The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1918-04-06
NENANA ENDORSES
STOCK FARM PLAN

Continued from Page One)
agreement from the merchants of
Anchorage to not import potatoes
from the States. This agreement
will also be signed by a large num-
Der of the consumers, and every eff
fort is being made by local organi-
cations to encourage the farmers
But the market is not sufficient t.
consume the root vegetables at the
present rate of production. There
is now more land cleared than is
needed for the production of root
crops and much of it can be used to
furnish hay and forage of other
kinds for feeding stock. AS you un-
doubtedly know. very few of the
farmers have sufficient funds with
which to purchase stock in the States
so as to get start, The original
cost of the purchase and the freight
rate between the States and Alaska
are to high for any farmer to under
take.
There is large market here for
meat. butter, cheese and other pro-
ducts of that kind, and if cattle,
hogs, sheep, goats and chickens can
be brought in by the government.
and supplied to the farmers on easy
payment plans, or loaned for breed
ing purposes, it will enable them to
get start. Much of the overpro-
duction of the root crops would be
fed to stock if it was in the coun-
try. and thus prevent these products
from being wasted. Undoubtedly
dairying will grow to be a large in
dustry in Alaska, but the develop
ment of this country will be ex-
tremely slow unlea- the government
| renders immediate assistance.
| Some of the farmers, however,
advocated the extension of the Farm
, Loan Act to Alaska, but they have
not looked into the practicability of
. it applying to the territory. They
! all need funds with which to develop
their land. but unless they can en-
gage in more diversified farming,
funds will be of little use.
THE farmers of Alaska are con-
. fronted with many difficulties that
do not apply to the States. We
, understand that congress has appro-
priated several million dollars, which
is being used by the department of
agriculture to increase the food pro-
; duction in the States by rendering
, aid to the farmer in various ways
but we understand that this does
not apply to Alaska. 1t would seem
that if the government will render
assistance to the farmers in the
States. where they do not need it as
badly as we do in Alaska, and where
the government is not financially in
terested as they are in the construc-
ton of the government railroad, that
it would render some assistance to
| the farmers in Alaska.
I'VE believe, therefore, that it
would be advisable to not urge the
: extension of the Farm Loan Act ,
Alaska, but that in lieu thereof you
urge the establishment of stock
farms. If congress should extend
| the Farm Loan Act to Alaska, and
, you should attempt to get the abpro-
: priation for a stock farm, they would
probably deny it. By showing the
: Farm Loan Act is not applicable to
Alaska, you have an excellent argu-
: ment for the establishment of a stock
! farm.
: eff there is any further informa-
ton you desire on this subject, we
shall be very glad to supply it If
: within our power.
: eve would be very glad to hear
from you on the subject.
"Yours very truly,
"R- NJ. COURTNAY,