ALASKA EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 331 



arc siiscoptiblo of iiuprovoinoiit. The Oxycoccus is a very shy bearer, 

 and ill the wild stiitc is not of niueii value on that account. 



FIELD CROPS AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



The season on the coast was not favora])lc to the growth of grain. 

 The spring was cold and late and the fall began early. Nowhere on 

 the coast have grains been a success this year. Nevertheless, a few 

 varieties matured here at the Sitka Station. 



It is becoming more and more apparent that the coast region is not 

 well adapted to grain growing. Forage can ))e grown in abundance, but 

 the dillicultv of saving the grain, even when it matures, on account of 

 the excessive fall rain, will render grain growing impractical)le except 

 on a very small scale. Hereafter grain growing at the Sitka Station 

 will be limited to the testing of varieties which appear to have special 

 merit. 



The following notes were taken on the varieties tested this 3'ear. 

 The patchy nature of the growth of all these grains was due to the 

 soil: 



BARLEY. 



Lapland, seeded May 29. Coming up June 8. June 15, 3 inches 

 high, fair stand, 3'ellow in spots, but on the whole looks well. ^w\\ 

 1. patchy; best 15 inches high: good color. July 15, 80 inches high; 

 mostly very good; heading. August 1, 8 feet high; heads well tilled; 

 many small ones; a few snnitty heads. August 15, heav}' heads; 

 stands up well; beginning to ripen. September 1, fine; read}^ to har- 

 vest. September 5, cut. 



Success, sown May 29. Coming up June 8. June 15, 2^ inches 

 liigli; thin, })oor stand. July 15, not a success; ver^'thin; a few spots 

 growing well; prol)ably old seed accounts for poor stand. August 1, 

 2 feet high, in full Idoom. August 15, heads mostl}' well filled. 

 August 29, well-filled heads, beginning to ripen. September 15, 

 nearly I'cady to harvest. Cut September 21. 



Sisolsk, seeded May-2;'>. Coming up ,June 0, germinated slowly. 

 June 15, -1 inches high, half stand. fJul}' 1, average !• inches high, 

 very thrifty, 'luh' 15, 2 feet high; has good color. August 1, 3^^ 

 feet high, good heavy stem, in full head, beginning to bloom. August 

 15, grain in dough, straw soft, somewhat lodged. August 29, beginning 

 to rii)en. September l.^. ready to cut. Harvested September 19. 



Manshury, seeded May 8. Germinated slowl}' on account of cool 

 W(>athcr. Was up 1)\' May 25. July 1, 12 inches high, spott(Hl. has 

 good color. July 15,2 feet high, looks well. August 1,8.1 feet high, 

 genei'ally good, in full h(>ad. August 15, badly lodged, short heads, 

 well tilh'd. Se})teml)er 1(>, rii)e. 



Fiimish barle\' and lilack Hidless barley were also seeded, but were 

 failures, because the soil was not sulficientl}' subdued to grow grain 

 successfull}'. 



