The Cordova daily times., 1916-08-08

hand. and 1t gives great deal Of important information about Alaska for the benefit of the prospective set tiers.
 The Matanuska section tributary to the new government railroad is GOV. cred in detail and is illustrated with some excellent farming scenes.
 Prof Georgeson frankly states ir his report that Alaska is no paradise for farmers, and that there are nu merous handicaps to be encountered and that the first cost of getting the soil ready for producing crops is rather heavy. The contents of the book are classified as follows
 Coast Region; Interior Climate; Az ricultural Areas; Character of the Land; The Soil; Where to Locate; How to Obtain a Farm; Transports. tiOn; The Chance for Work and Wages Paid: Cost of Living; What Crops Can be Grown; Live Stock; The Brown Bear: General Information 1: Publication; Judicial Divisions; Land Districts; National Forests; Telegraph and Cable Lines; Railroads; Schools {; Game Laws; Fisheries; The Matanus- ka Valley; Problems Confronting Early Settlers in the Matanuska Val ley
 He says in the report:
 Nearly all the agricultural land fin the territory is located in the in- terior, and the principal areas are found in the Yukon valley, the Tana. na valley, the Kuskokwim valley. the Susitna valley and the Copper river valley.
 There is another considerable body of agricultural land north of the Tanana river, between Panama and Fortymile, and more particularly along the south fork of the Fortymile river. It has been estimated to contain 75O,- 900 acres. This will probably prove to be one of the most productive re- gions in Alaska when developed. This large area has. as yet, no transporta- tion facilities worthy the name. The Bates rapids in the Tanana river, some distance beyond Fairbanks, are of such nature that only small and very powerful boats can pass them; and due chiefly to this cause, there are only few boats that pass the upper Panama
 "The west half of the Kena peninsu- la has also considerable area of az ricultural land, but aside from this there is comparatively little in the coast region, and what land there is that can be readily made available for cultivation Is located in hundreds of little valleys at the head of bays and, inlets and in pockets of the mountains. It does not form large areas such as are found in the valleys of the interior.
 Surveys of these agricultural lands have been begun, but until they are finished there will be no accurate knowledge with regard to the amount of land that can be utilized for agri- cultural purposes. It has been esti- mated that in the whole territory there are about 100000 square miles which can be made available for till ing and for grazing purposes. The az ricultural area of Alaska is, therefore. as large as the combined areas of the States of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Del aware, New Jersey. Connecticut, Mas sachusetts, Vermont and New Hamp- shire, and 1t should be capable of sup porting a population nearly equal to that supported by the agricultural pro ducts of those states, for considerable areas, comprising mountains, lakes and waste land, found in those states and unsuited to production are included in this comparative estimate.
 "It must not be understood that Alaska has this area available for cultivation. The estimate includes much land, perhaps 50.000 square miles in all, which have little value except for grazing purposes. Alaska is hiiiy country and only the gentler slopes of these hills are arable. It should also be stated that there are no prairies in Alaska such as char acterize the Middle West. Practically every foot of soil has to be cleared before it can be put under cultivation. In the coast region. as far west as Cook Inlet, there is heavy growth of timber, and ordinarily such timber land is too expensive to clear at this stage of development. A century