19 



writer vontnres to return to the subject more particularly, because an 

 opportunity was offered to study the characteristics of the location 

 durino- the summer of 1!>0:). There are several small hot sprin<j:s bub- 

 blinjr out of the ground near the head of the slou<.':h. The country is 

 str()n<ily rollino-. formino- a series of knolls and hills, and between and 

 at the bases of these are a number of seepages of hot water. A i)ros- 

 l)ector named J. F. Karshner, who was formerly a farmer in Kansas, 

 happened on these springs, and, correctly estimating their impor- 

 tance, located a homestead, including the springs. lie began clear- 

 ing land, and the following year, that of 1908, he planted his first 

 garden. lie met with such remarkable success that he has extended 

 the clearing and continued his gardening operations. 



The unique feature of the situation is that the ground over an area 

 of some 25 or 30 acres appears to be warmed, either by the presence 

 of the springs, or, i)erhaps, from the underlying hot rocks which heat 

 the water. This ground thus forms a natural hotbed. Ordinary gar- 

 den crops develop with great rapidity. When visited July 24 he had 

 already marketed his early cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and peas, 

 to say notliing of radishes, lettuce, turnips, and other crops of rapid 

 growth. His new potatoes were fully grown and of excellent qual- 

 ity, and the ground from which the early cabbage and cauliflower 

 liad been removed was already planted to the second crop of cabbage. 

 For a hotbed a tent Avas stretched over a suitable patch of soil and 

 seed sown under it. The natural warmth in the ground, which is 

 not, how^ever, so great as to be readily perceptible to the hand, w^as 

 sufficient to grow the j^lants in the month of April to such size that 

 they could be planted in May. The possibilities of the place are very 

 great. Mr. Karshner grows beans, cucumbers, s(]uash, Lima beans, 

 and last year there were likely looking plants of both muskmelons 

 and watermelons growing on the hillside. It is a patch of the Tem- 

 perate Zone put down near the center of Alaska. 



The illustrations submitted herewith show the nature of the vege- 

 tables (PI. II). The timber on this land is mostly poplar. Men 

 were at work clearing when the writer was there. The accompany- 

 ing statement from Mr. Karshner gives further details of his opera- 

 tions. He finds a market for all he can produce at Fairbanks. 



Farming in Alaska will prove all right in tli? future when once it is under- 

 stood what kinds of grains, grasses, and vegetables will do well, and we learn 

 how to grow them. Agricultural products grown here must be managed differ- 

 ently from what they are in the States to nuke it protital)le. It is especially 

 necessary to learn what kinds are adapted to this country. 



As to potatoes, seed brought from the States does not yield as good a crop 

 as the seed raised here. I have taken note of that for the last two years, and 

 I suppose it will hold good with all kinds of vegetables and grains. Only time 

 and experiments can determine this with certainty. I shall try to raise more 

 seed of my own. I must cite you another case in point, and that is peas. I 



