The daily Alaskan., 1922-09-05

tables as the demard calls for them. If an organization can be perfected to carry on this work, the future of teh farming industry in this district is assured. It will not be a question then of finding a market for the home grown articles, but of growing sufficient crops to supply the local markets.
 The farmers of Tanana Valley are operating under a cooperative stor- age and marketing system. They own their own warehouse and warmstor- ages. and pool their products, and fill contracts from . common stock. By this method they not only sup ply the local merchants with large majority of the products they buy, but sell a large vosume of products to different camps along the creeks. The farmers of Southeastern Alas ka can pattern a storage and distri- outing system after this farmers CO., operation organization, to their fi- naucial advantage, If they will only take advantage of their opportunity.
 Ire Fair Committee is not only making arrangements for the dis playing of home own farm prod ducts, and the planI ing of a suitable entertainment bill for visitors, but are collecting information on oc-op- erative farm organizations, to pre- sent to the farmers and gardeners who will visit the County Fair. We believe that it is quite as important to impress on the minds of the ranch CTS the necessity Uf organizing so that they can supply the local mer- chants with their products quickly and economically, as the market de- mands them, as 1t Is to impress OD the minds of the pdblic to call for home grown products. And when refer to local merchants, I mean merchants who are Situated in every town and community in Southeastern Alaska than can possibly be served point. The farming industry of Southeastern AlaskL can only be de- veloped to a successful issue by pro- ducing a large volume of products, to be distributed in every community in Southeastern Alaska, by one central marketing organize ion. This is the only salvation for the ranChers of this district. IndiIidup marketing will never prove successful to the farmer in outIaying communities His selling cost will eat up the prof its he receives from his goods, and their will be no money left for him 10 buy any great amount of machin- cry or equipment fer his ranch.
 One of the most profitable branch- es of agriculture is raising cattle and hogs. T ese should thrive exception ally well in this s.ction. The small success that some of the ranchers have made in this ..ne should be an encouragement for others to engage in it. It is only by diversified farm ing and stock raising that the Alas ka farmers can hope tomeet with any great amount of success. The mar ket for any Onet variety of products isn't large enough 0 bring in large returns. Many of the local ranchers are in a financial position now where they can and are bringing to branch out. and engage in stock raising and adding new and modern farming ma chinery. The next few years will wit ness big developments in agriculture in this district.
 Perhaps there me very few peo- pie who will associate fur bearing animals with agriculture. But, it can safely be said that fox and other members of this family are high grade live stock. We have delayed featuring this branch of the Fair. until We had an opportunity to con- fer with Ernest P. Walker, of the U. s. Biological Survey. On his re-
 turn from the Westward, MT. Walk CT assured us that he would assist us in any W y possible in helping to advance the interest of the fur farm CT. We hope to have fur farmers on ore of the days during the Fair.