STATES KELATIONS SERVICE. 331 



2,000,000 people of these sections were very largely dependent upon 

 the nuiinland for food, the annual imports of such products into 

 Hawaii and Porto Rico alone being valued at about $20,000,000, in 

 spite of the fact that many of the articles imported can be grown 

 successfully in tropical countries. In their efforts to increase local 

 production of foodstuff's the stations have cooperated with whatever 

 agencies they found available, and so successfully has the work been 

 carried on that imports in certain lines have been noticeably reduced. 

 Already Porto Rico, which formerly imported more than $800,000 

 worth of beans annually from the mainland, is in a position to ex- 

 port them. The Hawaii station, through cooperation wdth indi- 

 viduals and organizations of various kinds, greatly increased the 

 local production of food crops. The Alaska stations greatly ex- 

 tended the areas sown to grains, so as to be able to meet increased 

 demands for seed grain adapted to the country. The Guam station 

 is distributing larger quantities of seeds and plants for cultivation by 

 the natives, the results so far obtained having been satisfactory. 



The only administrative change in the stations was the appoint- 

 ment of C. AY. Edwards to take charge of the Guam station, in place 

 of A. C. Hartenbower, who returned to his former home in the States. 

 Mr. Edwards, a graduate of Michigan Agricultural College, with a 

 number of years' experience in connection with the Philippine Bu- 

 reau of Agriculture, entered upon the work in Guam early in the 

 fiscal year. Those continuing, in charge of the stations are : Alaska, 

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

 May; and to these gentlemen the successful planning and carrying 

 on of the work at the several stations is largely due. 



Acknowledgment is here made of the continued and cordial co- 

 operation of the bureaus and divisions of the department aaid of the 

 generous assistance they have given the stations. 



The appropriations of the stations for 1917 were as follows: 

 Alaska, $48,000; Hawaii, $40,000; Porto Rico, $40,000; and Guam, 

 $15,000. These sums, together with small amounts remaining as 

 balances from sales funds, represent the disbursements in connection 

 with the several stations. The current-sales funds are no longer 

 a.vailable to the stations for maintenance expenses, but are now de- 

 posited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. 



The administration and financial review of the affairs of these 

 stations in connection with the States Relations Service continues 

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

 the service. 



Alaska Stations. 



One of the most important events connected with the Alaska sta- 

 tions was the provision by Congress for an experiment station in 

 the Matanuska Valley, for which an immediately available appropri- 

 ation of $10,000 w^as granted. On the passage of this law steps were 

 taken to begin operations in that region, a preliminary surve}^ hav- 

 ing already been made and a site for the station selected. The tract 

 chosen, which embraces 240 acres situated about 2 miles from the 

 town site of Matanuska, was set aside for use as an agricultural 

 experiment station by Executive order dated September 20, 1915. 

 Subsequently section 14 was added, and it is estimated that probably 

 150 acres of the two tracts can be readily cleared and cultivated. On 



