ALASKA. 81 



Alaska Agricultural Experiment Stations, Silla, Knmi, and Copper Center. 



Under tliu sui>ervision ui A. C. Truf, Directur, Ollicct)!" Kxperinie'iit Statioua, United 



States Department of Agriculture. 



STATION' STAFF. 



C. C. Georgeson, ^I. 8., Spccud Ayail in U. ^^'. I)e Arinond, J.ssvWaji/ r/< jSV/ivj. 



Cluirtje, Sitka. 11. 1*. Nielsen," AaaiHlaid al Kenai. 



F. E. llader, Am^tant at iiUka. J. W. Neal, Assistant at Cupper Center. 



GENEllAL, OUTLOOK. 



DuriniT the tiscul year endcdJunc 30, l'J()3, experiment .stations were 

 maintained at Sitka, Kenai, and Kampart. A new station was estal)- 

 lished at Copper Center, and cooperative investioations were carried 

 on in a number of localities. The expcu-imental work for the greater 

 part included the growing of cereals and vegetables; methods of 

 reclaiming, draining, and fertilizing land, and the curing and ensiling 

 of crops. The distribution of seeds of hardy varieties of vegetal)les, 

 cereals, and grasses has been continued and extended, seed having 

 been distributed to more than 1,000 addresses during the year. The 

 efforts that have been put forth in this direction have already produced 

 many beneficial results, as is shown by the increasing nund^er of gar- 

 dens and other plats of ground which are brought under cultivation. 

 An address list of about 1,500 names has been prepared, to which the 

 publications of the station and other information are sent from time to 

 time. The sui)ervision of voluntar}- observers of the Weather Bureau 

 in Alaska has been continued as in former years. There are now 

 twenty meteorological stations supplied with instruments by thd" 

 Weather Bureau which report to the experiment station at Sitka. 



Tlie new station, which has been opened in Copper Center in the 

 valley of the Copper River, cm})races a tract of about 775 acres, which 

 has been temporarily withdrawn f lom entry b}- the Secretary of the 

 Interior and fict aside for the use of the station. During the past 

 summer the special agent in charge of the Alaska stations visited this 

 station and reports that about ten acres of land had been cleared, 

 plowed, and seeded to spring crops, w^hich consist chiefly of varieties 

 of oats, l)arley, spring wheat, ennner, ])uckwheat, and grasses, and in 

 spite of a backward spring, with the exception of the wheat, some of 

 the varieties of all the cereals matured. Peas, radishes, and lettuca 

 were being supplied on the table at this time and other hardy vege- 

 tables promised well. 



At the Kenai Station there arc now about 15 acres under cultivation, 

 and it is planned to cleai- lo acres more. All hardy vegetables did 



« Resigne<l November 1 and succeeded by P. U. Koss. 

 S. Doc. 148, 58-2 6 



