the base could be reached from either Cook Inlet or from the Yukon from near the mouth of the Tanana.

If the Cook Inlet route were chosen, the party should land at Tyonek between the 15th of May and the 1st of June, equipped and provisioned for a three and a half months' journey. The journey from Seattle to Cook Inlet takes about ten days by ocean steamer. For a party of seven men twenty horses would be needed, and every additional man would require about three additional horses. From Tyonek a boat would be dispatched with a part of the provisions to meet the party at the Skwentna, so as to lighten the burden of the horses and to aid in crossing the river. From this point the boat would be sent to the Keechatno, a central fork of the Yentna, and here again would be used for crossing. The pack-train would take a northerly. course from Tyonek, crossing the Beluga near the head of tide water, and thence heading directly for the lower canyon on the Skwentna; then after crossing the Keechatna would follow our trail across the Alaskan Range by way of Rainy Pass at the head of Happy River. After reaching the Kuskokwim waters it would turn to the northeast and follow the base of the range, the route being identical with that followed by our party. If such a party had exceptionally good luck (and season were an early one), it might reach the base of the mountain by the first of July. Here a camp would be established at the upper limit of timber, where good grass would be found for the horses. Climatic conditions permitting, a month could then be spent in exploring and ascending the mountain. The quickest way out of the country would probably be to the northward, either to the mouth of the Cantwell or to the mouth of the Toklat, from which point a boat could probably be secured to the Yukon. In

the absence of any boat, a raft would be constructed and in a few days the current would carry the party to the Yukon. The cost of such an expedition could be approximated at $15,000 for a party of ten men.

The second plan is to go to Dawson by rail and steamer and thence down the Yukon to the mouth of the Tanana by steamer. In the event of an early season, the party would leave Skagway on Lynn Canal about June 1st, which can be reached by steamer from Seattle in four days, and the mouth of the Tanana could be reached by the middle of June. From this point, if possible, a steamer should be secured to take the party, outfit, and several horses one or two hundred miles up the Toklat to the head of steamboat navigation. The continuation of the journey would be by canoes or small boats, which would carry the supplies, while the horses would be sent across country. When the river became too shallow for canoe transportation the horses would be utilized to portage the outfit to the base of the mountain. It is expected that the expedition would be ready to begin the ascent of the mountain by the middle of July. The cost of an expedition by the Yukon route can be estimated at about $12,000.

As an introduction to the third plan it may be said that in an expedition of this kind the party is liable to be worn out by the difficulties incident to the journey to the base of the mountain. The necessity of carrying provisions for the entire trip limits the size of the party, and hence the daily tasks must be shared by all its members. even the best conditions, the matter of chopping trails, building bridges, crossing rivers, the incessant annoyance by mosquitoes, has a telling effect on the strength of the men, in the course of even a few weeks. It would, therefore, be advisable, if possible, to furnish each man with a saddle horse if

Under

the overland route is taken, and thus save his strength for the task of ascending the mountain. These extra horses would, however, involve an additional expenditure of $1,000 or $2,000. The same holds true in regard to the trip from the Tanana with canoes, where the energies of the party would be spent in portaging and in dragging the canoes up against swift currents. Such work is very hard and before very long will have a marked effect on even the strongest. It is possible, therefore, that if the base of Mt McKinley was reached by either of these routes, the energy of the members of the party would be at a low ebb and not at all equal to the task of making the ascent. It should also be noted that by the two plans proposed the base of the mountain would not be reached earlier than the first or middle of July. The midsummer is very unfavorable for reaching the summit, as it is usually shrouded in clouds, and clear days are very exceptional. The clearest weather and most favorable conditions will be found in June.

In view of these facts, it is quite possible that even the best chosen and best equipped party would not be successful in the ascent of the mountain. It is the belief of the writers that success could only be assured by wintering a party in the region and transporting the provisions and outfits to the base of the mountain during the winter and early spring, when dogs could be used. With such a plan it would be possible to reserve the strength of the members of the party for the actual ascent. The writers would propose that a party be outfitted with a year's provisions, which should be sent to the mouth of the Tanana by steamer, either by way of Dawson or St Michaels. From this point a steamer should be chartered to carry the expedition to the head of steamboat navigation on the Toklat. This could probably be accomplished by the first of July, and the party could spend the re

mainder of the open season in boating the outfit up the Toklat and in establishing the winter camp at some convenient point.

During the winter, with the aid of dog teams, an advance party would establish a camp at timber line near the base of the mountain, and also cache provisions at convenient points on the lower slopes of the mountain. This being accomplished during the winter months, when transportation is easy by means of dog teams, the party would be prepared to take advantage of the clear weather of June to make the ascent, which, as has been shown, is a very important consideration.

A modification of this plan would be to take a steamer up the Kuskokwim, which is known to be navigable as far as the forks, and very probably above. The objection to the Kuskokwim route is that it involves a very long steamboat journey, probably five hundred or six hundred miles, up a river about which very little is known. The mouth of the Kuskokwim lies out of the usual routes of travel, and the river is not easily accessible compared with the Yukon.

It

The chief point is to obtain steamboat navigation to as near a point to the base of the mountain as possible, then establish a base camp, and distribute the supplies during the winter months. probably would be advisable to take a few horses for the winter trip, as they could be utilized for transportation both during the summer and winter. If this was done feed would have to be carried for winter use, though, time permitting, it would be possible to cut grass for hay.

