STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 345 



INSULAR STATIONS. 



The experiment stations of this department in Alaska, Hawaii, 

 Porto Rico, and Guam have temporarily put aside many of their 

 projects, or have continued them with a minimum of labor and ex- 

 pense, and have tiirned their attention to problems connected with 

 food i^roduction and conservation. The importance of this work 

 may be seen when it is stated that more than $30,000,000 worth of 

 foodstuffs are annually imported to these possessions from the main- 

 land. With the increasing demands on the mainland supplies from 

 other sources and the diminishing cargo space available, the situa- 

 tion threatened to become acute. The stations from their begin- 

 ning had been investigating problems connected Avith diversified 

 farming, and they were in possession of a fund of information regard- 

 ing crop production that was immediately put to use. Through vari- 

 ous cooperative agencies and through demonstrations, the stations 

 have been actively engaged in disseminating this information and 

 aiding in the present crisis. 



No changes were made in the administrative heads of the stations, 

 although many members of the staffs have left for military or other 

 service. Those now in charge of the stations are: Alaska, C. C. 

 Georgeson; Hawaii, J. M. Westgate; Porto Rico, D. W. May; and 

 Guam, C. W. Edwards. To these men is due much of the successful 

 planning and carrying out of the work at the stations. 



The appropriations of the stations for 1918 were : Alaska, $60.000 ; 

 Hawaii, $40,000; Porto Rico, $40,000; and Guam, $15,000. These 

 sums, together with small balances from sales funds formerly allowed 

 for the maintenance of the stations, constitute their expenditures. 



The stations have been greatly assisted by the hearty cooperation 

 of the bureaus and divisions of the department, and acknowledg- 

 ment of their aid is hereby tendered. 



The administration and financial review of the affairs of the sta- 

 tions in connection with the States Relations Service continued, as 

 formerly, under the direction of Walter H. Evans and the accounting 

 office of the service. 



ALASKA STATIONS. 



Unfavorable weather was experienced throughout Alaska during 

 the autumn of 1917 and the spring of 1918, as a result of which har- 

 vesting of crops and preparation of land for planting were greatly 

 retarded. More favorable weather followed, accompanied by a large 

 amount of sunshine, and the crop condition at the end of the fiscal 

 year was considered as very promising. 



At the Sitka station the work with hybrid strawberries was con- 

 tinued, and several thousand plants resulting from crosses in which 

 Fragaria chiloensis and F. platypetala were used as staminate par- 

 ents are under observation. Plant-breeding work with potatoes is 

 also in progress, the station growing more than a hundred seedlings, 

 some of which appear promising. Particular attention is being paid 

 to the propagation of the economic plants for distribution to settlers, 

 and during the year nursery stock was sent to more than 100 ad- 

 dresses for cooperative testing. A considerable amount of nursery 

 stock is still on hand for distribution. 



97335°— AGE 1918 23 



