86 



land. It is about 5 miles wide on an average and about 40 long. This is esti- 

 mated. Also the Dennison Fork of the same river is as large and of the same 

 character. A number of homesteads have been taken on the Mosquito Fork. 

 There was a large (luantity of wild hay harvested on llie .Mosciulto Fork tills 

 last year. One farmer lias a mowing machine, rake. etc. .-uid he I'xpects to cut 

 more this year. 



[Attention is called to the foregoing description of the valley of Mosquito 

 Fork. It has long been known as an extensive natural meadow, and accord- 

 ing to all reports the soil is well adapted to cultivation. In the report for 

 1901 Mr. Isaac Jones gave a more general description of that portion of the 

 Forty-mile country, which borders on the Eagle-Valdez trail, and then esti- 

 mated that there were ToO.tMlO acres available for agriculture and jtasturage in 

 the valleys of the various branches of the Forty-mile and the Ketchem stock 

 flats. Until a railroad shall penetrate this region it is practically inaccessible.] 



Joseph L. Braxton. Tunaun Crossiny, Alaska. — I have started to farm in the 

 Tanana Valley, and 1 write for some seed as well as for some information as 

 to what will grow here. We nave a tine climate and very good soil. I started 

 to clear off land last July (1904) and 1 think 1 shall have 10 acres this spring 

 ready for the plow. I have a cabin 18 by 24 feet, inside measure, and a stable 

 12 by 18 feet. The only drawback I find is that it costs so much to live and 

 get farm implements. I pay $50 or $00 for flour and $.")0 per 100 for rice and 

 beans ; $75 per 100 for bacon. I should be pleased to bear from the station 

 at any time, and any seed you send will be highly appreciated. 



[Tanana Crossing is on the Eagle-Valdez trail, north of the Copper River 

 Valley.] 



Adolf Htecker, superiiiteiidoit Moravian Mission, Bethel, Alaska. — Concern- 

 ing our garden, we are happy to report good success. In early spring (1904) 

 I worked much in the garden, but it paid me well. We raised the plants in 

 hotbeds first and set them out in the middle of June. Potatoes were planted 

 in the ground ^lay 28 and harvested September 22. While those raised from 

 potatoes brought from the States were good, but small, those we grew from 

 seed raised here last year were large and very good. On one jilant we counted 

 14 potatoes, the largest the size of my fist, the smallest the size of hen eggs. 



Cabbage, cauliflower, kale, ruta-bagas, radishes, and turnips did very well. 

 We also bad very nice flowers — pansies, stock, cornflower, and others. Every- 

 one who saw our garden wondered at it, and Mrs. Stecker and myself have 

 had much enjoyment in seeing everything do so well. 



About 100 yards west of our station is a lake, and in the spring I started 

 a garden there. The ground was all covci'cd with moss, v.iiich I removed. 

 I found under it about (> inches of soli and i)elow that was sand. 1 put out 

 some potatoes, cabbage, ruta-bagas, and turnips there. The turnips came up 

 in very short time, but they withered away. The cabl)age and ruta-baga plants 

 looked fine and green at first, but did not grow. :iii(l arc imw almost as when 

 we put them out. The potatoes grew a little. 



If we were only a few miles farther up the river among the trees it would 

 be much better. I went with some Finns up a mountain stream, and there we 

 found some most excellent land. (Jrass on both sides of the river grew 5 feet 

 high. The Finns thought it a iiity that such beautiful land w.ns not used for 

 farming, and that is my opinion, too. 



Joseph Kahlen, Carniel. 'Sushufjuk Hirer, Alaska. — The months of June and 

 July (1904) were most delightful: August and September weiH- ratlier wet. 

 Winter set in by the middle of October, but so far has not lucn nnple.isant at 

 all. I could not alwavs find out the actual snowfall ; it often seems to snow 



