Agricultural Research in Alaska— Iriuin 3 



have a pioneering spirit and be able to adapt the routine of 

 their lives and their thinking to environmental conditions con- 

 siderably at variance with those to which they were accustomed. 



Offsetting these conditions is the exciting anticipation of 

 being able to accomplish technical research work in a new 

 country, unhampered by precedent and tradition. Even forti- 

 fied by thorough training and experience the research worker 

 soon learns that the varied environmental conditions of soils 

 and climate encountered over so vast an area of sub-Arctic and 

 Arctic reaches require that he amend his thinking and even his 

 approach to the research problems confronting him. 



Because of this situation and in order that each research 

 worker may become thoroughly familiar with problems in the 

 various agricultural areas it is necessary that staff members travel 

 more than would be required in the majority of the States. Staff 

 conferences are held regularly at which various phases of the 

 work are discussed. This gives opportunity for pooling the ideas, 

 observations and opinions of the staff members, and assists in 

 coordinating their thinking. By this means too, the project 

 work of each department becomes more real and vital to each 

 of the other departments in relation to their own particular 

 projects. The effort of the staff members thus becomes coopera- 

 tive rather than individualistic. 



To further bring the agricultural research needs of the Terri- 

 tory into focus, various organizations in Alaska connected with 

 agriculture have been furnished with a list of projects on which 

 station research work is now being accomplished. They have 

 been requested and urged to submit to the station additional 

 subjects on which research information would be of immediate 

 assistance to the growing farm population. Excellent sugges- 

 tions have been received by this procedure. As rapidly as prac- 

 ticable these suggestions will be incorporated into our research 

 program. By this means the farmers themselves feel that they 

 are assisting in the work, as indeed they are. 



Knowledge of soils is basic to any agricultural production. 

 On their productivity rests the foundation of our agricultural 

 economy. Accordingly a soil survey has been established by the 



