20 



BULLETIN 50, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



of soil warmed by the hot springs, and also by utilizing the water 

 for heating extensive greenhouses. 



Twelve miles out from Fairbanks, on the Government wagon road 

 leading to Valdez, on the south coast, is the Byler homestead and 

 stage station, which was visited by the writer July 9, 1911. Since 

 then Jonathan Byler has sold the property. In a letter dated May 

 23, 1912, he writes : 



It is not true, as has been reported to you, that the damage was great to 

 my crops by frost. There was a very light frost about August 20 that nipped 

 the tops of potato vines, after the bloom was dead, but it did not hurt the 

 potatoes. You saw the crops growing when you were there last July and the 

 land that was cleared and in cultivation, about 4 acres. One acre was in oats 

 that grew about 4 feet tall, heavy on the ground and fully matured, and as good 



Pig. 9. — Mrs. J. P. Anderson's chicken yard, Fairbanks, Alaska, 1910. 



as any new ground would produce anywhere in the United States. From the 

 remainder of the ground, about 3 acres, I sold produce as follows: 



Potatoes, 13J tons, at 7 cents per pound $1, S90 



Cabbage, 1 ton, at 6 cents per pound 120 



Cauliflower, 200 pounds, at 5 cents per pound 10 



Carrots, 300 pounds, at 3 cents per pound 9 



Parsnips, 100 pounds, at 3 cents per pound 3 



Turnips and rutabagas, 500 pounds, at 2 cents per pound— 10 



Onions, 70 pounds 5 



Total received 2.047 



The oats .-is hay, 1 about 3 tons, worth .$00 per ton 380 



2,237 



This shows how much the frost damaged me in Alaska, and there are many 

 others that did equally as well, and I think some did better. 



1 This hay went with the place, which I have sold. 



