I^H> Tn'^i'furr ok offipk ok kxi'kiumknt stations. 



At Ska«i\v;iy Mr. (Joorj^;!' Sexton was (Miiploycd to ^^mw a iiiini))ei"of 

 varii'tios of v('j^otu))lcs and grains, aiul licrc tin- results wore the .same 

 as at Sitka. Oats, liarley, and llax matured, while all the coninion 

 hardy vegetables develoi)ed nornuilly and proved to he of high ([uality. 



As the net result of the iirst season's work, it was learned that oiain 

 could mature in the coast region, and that settlers could hav(^ good 

 gardens, while the reconnaissance of the country resulted in the selec- 

 tion of locations for permanent stations. Observations of soil tempera- 

 ture and weather conditions were begun in the spring and carried on 

 through the season. 



The outlook seemed so promising that foi' the fiscal year ending 

 ,Iune 30, 1900, Congress appropriated $12,0(K) for the further investi- 

 gation of the agricultural possibilities of the Territor}^ and for the 

 inauguration of experimental work on the sites selected for stations. 

 The writer was again sent to Alaska, with instructions to ])egin the 

 erection of a headcjuarters building at Sitka, for which plans were pro- 

 vided; to ])egin the clearing and preparation of land both at Sitka and 

 Kenai, and to continue and extend the work of testing vegetables and 

 grains, not only at the chosen stations, but all over the Territorj'^ by 

 distri])ution of seeds to settlers. 



Equipments were purchased for the Sitka and Kenai stations, con- 

 sisting of a yoke of work oxen for each place and the implements 

 required for pioneer work. Two assistants were employed, one to 

 take charge of the work' at Kenai and the other to 1)6 located at Sitka. 

 The expense of ])roviding equipments and the cost of transportation 

 and freight left comparativeh' little for the work of clearing and 

 improving land. 



The headquarters l)uilding was begun — that is, the shell was put up 

 and the lower stor}^ so far completed that it could be occupied so as to 

 save rent. 



The further testing of cereals, flax, clovers, and vegetal^les was con- 

 timied at the Sitka Station, and this 3'^ear the results were even more 

 favoral)le than the preceding 3'ear. Not only the barley and oats 

 matured, but also spring wheat was now tried for the first time. Red 

 clover seeded in the governor's garden in the spring of 1898 lived 

 througli the winter and made a most extraordinary growth, blooming 

 in abundance and many of the earlier blossoms maturing seed. 



Some patches of cultivated ground were rented at Kadiak and simi- 

 lar tests inaugurated there. Here the work proved almost a complete 

 failure from several causes, the chief ones being that the soil was poor 

 and gravell}^ and that the early part of the growing season proved to 

 be unusuall}' dry. 



We made our first test of the preservation of native forage in silo. 

 By arrangements with the governor we tilled the silo which he had 

 just completed with a rank grass, locally known as beach grass {E/f/- 

 mus mollis)^ which proved a success. We likewise tested silage at 



