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Published once a week in Palmer, Alaska for the Mat
anuska Valley Farmers' Co-oporating Association for
the purpose of giving nov/s of the Association's work,
problems and accomplishments.
NEX T
PROBLEM
Some of our readers noticed a news item a short time ago in which
it was stated that the U.S. Coast Guard had prohibited the shipping; or
handling of ammonium nitrate through the docks or on the ships in the
Alaska run. The reason for this action was that a ship loaded with this
product exploded at a dock in a Texas port, with the resultant loss of
the ship and many lives. Anothor ship loaded with nitrate was completely
lost in the Atlantic ocean, and while no one lived to tell the story it
is believed that it, too, was the result of an explosion.
While the action taken by the Coast Guard may not affect any other
fertilizer, it still leaves us with a problem that must bo facod before
next spring. In connection with this problem Mr. Lee Fryer, who is the
Sales Manager for Tho Lilly Sood Co. of Seattle, is visiting Alaska to
find out the best way to surmount this difficulty. He has been in con
sultation with the Agricultural Research Administration experts and
other agricultural administrators in Alaska, and will try to get advice
as to what should bo done to give farmers in Alaska service on fertilizers.
The Co-op has been getting the major part of their seods and prac
tically all of their fertilizer from Lillys for many years, and it has
been a real service to tho farmers of tho Matanuska Valley. During the
war years when fertilizers were scarce and difficult to get, the Co-op
was able to get a good supply from Lillys, although some of their closer
neighbors.in the.States were not given all they needed. No doubt Lillys
are thinking about the long run and tho possiblo development of their
business in Alaska, but this available service to tho Co-op has been
very fortunate. Now, getting down to brass tacks--what are we going to
do? Well, one thing seems possiblo but will have to be investigated.
Since tho ammonium nitrate that wo get is manufactured near Calgary,
Canada, it might be possible to have it trucked up over the Highway.
It is possible that some of the big trucking, lines might be interested
in hauling this stuff during the winter, while tho highway is frozen,
at a price reasonable enough so that it could still be sold at a reason
able price in Palmer. Then again, it seems that the most promising
thing would be to substitute Urea, which is now available on the West
Coast, for tho ammonium nitrate. Urea has several advantages that could
overcome the difference in price; and when ono considers the amount of
soluablo nitrate that is available to the plants on which it is used,
it may compare very favorably with the nitrate. It is claimed that Urea
will dissolve at lower temperatures than tho ammonium nitrate, which
might be a largo factor on unusual years when the average temperature is
quite low during tho growing season. Ammonium nitrate leaches much moro
than Urea, so not as much Urea is lost after being placed in the soil.
Mr. Fryer and the Management of the Co-op will investigate substi
tutes and the possibility of getting transportation before the time comer
for the shipment of fertilizers. If something can bo worked out it shin
bo done. In view of the vact that the Co-op handles probably over a half
of all the fertilizer that comes to Alaska, wo feel this is one of the
main problems on which we should concentrate.
Any suggestions from the farmers will be gladly considered for, af
ter all, you are the people who will pay for it. We hope that most of
you will familiarize yourselves with the different kinds of fertilizer
that can be used and try to help solve this problem. The Agricultural
Research Administration is conducting experiments that should indicate
what would be suitable for this Valley; this should be a groat help.
The average farmer doesn’t have the time or the technical training en
abling him to do this work on his own.