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WORK AT THE RAMPART STATION. 

 WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE YEAR. 



Ry residents of the interior tlie winter of l!M»4-r) was considered mild. Only 

 once did the thermometer indicate 50° below zero, the average temperature for 

 the winter montlis heinj;, on an estimate, between 30° and 3.")° below zero. Thin 

 ice bejian running,' in the river October Ki. but it was not until October 20 that 

 it seemed as thoufih winter had begun. November the ice l)locked in the river, 

 and in a few days it was frozen over solid and so remained until May Ki of this 

 year. The maximum thickness of the ice was 4 feet. 



The first snow to remain on the ground fell October 2, and by the end of that 

 month there were Gi inches. The total snowfall for the winter was about 18 

 inches, and half of this did not fall until early in February. This snowfall is 

 considerably below normal, as there is often 4 feet in this locality. 



Early in Ajiril conditions seemed to point toward an early spring. The days 

 were bright and clear and the sun warm, but toward the middle of the month it 

 got colder again and the snow stopped melting for a while. By May ^t the 

 snow had disappeared from the plowed ground, and by May 10 it was all gone 

 except in sheltered spots. By May 15 part of the ground broken up in the fall 

 was dry enough to harrow, and on May 18 the first sowing of grain was made. 



Taken as a whole the summer was the most unfavorable one from an agricul- 

 tural standpoint since the station was estai»lished in inOO. It was characterized 

 by cloudy, rainy, windy weather and cool nights. The rainfall, (5.7 inches from 

 .Tune 10 to Septenjber 15. inclusive, was above normal, but was not excessive, 

 had it not been accomi)anied by so nuich cloudy weather and such cool nights 

 during July and August, the best growing months. Once during July the ther- 

 mometer dropped to P>'2° F., and several times to 33°, the average minimum 

 daily for the month being 42.0° ;ind the average maximum 68.G°. During the 

 first week of August occurr<Ml the warmest weather of the summer, the highest 

 temperature recorded being 00°. From June 10 to September 15, inclusive, a 

 period of ninety-eight days, there were forty-two cloudy, thirty-four partly 

 cloudy, and twenty-two clear days. The number of cloudy days is mu<h above 

 normal, according to common report. 



The first frost came August 10, when the temperature fell to 20°. Between 

 that time and the end of the month there were five more, but all were so light 

 that only the tenderer things were injured. The first killing frost did not occur 

 till Sei)tember 13, the thermometer falling to 17°. During the last week of 

 September there were several wet snowfalls, an unusual occurrence so early in 

 the season, but most of it melted. 



Persons who have been residents of Rampart since 1897 say this has been the 

 most unfavorable summer since their arrival. 



PROGRESS OF STATION WORK. 



During the winter some 175 logs were cut for use in station buildings, and 35i 

 cords of wood, which were exchanged for team work in doing the spring seed- 

 ing, etc. Other work during +he winter and spring was done as the weather 

 would permit. 



From July 10 to August 10 the superintendent. Mr. F. E. Rader, accompanied 

 l)y the special agent in charge, made a tour through the lower Tanana River Val- 

 ley and helped survey a reservation near Fairbanks. 



No help was hired prior to July 1, but since that time one man has been 

 employed by the day. In addition to routine work and caring for the crops, 



