698 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in July, when 92° F. was attained, with a daily mean temperature 

 of Gl.l°, This <rave suflicient warmth to ripcMi ])rurtically all varie- 

 ties of spring-sown grains except wheat. Where rye and wheat 

 were sown in the fall and well covered with snow (hey came througli 

 the winter and matured a considerable portion of their crop. The 

 spring of 1911 was abnormally late in starting, but spring-sown 

 grains are reported as having done well. Winter rye and winter 

 wheat were badly injured by severe freezing in the early winter be- 

 fore snow covered the ground. A number of successful crosses of 

 varieties of barley have been made, and in the first generation some 

 appear to have desirable qualities, but they will have to be grown 

 longer to fix the varieties and determine their worth. As a result of 

 10 years' work at this station it appears that grain growing is prac- 

 ticable in the interior of Alaska, and that it can be made a success in 

 many parts of the broad interior valleys. An attempt is being made 

 to introduce some of the Siberian alfalfas brought to this country by 

 Prof. N. E. Hansen, of the South Dakota Experiment Station, and 

 there is reason to believe that some of them will become established. 



An experiment with potatoes was carried on at Sitka and Rampart 

 with practically the same results at each station. The tubers of a 

 number of varieties were placed in greenhouse flats and allowed to 

 sprout in the light for four weete before planting. These yielded in 

 nearly every instance an increase of 10 per cent or more in the total 

 crop, with a proportionate increase in marketable tubers. 



The Fairbanks Station was largely established to determine the 

 practicability of farming on a considerable scale. With this in view, 

 grain and potatoes were grown on a commercial scale, over $1,500 

 worth of potatoes being sold from the station farm. Some of the 

 potatoes were destroyed by early frost, but from 3^ acres 410 bushels 

 of potatoes were harvested. A considerable amount of grain and hay 

 was produced, and a self-binding reaper, perhaps the first in Alaska, 

 was added to the equipment. The principal energies were expended 

 in extending the area of cultivable land by clearing the dense growth 

 of spruce and birch, about 4 acres being prepared for the plow, with 

 40 acres additional cleared for pasture and mowing. 



Satisfactory progress is reported from the Kodiak Station, where 

 there are now 82 head of pure-bred Galloway cattle of all ages. 10 

 ffi'ade cattle, and 89 sheep and lambs. The stock was successfully 

 wintered on native forage, supplemented by a small amount of pur- 

 chased grain feed, and there does not appear to be any reason why 

 stock raising should not be made a success in the coast region of 

 Alaska if care is exercised in selecting the stock and they are suffi- 

 ciently well housed and winter fed. Arrangements are being made 

 to take up dairjdng as a part of the work at Kodiak, and an attempt 

 will be made to select out the best milkers of the Galloway herd and 

 purchase others to carry on this work. 



Some additions have been made to the equipment of the stations, 

 the most important of which are a stock and hay barn and an addi- 

 tional 100-ton silo at the stock farm on Calsinsky Bay and a silo and 

 dairy barn at Kodiak; a barn, a well, and a frost-proof cellar at 

 Fairbanks ; and a barn and implement shed at Rampart. 



A survey has been made of the tract of land occupied by the sta- 

 tion on Calsinsky Bay, and its reservation for station purposes will 

 be asked for. 



