in 



rKUlll.l/.KKS IMI'IMNK I'lIK YIF.M). 



It is further to Ik- iioletl that the ><)il i> not naturally rich. Wlu'iv 

 fertilizers were applied there was an increase in the yield of straw, 

 whieh, in some eases, amounted to double the wei<rht ohtaini'd on 

 unfertilized i)lats. Alaska soils are, as a rule, not fertile, except on 

 alluvial (lepo>its near the mouths of tho rivei-s or el-ewhere where 

 silt has accumulated. There is but a small amount of veiretable 

 mold in the soil. In the coast region, where the rainfall is abundant, 

 vegetation is luxuriant nearly everywhere, but in the interior, where 

 the rainfall is scant, the native vegetation is not abundant. Con- 

 sequently, but little humus is accumulated. Owing in part, also, to 

 the same cause, disintegration of the rocky material is not so com- 

 plete as it is in more southern latitudes; that is. the soil, as a rule, 

 contains a large percentage of gravel. These conditions coml)ine to 

 make the addition of fertilizers very desirable. The fertilizer used 

 the past season was fish guano, an Alaskan product manufactured at 

 Killisnoo. 



FALL l'LoWIN<; I'.SSKNTLVL. 



An important point to note in regard to grain growing in the inte- 

 rior is that the land should be fall plowed. This will save labor in 

 the spring, when it will be only necessary to go over the field with a 

 disc harrow in order to put it in condition for seeding. All who at- 

 tempt to farm in the interior should, therefore, make an effort to plow 

 the land thoroughly innnediately after the crops are gathered in the 

 latter part of August or the beginning of September. 



EARLY SEEDING NECESSARY. 



Another important point is to get the seed in the ground as early as 

 possible. Begin seeding in early May whenever it is possilsle to work 

 the ground, and let nothing interfere with the work until all the seed 

 is planted. Early seedings may be caught by frost, but late seedings 



are sure to be. 



RAMPART STATION. 



While the Rampart Station was reserved in 1900 and a small clear- 

 ing of about half an acre made, no one was regularly employed at 

 this station until July, 1904, when Mr. Fred. E. Rader, formerly 

 assistant at Sitka, was made superintendent of the station. He went 

 to work at once and cleared about 2i acres of land in that year, 2 

 acres of which were seeded for the first time in the present season. 

 During the summer of 1905 the clearing was continued, and he has now 

 about 51 acres ready for the plow. The cleared portion was seeded to 

 grain and planted to vegetables. It has already been noted that most 



