ALASKA EXPERIMENT i^TATIONS. 343 



will keep many settlers away. A wagon i-oad will make the people 

 in a measure iiuli'pendent. 



.Vttentioii is called to Mr, NeaFs report, herewith submitted, and 

 also to the weather conditions and soil temperatures recorded at this 

 station durino- the past year. 



REPORT OF J. W. NEAL, SUPERINTENDENT OF COPPER CENTER 



STATION. 



Copper Center, Alaska, 



Septemher 10, 1903. 



Dear Sir: I herewith submit the report of the season's work for 

 1903, contininu- my notes strictly to the crop exixM-iments and station 

 work fjenerallv. 



Receiving the station equipment at Valdez, I began moving the same 

 over the snow and ice toward the Copper Center Station January 20, 

 employing one man from February 1 and some additional help at 

 Teikhel. The trip proved long and arduous. AVe ai'rived at the 

 station April 2<) with most of the equipment, including all the seed 

 and most necessary implements to prosecute the season's work. 



At this date the weather was warm and the snow leaving verv fast. 

 On iSIav 1 the snow had entirelv melted otf the 5> acres which we had 

 cleared ready for the plow, and by May K the frost w^as sufliciently 

 out of the ground to begin plowing and cultivating the soil. Not- 

 withstanding the fact that our team was almost exhausted l)y the long 

 stage of freighting, the soil new and full of roots, and a limited supply 

 of feed, we had 5 acres ready for seeding by Ma}" 19, and on May 20 

 w.e liad seeded plats of ever}" kind of seed at hand. 



While the snow was leaving and frost getting out of the ground we 

 turned our attention to clearing. After the seeding was finished we 

 built about 1 mile of fence, inclosing some 40 acres. We then l)egan 

 to get out timber and laid the foundation for a log cabin 10 ])y 24 feet, 

 exterior dimensions (PI. VI, fig. 2). Leaving for Valdez July 2 to 

 meet the special agent in charge, I set the workman to clearing land 

 for such time as he could leave the growing crops. At this time I 

 hired a native at $3 a day to help in clearing, but natives soon tire 

 and he left us after five days. No othei- help was then available. 



After my return from the trail 1 succeeded in hiring a white man 

 for a few days at §5 per day, and we resumed woi'k on the cabin, but 

 he soon left us and I had to turn my attention to the ci-ops. collecting 

 grain samples, cutting some frosted wheat for hay, and reaping and 

 thrashing the l)arley and oats which matured excellent grain. At 

 tin' close of my report the cabin is up, ready tor {\\o roof, which we 

 expect to i)ut on before the snow tlies. \\'e will ha\(> to store the hay 

 and implements in tents for want of time to erect sh(>(ls. 



Aside fi-om the ."i acres seeded May 19 and 2o. we seeded some 4 

 acres a few days latei-. We Iia\ c a<lde(l to our tieaiii.g some <> acres, 



