LETTER OF INFORMATION ' - ~
A letter has just been received
from Mr. J. F. Hielscher, of Sea
ttle, .7ash., f cmerly of Fairbanks
Mr. Hielscher fanned the Birch
hill farm out of Fairbanks, still
known by that name. This Oentlo
man realizes our difficulties here
in curing hay and offers suggest
ions based on bis experience, Vie
therefore offer Mr. Hielscher*s
following method of curing hay in
rainy weather*
"Just about haying time it begins
to rain, so I built a shed 40X2TX1
feet high with board and strip
roof.
X ?oles--polos laid loose 6 to 8
1,2,5,4, (2 poles) 6 ft. up and
top pole can be tied (to make easy
to pitch grass through.) •
2 boards 4 ft. long to stand, on
lo5se oolcs, while spreading grass
IJnon the loose poles, snread the
green or wet grass6 inches which
(I cut the grass in ahe rain and
spread it while dripping wet).
Then the next and so cn clear to
the top. Six bi^ lond3 will fill
the shed the first time. Then
wo forgot hay making for a week
to cultivate potatoes, etc.
In 5 to 6 days it was perfectly
dried hay, rain or shine'—the
circulation of air did the trick.
We then pulled out the poles from
the bottom up, the hay fell to the
ground and so on in that way up.
We had with one operation cutting,
drying and stocking the hay under
the shed next to the log. stable
ready for U3e by my 4 big horses.
By the- time the shod was full—
3 or fillings—v/e were through
•with hayin0, a lot of other work
done, and no weather worry.
I cut wild Red-top, sowed wheat,
beardless barley, oats and spelt.
I piles them separate along the
fence in the horse yard-letting
the horses out on Sundays, they
always went to the beardless bar
ley first, wheat next, and wild
hay next. The spelt didn’t appeal
2to them. They chewed off the oats
fl-nd left the straw.
I have road that in Minnesota the
leaves and seed cluster of the
sorgum sugar cane is dried for
cattle feed by stern. That may be
a quicker way still--at any rate,
we wish you farmers in the Matanu
ska Valley the best of prosperity
ever."
Sincerely y ;urs,
J. F. Xielscher
121 Ulemas St.
Seattle, Washington
Hr, Laurence J. hayburn is here
looking' into the possibility of
. stablishing a Colony of 100
Alaskan fsallies in the Konai
nlnstilc, 1 is here looking
.over the farming possibilities
of .this section of •ho country as
a comparison for the Konai penin
ul°.
Mi*, liayburn suggests soloctii
fnmili* s from am ng fish
rmon, minors, cnnneryracn, and
’ r; 1 lam n wlth xp >ri: nee.
Those people expect to finance
their own project unless arrange
ments can be mad whereby ovorn
rnental loans can be secured on a
50-50 b*- sis.
This proposed project i3 planning
to establish c cannery, cold stor
age plant °nd farming.
Remember the •clearing picnic at
Bergs next Sunday. Everybody i3
invited to help clear the recrea
tion grounds. Bring your lunch
and an axe or saw.