TTTS VALLEY 3FTTLFR is published
every Friday by the Katanuaka Val
ley Farmers' Cooperating Associa
tion at Palmer, Alaska.
Ling. "Editor: Irving rTcwvillo
Subscription rates: ■Sl.OO year
By Hail: B1.75 year
Mailed Anywhere: .10 copy
This paper is issued for the pur
pose of giving information and
news of the Matanuska Valley Far
mers' Cooperating Associations
work, problems, accomplishnents,
also news of local and general
interest and to foster the co
operative spirit of the Farmers
of the Ilatanuska Valley.
? ACRES OF POTATOES??
'inch I'atanuslca Valley far
rier in deciding the acreage he
v/ill '■'■lant to potatoes should
consider - Labor he can dcfinctly
depend on - Availability of rea
ch on ery and equipment - Seed and
Fertilizer - Location and soil
condition. Acreage should be
1imit d to that amount which can
be officicntly handled. Expcri
nents conducted at the Matanuska
Station during the past twenty
five years have shown that good
yields of high quality potatoes
can bo'grown economically in this
Valley, when weather conditions
are right and the best farm prac
tices are•followed, namely -
Good seed, fertilization thorough
preparation of soed bed and
proper cultivation.
Ton ton yields aro possible
when each of these factors arc
considered, yields arc lessened
in direct proportion to the neg
lect of any one of those prac
tises. One or two acres offi**
cicntly handled will yield more
net income than several acres
poorly eared for. Great care and
constant attention to details of
production arc required to pro
duce a quality product and only
quality products arc wanted.
A littlo more than 100 a< res
were planted to spuds, in 'he
Valley last year and the r.;cragc
yield per* acre was probablp un
der 5 Tons. The desired increase
in production can he obtained
more economically by planting the
s-no amount of land and giving
it better care than by increasing,
materially, the acreage consider
ing the present labor conditions.
MEETING OP VEGETABLE GEOL’ERS
CONTINUED.
Free transportation by water
of Army purchasers of food stuffs
has made Alaska farmers, ’'Very
Unhappy1.' In producing for the
Army market, they are forced to
bid in direct competition with
the cheapest labor on the vest
coast (Japanese) from southern
California to the Canadian line,
'.'/hen the higher cost of• production
in Alaska is considered, there is
nothing of fairness that'can be
found in the arrangement.
Transportation has to be paid
for, whether the service is per
formed by the Government or by
an individual. In any or every
case it cones out of the taxpayer.
Any item of food used, by the
Army that can be produced in the
Mntanuska Valley arrives in Anch
orage in much better condition
than that which'is shipped over
great distances.
At the present time, every
available foot of cargo space
is needed for moving those things
vital for defense that ca: not be
produced here.
Our Government profess.,’ to
bo interested in the development
of Alaska, billions of dollars
were spent in establishing a
farming community in the Valley,
for several years of consorted
effort has been made to induce
Agricultural settlors to come to
this Territory. Farmers hero
are expected to meet their obli
gations to the Government. They
arc asked to increase production
■(Continued on page 5)