20 EEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



and stock breedings at Kodiak. Other lines of work are being con- 

 ducted at each station, and data are being rapidly accumulated that 

 will soon make possible the answering of questions relating to pos- 

 sible crop production in all of the more important regions of the 

 Territory. The reports received from the different stations are most 

 satisfactory and reflect credit upon those who are carrying on this 

 important work. 



At Sitka, where the principal work in horticulture is carried on, 

 the season was favorable to vegetable growing, and excellent results 

 were obtained with all the common hardy kinds. In the plant breed- 

 ing work the success with strawberries mentioned in previous re- 

 ports has been maintained. During the past year nearly 2,000 

 hybrid plants were under observation, and it is believed that at least 

 a score of them will prove thoroughly adapted to the coast region of 

 Alaska. Most of the hybrid strawberries jDroved to be shy bearers, 

 but occasional plants were found to be exceedingly prolific, one pro- 

 ducing 200 berries. A large proportion of the plants produce berries 

 comparable in size with the average strawberries of the markets, 

 and in addition they partake of the flavor and firmness of the wild 

 berry. A few plants of the hybrid made between the salmonberry 

 and the cultivated raspberry have fruited, but the fruits did not 

 show any improvement over the parental types. The attempt to 

 secure the hybridization of the native Alaskan crab apple w^ith pollen 

 from early and hardy varieties of apples from the Northern States 

 has been continued, but some years will have to elapse before results 

 can be obtained. As in former years, considerable work is being 

 done in testing bush fruits of various kinds, and these are being 

 propagated and distributed over the Territoiy for trial as rapidly 

 as possible. Currants, raspberries, and gooseberries have been found 

 to succeed nearly everj^where, but the apple and cherry trees that 

 have been distributed have made but little, if any, growth. It seems 

 almost certain that none of the present varieties of these fruits can 

 mature in Alaska, and the only way to success lies in the development 

 of varieties from hardy wild species. Some work is being carried 

 on with ornamental plants, and the Tartarian honeysuckle and 

 Japanese rose [Rosa rugosa) have been established and are doing 

 remarkabl}^ well. In addition to the experiments with fruits, the 

 testing of many varieties of potatoes with a view to selecting those 

 best adapted for general culture is being continued at the Sitka 

 station. 



At the Rampart station, where cereal introduction and breeding 

 are the chief lines of investigation, the success reported in previous 

 years was repeated. At this station, which is located in the Yukon 

 Valley at 65° 30' N. latitude, practically all the winter wheat, winter 

 rye, and spring-sown barley and oats matured. Spring-sown wheat 



