The Alaska daily empire., 1918-03-05
FARMING IN ALASKA
Anchorage Weekly Democrat)

(Anchorage Weekly Democrat
 The agricultural possibilities for the season Of 1918 in the Anchorage vicinity loom large Less than four years ago when the big discussion was on ID Washington to whether the government would or would not construct railway to relieve excessive transportation in the Territory much was sald against the possibilities of this whole country ever being of any agricultural value.
 A nation or locality may be rich in the produc- ton of any commodity, either in manufacturing way, or in resources such as minerals nsneres or or lumber, but the basic wealth of all lands IS in It's soil and what such soil will produce
 The advocates of the railway measure assured Congress that if Alaska would be given the oppor- tunity it would amply prove that it had plenty or fertile soil And while yet the railway is unfinished this assurance has more than amply been proven to the truth
 All over the United States in the year 1917, an appeal was made to the farmer to increase the agrl cultural output of the Nation and the response of the farmers of the nation definite and unanimous For although the weather conditions for the whole country unfavorabe the output was, all things considered, the greatest in our history.
 Away up here where Alaska homestead law less than three years old and where all labor costs well as seed, machinery and work stock maximum price, the farmers rallied to the nations call in manner that exceeded in no oth CT place. AS result the agricultural output for this section in 1917 was gratifying the ground and must have been Illuminating to all of the neonle of this country The fact was thoroughly dem insofar vegetables concerned this locality is able to for itself and help other tions of the Territory not well situated for farming
 Next year, or rather this season, the Matanuska farmer will grow all the hay that is needed for the live stock that will be hand and for many to be shipped in. Barley was ripened in many localities out the line in 1917 and by 1919 it is safe to say that enough of that kind of grain and other we'll will be produced to furnish the needs of this vicinity. From then it will be only a couple O. years until ample supplies of pork poultry, butter, eggs, and milk will be produced locally to supply the immediate vicinity and have excess to be shipped to other localities.
 On account of the abnormal conditions and high prices prevailing the outside, it may be sev era years before sufficient amounts of farm animals for breeding purposes will find their way here but from present appearances no single industry in Alaska is making better more substantial headway than is farming in the Matanuska valley.
 The Alaska farmer is fighting the uphill battle that the farmers of California Colorado Mon tana and Arizona had to encounter before these com monweaths could get the fact firmly established that in their productive sail was their greatest wealth. In all of these last named places the farmers even tually we'll rewarded and such undoubtedly will the history of this section. In the meantime, however il is well for all of us who actually engaged in agriculture to lend helping hand to those who are doing their most to put out future states on the solid economic map. Support the local farmer not from any charitable inclination, but for the pur pose of developing the Territory