SOIL EROSION, THIEF OF AGRICULTURE
In many sections of the Matn
nuska Valley, where clearing of
trees has been cine, the heavy
winds of the past winter car
ried away as much tw© to
four inches cf top a@il. True
the soil wa.s dry and unusually
high winds prevailed. From
December third to eighth 1934,
fur and one-half inches of
warm rain fell. The frozen s©il
thawed out. Ice wont out of
rivers and lakes. The accumu
lated water from only a few
acres of farm land drained down
over steep slopes. Gulches
were washed as much as twenty
feet wide an'' twelve to four
teen feet deep. This occur
red on slopes that had been in
pasture grasses f r ten years
or longer, but had been prac
tically killed, out by over
grazing. Again unusual condi
ti ns prevailed. But no wash
ing occurred where the, natural
grown timber an 1 the accumulat
ed covering of humus protected
the soil. This gives rise to
the serious problem of Soil
Erosi n.
Turning under the natural cov
ering of grasses in the States
of the Middle west coupled with
excessive dry condition, and
high winds produced, the ‘'Dust
Bowl.” Surface run off ha3
ruined, many otherwise excellent
farms. Here, are we, stripping
off the natural growth of tim
ber, exposing the fine glacial
soil ~to the action of wind, and
water. Wc are reproducing the
same conditions that has caus
ed excessive sail erosion in
the States.
Recently a soil erosion survey
ha3 been completed in the Mata
nuska Valley by two of the Reg
ional Conservators of the Soil
Erosion Division of the United
States Department of Agricul
ture, Mr. W, A. Rockic and Mr.
L. P. Merrill. The following
suggestions have been made to
combat this ever increasing
problem: Strip Cropping, Wind
breaks of trees, Green manuring,
Crop rotation, Contouring of no. op
slopes, Covering of potato gr mnd
or soil necessarily stirred in har
vesting of Into- crops with a coat
of manure and disking it in, and
cover crops.
These suggestions will be put into
practice at the Experiment Station
to tost their efficiency. In the
meantime it is suggested that all
land having steep slopes be kept
covered by grass or stubble to hold
erosion at a minimum. Don11 let the
wind and water steal your farm.
GOV. ISSUES PROCLAMATION
CALLING FOR OBSERVANCE
For the first time in its history,
Alaska will have a holiday on Sopt.
17, officially designated as Con
stitution Day, which is now being
observed almost universally in the
States.
In an official procla motion Gover
nor John Trey set the day aside for
general observance in the Territory.
The proclamation reads in part, "I"
horeby designate September seven
teenth, nineteen hundred thirty-eight
as a holiday, to be observed through
out Alaska as the one hundred fifty
first anniversary of the signing
of the Constitution. I suggest that
that day be commemorated by patrio
tic services by the schools and
communities, which should include
public reading of the Constition,
I urge that a flag of the United
States should be flown on all pub
lic buildings and on school build
ings where practicable."
SCHOOL OPENS SEPT.6,th.
School will open next Tuesday
Sept.6 th. As usual pchool vd.ll
only be held' in the forenoon. It
will be • unnecessary for the chil
dren attending school to bring
lunch.‘-The buses will return the
children to their homes by noon,
Is every body happy? ABSOLUTELY
AND AGAIN ABSOLUTELY 111