310 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



There was a great deal of rain during September, but no snow. As I neared the 

 Yukon I saw a great change, showing signs of heavy frosts, and when I arrived 

 at Fort Gibbon I learned that they had had considerable frost, and quite a snow 

 storm some two weeks before I arrived, some of which was still visible, especially on 

 the north side of the hills and in sheltered spots. I also learned from the Indians 

 and from white persons who have been in the country in the spring that the season 

 is almost a month earlier than anywhere on the Yukon River. 



I am informed that the Chinook winds from the coast, across a low divide in the 

 coast range, clears that country of the snow very early. I know this, that the 

 Tanana River breaks and clears of ice at least two w T eeks earlier than the Yukon; 

 so evidently the season must be earlier. 



As fine a quality of hay can be produced there as can be produced anywhere. I 

 believe spring wheat, oats, and barley will mature there if properly handled. I know 

 that potatoes, cabbage, peas, beans, turnips, carrots, onions, radishes, beets, and a 

 great many other vegetables can be produced there. 



Having been reared on a farm in a new country, I have taken quite an interest in 

 and a great deal of pains to learn if agriculture could be successfully carried on in 

 this country; and having traveled over a great deal of the territory, always taking 

 notes of the country I passed over to satisfy myself as to the agricultural possibilities, 

 I must confess that the Tanana country is the only part of Alaska where I believe agri- 

 culture could be successful. There can be no doubt about it. The only thing would 

 be to convince the farmer that he must not farm as he does in the States, but must 

 use his head as well as his hands. 



To succeed there the soil must be prepared in the fall, and nothing left on the sur- 

 face to prevent the rays of the sun from striking the soil as soon as the snow disap- 

 pears. I find from experience that the sandy loam is a better conductor of the heat 

 than the muck, or soil free from sand; that it will thaw from a foot to 18 inches, 

 while the soil composed entirely of vegetable matter will not thaw more than 3 or 4 

 inches. I find that the nature of the soil and the natural conditions in the Tanana 

 country all combine in a higher degree to favor agriculture than any other part of 

 Alaska. 



I sometimes think I would like to turn farmer myself for a year or two to convince 

 the public that even in Alaska farming and grazing can be successfully conducted. 

 Respectfully, 



J. Lindley Green. 



Prof. C. C. Georgeson, Sitka, Alaska. 



FARMING OPERATIONS OF MESSRS. NICOLAI AND CLARK. 



Two Wisconsin farmers, Messrs. H. E. Nicolai and D. H. Clark, 

 have formed a copartnership and begun farming operations at Dyea 

 and Skagway. Work was begun in the summer of 1900, when some 

 of the land was cleared, some vegetables were grown for the local 

 markets, and some grain was raised for hay. Both at Skagway and 

 Dyea is a limited amount of level river-bottom land of a quality well 

 suited for farming and gardening. Of these two tracts they have 

 secured 40 acres at Skagway and 120 acres at Dyea. The land is a 

 sandy loam which can be easily worked, and for the present, until it 

 becomes exhausted, it is a rich soil, producing large crops of various 

 kinds, and they have made extensive preparations to increase this 

 acreage next year. They have built a propagating house and hot- 



