SOIL EROSION, THIEF OF AGRICULTURE
In many sections of the Mat Ja
nus ka Valley, where clearing of
trees has boon cine, the heavy
winds of the past winter car
ried away as much two to
four inches of top a©il. True
the soil wa.s dry and unusually
high winds prevailed. Prom
December third to eighth 1934,
four and cno-half inches of
warm rain fell. The frozen soil
thawed out. Ice wont out of
rivers an1 lakes. The accumu
lated water fr mi 'nly 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 cue 1i
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 coup loci with
excessive dry condition, and
high winds produced the "Dust
Bowl." Surface run off has
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. We are reproducing the
same conditions that has caus
ed excessive soil erosion in
the States.
Recently a soil erosion survey
has 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. Reekie 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 oi so; op
slopes, Covering of potato gr mna
or soil necessarily stirred in har
vesting of late- crops with a coat
of manure and disking it in, and
cover crops.
These suggestions will be put into
prs.ctico 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. Don * t 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 Sept.
17, officially designate cl as Con
stitution Day, which is now being
observort almost universally in the
States.
In an official procla mation 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
a3 a holiday, to bo observed through
out Alaska as the one hundred fifty
first anniversary of the signing
of the Constitution. I suggest that
that day be conncnoratod 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 whore practicable
SCHOOL OPENS SEPT.S.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 HI