14 



of the «>r<iin matured, although the seeding was late, the first grain 

 being sown May 18. The summer was not altogether favorable. It 

 was colder than usual, with more cloudy and rainy weather than is 

 normal in that region, and the early grow^th Avas slow. Mr. Rader's 

 report (see p. 55) shoAvs that nearly everything matured. "Win- 

 ter rye ripened satisfactorily, but winter wheat, on the other hand, 

 did not fully ripen. These fall-sown grains were partly w^inter- 

 killed from the fact that the snowfall was very light, and as the snow 

 was the only protection the grain was killed where the snow was 

 thinnest. The writer visited this station in the middle of July and 

 again on August 10. On these dates the prospects were not favorable 

 for the harvest; but seasonable weather continued throughout the 

 month of August, and as the frosts which occurred in the latter part 

 of that month were not severe enough to injure the grain the crops 

 ripened. 



Ten thousand feet of lumber were purchased to be used in the 

 buildin,g of a house at this station, which is planned to be put up 

 during the summer of 1906. The logs for this lumber were pur- 

 chased from the contractor who had supplied Fort Gibbon with logs 

 for buildings, and they were saw^ed and transported through the 

 courtesy of officers of the War Department. 



Rabbits are so numerous about Rampart as to be a veritable pest. 

 Both grain and garden crops have to be fenced rabbit proof. In the 

 absence of such protection, everything is eaten to the ground. Part 

 of the cleared ground has been fenced by driving barrel staves in 

 the ground and part will be fenced with wire netting. 



KENAI STATION. 



The writer visited Kenai Station in early September. There are 

 25 acres under cultivation at this place, all of which was seeded to 

 grain. Only once since the first crop was harvested, in 1899, has 

 grain matured at this station. The summers are too cool and cloudy 

 and. though the rainfall is not excessive, there is a lack of the sun- 

 shine which is so necessary for the grain. Last season's crop w^as 

 intended only for feed and consisted chiefly of oats, though some 

 barle}' was also grown. These grains made a good growth, and by 

 the beginning of September the grain was in the milk, and thus 

 afforded most excellent feed. The fall Avas so dry that all the grain 

 was cured for hay. 



Pursuant to the plan announced in last year's report, this station 

 will iu the future be devoted chiefly to (hiirying. A small herd of 

 native cattle has been reared at the station, the cows being purchased 

 in the village three and four years ago. There were four cows in 

 milk last summer, which, with the heifers, calves, and yoke of oxen, 

 made a total of thirteen head. From this number the superintendent 



