STATES RELATIONS SERVTCE. 427 



The work of the stations lias made satisfactor^T progress con- 

 sidering their limited resources. The spring of 1922 was quite 

 backward along the southeastern coast, but after seasonable weather 

 arrived all crops grew remarkably well. 



At Sitka the work with hybrid strawberries was considerably 

 extended, and there are now about 2.000 hybrid plants under test. 

 A considerable number of these were obtained by crossing some of 

 the earlier hybrids. Many of these new crosses proved to be not 

 winter hardy, as the "wild blood" of the native "species was re- 

 (Uiced to one-fourth instead of one-half, as in all of the earlier 

 hybrids. Other crosses were made, using pollen from first genera- 

 tion hybrids on the pistils of well-known cultivated varieties. These, 

 too, were injured by winter freezing to a considerable extent. As a 

 result of this experience, it was concluded best to return to the 

 earlier method of hybridizing, and a large number of crosses were 

 made, using the pollen of the wild species, particularly Fragaria 

 platypctala^ on selected mother plants. Among the newer hybrids 

 many bore their first crop this season, and some very promising 

 fruits were obtained. Among the older hybrids some of the best are 

 being allowed to set runners, and plants of these varieties will soon 

 be ready for extended distribution. 



Considerable progress is being made in the potato-breeding work. 

 In the fall of 1921 selections Avere made of the most promising of the 

 vai-ieties that have been grown from seed collected from seed balls 

 that had been open-fertilized and also from a number that were 

 crossed. Among these selections were a number that showed con- 

 siderable superiority over the original strains, and these have been 

 planted in plats of 10 hills each in order to secure material for wide 

 tests throughout the Territory. In the spring of 1922. 170 new seed- 

 lings that had been grown in flats were added to the field trials. The 

 other experiments at the Sitka station are progressing very well. 

 The station sent out its usual supplies of seeds, plants, rooted cut- 

 tings, etc., and for many localities this constitutes the only source of 

 supply. 



The development of the Matanuska station is progressing as rapidly 

 as possible. The barn, silo, and root cellar have been so far com- 

 pleted as to be in use, and it is expected that they will be finished 

 during the coming season. The milking Shorthoni cattle again went 

 through the winter in good condition, and the young cows give 

 promise of being very good milk producers. Six head of young Gal- 

 loways from the Kocliak herd were wintered at the Matanuska sta- 

 tion.' Three of the heifers had calves which, on account of lack of 

 feed at the station, were sold locally. There is an urgent need for 

 more cleared land to furnish pasture and on which to produce feed 

 for the rapidly increasing herds. 



During the season of 1921 more than 1,000 bushels of grain were 

 threshed in the vicinity of the Matanuska station. In the spring of 1922, 

 seeding was finished at the station by May 25, and many of the crops 

 were beginning to come up. A dry June retarded growth somewhat, 

 but later rains have assured good crops. A large variety of small 

 grains, including many of the hybrid grains developed at the Earn- 

 part station, was seeded this spring. Of 29 varieties of spring grain 

 tested last year, some of the hybrids gave indication of being well 



