare for cultivation any of the wooded
farm lands Of the states. Every acre
OF Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee and Ken
lucky has cost more than that to cut
down the trees and get out the roots
such clearing will be much cheaper
mere The reason is that the roots are
close TO the surface. They spread out
IKE net under a thin coating of moss
and soil, and as soon as the tree dies
the stumps can be torn out by a good
team Of horses. It is only in a few
places that dynamite will be needed.
ana II the ground is burned over most |
or the stumps can be ierked out with a
log chain and a team. The trees are
sort and easy to cut and the roots can
be torn out BY the plow
Deep Moss Everywhere
Inc greater mart of fine land fr !
cred with moss, which, in places. is a I
1901 or so deep. The soil is wet and !
SO sour it needs lime. It seldom pro- !
duces good crops At the start and needs !
TO be broken up and exposed to the !
ar TO sWeeten it. There is q great !
difference in the soils of the peninsula I
quite as much as in the United States. /
ana the Would-be settler should con- Il
slider such things in selecting his land. ]
There are vast quantities OF muskeg. a |
sort OF marsh, consisting Of peat so sal
lrated with water that it is DOGGY dur
ING the summer. II is of no good /
Whatever except when we'll drained.
Ihere are other lands which are I'M |
lerlaid with a stratum Of ice and !
sons, olis where there is ice and frozen /
sarth Tor no one knows how deep. This I
and is usually covered with moss, /
Ehich is a non conductor Of heat and /
ne frozen condition beneath is sup
20 eseu 70 nave existed Tor thousands
u years II is only by burning off the
moss that the ground can be thawed.
md it viii take a long time to get ali
# the frost out.
Great Game Country
The settlers of the Kenaf peninsula |
viii have a game country thar COM
,sres favorably with the eastern
nited States in colonial times This
8 one of the best big game regions
4 Alaska. It is already attracting the |
ttenton Of sportsmen and the num-
er OF city men who come here to hunt |
moose and mountain sheep is yearly
Increasing. The game should be pro- /
ected and II SO the mountainous re-
ions VIII be a sportsman's paradise /
or generations to come.
The country is noted for its moose
ASSURES and it has the finest moose |
I the territory. They are plentiful in /
he central and western parts OF the 1
eninsula. There are now also many ! ,
lack bear and brown bear. but as the
arms are cut out these will be crowd
d back to the mountains There are
lany fur animals, such as the lynx.
md otter, lnarten. armine and mink 9
nd there is no doubt that fur-faru- 7
lg could be successfully carried on :
here are flocks Of wild birds, such as