Seward gateway., 1933-10-19
KENAI,VALLEY. :. ...4, <,
 POTENTIAL. SOURCE ? ..... "..: ..o FOOD SUPPLY
OPPORTUNITY FOR SETTLERS
 ENGAGED IN AGRICULTUR- D.. AL PURSUITS '''


 mai Valley, embracing Lake Kenai country. extending to seven miles below Cooper Landing, will become the source of food, supply for a large portion Of Southwestern Alaska. e-l .es.. >1If-t ..<.s
 Tests with grain show that oats, wheat and barley may be nlatured as far west as Skilak lake, where H. A. Anderson has matured splen- did crops of wheat, and where he is just now introducing white leg horn chickens, from Howard Longs big poultry ranch at Longvtew, at the head of Kenai lake. MT. Long is now running 400 birds, and has made possible fresh Alaska eggs at a price but five cents above the outside importations. @'1,'i
 Among opportunities awaiting settlers given to agriculture will be small bands of sheep. These can be ranged on a quarter section without the necessity of intruding on the forestry domain. The entire Kenai lake and val ley country is similar to the Col umbia in British Columbia. There the settlers ranged from 50 to 100 sheep, growing their clover and timothy for winter feeding, and using the sheep to browse of the underbrush on land being prepsr- ed for. cropping. Many families were able to support themselves on so sheep, what with the sale of mutton in nearby markets and the utilization of. wool for knitting socks, sweaters, etc.
 Following on the heels of sheep came dairy COWS and butter mak- ing, another source of steady in- come for those waiting for a crop to mature.
 GRAZING PERMITS REFUSED
 Recently two settlers from Wy oming applied for grazing permits in the vicinity of Skilak lake. They were refused on the grounds that it would interfere with big game hunting. >o tttt t.'H : :
 Contrarily, the Columbia valley is one of the best big game sec tions of. Canada. Moose range in the valleys with the cattle and horses, mountain sheep and goat range the uplands, along with the whitehall and black-tail deer and woodland caribou. Valleys leading off the main Columbia and Koote- nay are prolific with black and grizzly bear and mountain lion. To protect sheep and other live stock bounty is placed on noun tain lion. .,*,-: .'t :'
 In addition to big game the country abounds in fur, including coyote, on which there. is also a bounty.
 In the Kenai Valley during the past summer, a horse owned by Frank Towle, big game. guide and resident of Cooper Landing, was observed herding with a moose COW and calf in perfect harmony
 Wherever trees are removed the red top grass grows with great fe- cundity on a soil heavily enriched by cottonwood and birch leaf-fall.
 There is an abundance of good timber for building houses, fences and necessary structures for the care of livestock. Climatic condi- tions are such that the season of winter feeding is reduced by at least three months.
 The greatest obstacle to the con- version of the upper valley, where there would be no interference with game, is the absence of con- meeting roads, giving an outlet to the railroad the year round.
 As a summer resort the Kenai area cannot be surpassed any where in the nation. The pretty homes already established bespeak
 (PleaSe turn to page A.