The winter plan does not necessitate the entire parties spending a year in the undertaking. It would be possible for one section to prepare the way during the summer and early winter months, while another joined them in March or April by traveling from Dawson with dog teams.

It is the belief of the writers that if the winter trip were undertaken there would be every reason to anticipate a successful result for the expedition. The objection to the plan is, of course, the time which would be required, and also the very heavy additional expense. While it is difficult to estimate the cost of the winter party, it is safe to say that it would not be less than $25,000 and might easily be double that amount.

In closing, the writers would strongly urge that if the expedition is undertaken that it be put under the direction of a man who is not only an experienced

mountaineer but who has also had long training in frontier life and exploratory work, for the success of the expedition must depend in a very large measure on its leadership. They would also urge the necessity of having ample funds to thoroughly equip the party, and that each member be especially chosen for the work in hand. It is hoped that this article may encourage the organization of an expedition, so that the credit for the ascension of the highest peak on the continent may fall to some American mountaineer.

I

T may be stated without exaggeration that no government in the world does so much as the United States to promote the agricultural interests of the country. A tea has been A tea has been imported which is now being grown successfully in South Carolina. In a short while enough Sumatra tobacco will be grown in Connecticut to satisfy the American market, which has been paying $6,000,000 annually to import Sumatra tobacco. A new variety of long staple cotton, having nearly double the value of the old variety, has been created; new wheats and new rices have been introduced, and even a new orange, which will resist frost more vigorously than those now grown in Florida. These are only a few instances of products which are now being successfully raised within the United States as a result of the watchfulness and teaching of the Department of Agriculture. The fixed capital of agriculture in the United States amounts to twenty billions of dollars, or four times that invested in manufactures. How the

American farmer and the consumer are protected and assisted by expert care may be seen from the following abstract of the last annual report of Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, who has done more for the agricultural interests of the United States than any man in its history:

INSPECTION OF MEAT

The Bureau of Animal Industry has made nearly 60,000,000 ante-mortem inspections for the year, at a cost of a fraction over one cent each. The number of post-mortem inspections was nearly 39,000,000. The meat-inspection stamp was affixed to over 23,000, ooo packages of meat products, and the number of certificates of ordinary inspection issued for meat products for export, exclusive of horseflesh, was 32,744. The quantity of pork examined microscopically and exported exceeded 33,000,000 pounds. Altogether, the value of exports of animals and animal productions for the year amounted to $244,733,062.

LONG STAPLE COTTON

One of the greatest needs in improving the cotton industry in the United States has been to secure a long staple upland variety of good quality and productiveness. Several varieties of the ideal type have been produced, and the past year's experiments show conclusively that these varieties can be made permanent. Egypt and South Africa. are waking up to their possibilities in cotton production, and we must develop and grow better and more productive varieties than will be grown by our competitors.

AMERICAN TEA

The work on the growing of American tea was continued during the year at Pinehurst, near Summerville, S. C., in cooperation with Dr Shepard. There are now about 100 acres in tea gardens. The yield of tea in these gardens last year was about 4,500 pounds and this year will be about 9,000 pounds of marketable tea. During the year careful. attention was given to reducing the cost of the production of tea, with very satisfactory results. A tea farm will be established in Texas if suitable land and cooperation can be secured.

LAND-GRANT COLLEGES

The

Statistics of attendance at the landgrant colleges show over 42,000 students enrolled, an increase over the previous year of 7 per cent. The attendance for the four-year course in agriculture increased more than 26 per cent. The Secretary points to the marked success of agricultural high schools in Minnesota and Nebraska as an indication that there is a demand for agricultural courses with those afforded in various manual arts in the city high schools. He states that all over the country farmers are sending their children to public high schools and paying for their tuition.

GROWING SUMATRA TOBACCO

The commercial success of the shadegrown Sumatra tobacco in the Connecticut Valley has now been fully assured, and the plan adopted by which last year's crop, after being carefully cured and sorted under the direction of the department's experts, was catalogued and offered for sale at public auction, under the supervision of the committee of tobacco brokers, with Hon. E. Stevens Henry, M. C., as chairman, proved highly satisfactory. The ordinary tobacco grown in the open fields in Connecticut brings from 18 to 20 cents a pound. The average price paid for the shade-grown tobacco was $1.20 a pound. The cost of this tobacco, baled and ready for market, averaged 511⁄2 cents a pound. The net profit per acre on the best crop raised on a lot of about six acres exceeded $1,000 per acre. The reports from cigar manufacturers show that the leaf of this Connecticut, grown Sumatra tobacco has successfully stood the test of manufacture.

At the present time the department is advising and instructing thirty-eight growers in Connecticut and Massachusetts cultivating 645 acres of shade tobacco. It may be said of this line of department work that it has demonstrated our ability to produce a leaf for which about $6,000,000 have annually been paid to foreign countries.

The tobacco situation in Texas and Ohio has been thoroughly studied with a view to the production of a desirable type of filler tobacco equal to the imported Cuban leaf, and it is believed that by careful methods of cultivation, fermentation, and assorting this can be done. In fact, leaf has actually been grown that cannot be distinguished from the imported Cuban when properly fermented.

EXPORTS OF FRUIT

He reports investigations having for