ALASKA EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 315 



as the site for hoadiiiiartors l)uikllncr for the Aljisku cxpcriineiit sta- 

 tions. The reasons for locatinj]^ the headquarters station at Sitka were 

 accessibility and cUniate. It was deemed necessary to locate this sta- 

 tion at a point which could be readily reached by the Department and 

 whicli coukl at the same time be in reasonablj' easy connnunication 

 with the rest of the Territorj'. Sitka was deemed to l)e that point. 

 At that time there was no indication of a speedy o])(>nino- of the 

 interior. The coast rejjfion contain(>d practically tlie whol(> jjopulation, 

 and it seemed likeh' to remain the most important reoion for a long 

 time to come. 



The climatic conditions at Sitka were typical of those prevailing 

 over nearly the entire coast region and came nearer to representing an 

 average, both as to rainfall and temperature, in that region than did 

 any other place which could be selected. Sitka was not selected 

 because the conditions were especially favorable to agriculture, either 

 as to soil or climate. On the contrary, it was held that it was unfair 

 to locate experiment stations in the most favored spots, inasmuch as 

 the results would l)e misleading when compared Avith results at other 

 places. On the other hand, it was apparent that whatever could be 

 done at Sitka could be done almost anvwherc else in the coast resrion, 

 and in some places much better; and in the light of later experience 

 the choice of location for the headquarters station is in all respects a 

 wise one. 



Nothing was done toward improving the land or the erection of 

 buildings this 3'ear. The season was spent in examining other por- 

 tions of the coast region and making surveys of tracts suitable for 

 experimental purposes. One of these was the reservation at Kadiak 

 already mentioned. Another was the selection and survey of a station 

 at Kenai. 



The Kenai Peninsula has several thousand square miles of agricul- 

 tural land on which grass grows abundantly. It can be readil}' cleared 

 and made into farms, and the soil is suitable for the growth of culti- 

 vated crops. A tract of 820 acres, which was deemed a fair average 

 of the land in that peninsula, was selected, and later reserved bj' 

 Executive oi-der for an agricultural experiment station. It is located 

 back of the village of Kenai, at the mouth of the Kenai River. 



By the courtesy of the governor of the Territory, the Hon. John 

 G. Brady, who kindly lent us his garden for the purpose, we were 

 enabled to make the first test of vegetables, grains, and grasses in that 

 year. Many kinds were seeded, and it was found that early varieties 

 of barley and oats matured. So far as known, grain growing had 

 never before been attempted at Sitka or in southeastern Alaska, and 

 the fact that any grain matured seemed so incredi))le that even old 

 residents of the town did not believe that it could l)e done again. 



