“GRASS-ROOTS"
MEET AT M.Y.B.A.
By HERMAN TURNER
The Matanuska Valley Breed
er’s Association meets 8 p.m.
Thursday April 3 at the Rec Hall
where Don Irwin, director of the
Alaska Agricultural Experiment
Stations, will discuss proven gras
ses for the Matanuska Valley. A
modern expression,“grass roots”,
is sometimes used to express fun
ramental principles, because grass
roots go down beneath the sur
face and build a foundation for
future plant growth. We carry the
simile further: grass roots that
can survive under difficult condi
tions, are indeed the grass roots
to get started. So, in the study of
grasses, plants that can thrive un
der certain conditions when oth
ers wilt away, are the plants that
will make a good growth and
produce economical crops.
It is what affects the roots,
more than anything else, that
makes for profitable crops. Un
der conditions in Alaska, with
so late a thawing in spring and
cold ground thruout the season,
plants must have sturdy roots.
Don Irwin has spent many
years studying grasses as they
are adaptable to the Matanuska
Valley. Some he has found un
profitable because their roots
cannot stand up under our soil
and climatic conditions. Others he
is able to recommend as they
have shown over a series of years
that they .. will survive and pro
r
Small Fry Hunt Eggs
Despite Snow; Kiwanis
Club Anounces Winners
Takes more than ice, wind and
snow to stop a Kiwanis Easter
egg hunt!
The Kiwanians came out first
and hid the eggs in Park Square.
Then the kids came in droves and
when the whistle blew even the
2-year-olds started tumbling and
plowing through the snow shriek
ing and shouting when they
found for sure that Bunny’d been
there.
While music poured from the
loud speaker, parents or big bro
thers and sisters helped the little
est tots stay right side up (but
never touched an egg) and spec
tators laughed and cheered. Here
are the winners.
Small tots: gold egg, Patsy
Rice. Silver egg, Mary Anderson.
Most eggs, Jimmy Estelle. Bigger
youngsters: Silver egg, Don Boul
ter. Most eggs, Bert Vernell. And
the gold egg? It’s still missing.
Maybe thar’s gold in that there
Park Square, unless some pooch
made off with it.
ruce profitable crops.
Come to our meeting next
Tuesday evening and discuss
with Don some of these things.
Grass is coming into the fore
front on valley farms, for pas
ture, hay and silage and a thoro
knowledge of adaptable varie
ties is needed to guide the dairy
farmer now, as the spring plant
ing season approaches. Let’s make
it a good “grass roots” meeting.
Basketball Teams
Win Big Season,
Plan More Barnes
No sooner had Palmer’s two
basketball teams finished success
ful seasons than plans were un
derway for bigger schedules next
year, Clair Stock, manager for
the women’s team, and Dale Roet
man, manager for the men’s team
announced.
In the last two games played
March 23-24, scores were: wo
men’s team: Palmer Rockets 67,
Valdez Sirens 35; Rockets 38, Si
rens 27. Men’s team: Matanuska
Hotel 71, Valdez Pirates bolstered
by Palmer High school 57; Mat
anuska Hotel 71, Valdez 51.
f
Alaska Field Office Asked
For Dept, of Commerce
Request made by the Alaska
Development Board that the U. S.
department of commerce reopen
a bureau of foreign and domestic
commerce field office in Alaska,
is being discussed by members
of the local Chamber of Com
merce.
“In my opinion, we would be
in accord with the request pro
vided such a field office had
headquarters in Anchorage, the
center of contruction activity,”
James Hurley, president of the
Matanuska Valley Chamber of
Commerce, said.
The field office which was
maintained in Juneau for one
year closed in 1948 due to budget
-k.
Moore's Garage
General Automotive Repair
Crankshaft Grinding
Rebore Service
Post Office Box 789 Telephone 28Y1
Palmer, Aloska
ALASKA LINE PEOPLE
ARE GOOD CUSTOMERS
Among my best customers are my friends and neigh
bors who work for The Alaska Line here in the Terri
tory. And there’s a good reason. Last year they — and
their co-workers throughout Alaska — received over a
million dollars for providing services and supplies for
The Alaska Line. Longshoremen alone received more
than $818,000 in wages. The major part of this money
ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY
Serving AH Alaska
I
University Gets Bear
Mr. and Mrs. J. Watson Webb,
big game hunters of New York
City and Vermont, have present-*
ed the University of Alaska Mu
seum with a huge mounted
brown bear killed by Arthur
Johnson in 1950 at Herrendon
Bay, near Port Moller on the Ber
ing Sea side of the Alaska Pen
insula. The animal, a near-record,
stands nearly 10 feet tall.
difficulties.
In urging the department of
commerce to open an Alaskan
field office of foreign and do
mestic commerce, the Alaska
Develoment Board pointed out
that among other things Alas
kans can take advantage of serv
ices performed by the field office
in connection with the defense
production program.
Don’t forget the school board
election April 3.
I
o
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