ALASKA STATIONS. 19 



EXPERIMENT STATIONS IN ALASKA, HAWAII, AND PORTO RICO. 



ALASKA STATIONS. 



The policy announced in previous reports of confining investiga- 

 tions at each of tlie Ahislva stations to some definite problems has 

 been continued with good results. Attempts at grain growing have 

 been abandoned at the Sitka Station, but the cultivation of cereals 

 is made the main feature of the work at the Copper Center aiid 

 Rampart stations, where there are large areas of land capable of 

 cultivation. 



At the headquarters station at Sitka the principal offices are main- 

 tained, and from here the work of the other stations is directed. 

 The experimental work at Sitka consists very largely of horticultural 

 investigations, which include not only all of the garden crops, but 

 bush fruits as well, and some experiments with orchard fruits, par- 

 ticularly apples, cherries, and plums. The station has been propa- 

 gating, cultivating, and distributing a considerable amount of nur.sery 

 stock with a view to ascertaining what if any varieties are suited 

 to Alaskan conditions. During the years 1905 and 1006 there were 

 distributed to more than 300 addresses 2,716 apple trees, 2,204 cur- 

 rant and similar bushes, and 1,874 raspberry plants. About 30 of 

 the hardiest varieties of apples have been secured from various 

 sources, and their growth and hardiness are being observed. Ad- 

 vantage is being taken of the occurrence of a native crab a]iple (Pi/n'-^ 

 riridcois), and it is being u.sed quite successfully as a stock on which 

 to graft a /lumber of varieties, crown grafting seeming to give the 

 best results. 



In addition to varietal tests of strawberries, ra.spberries, currants, 

 etc., attempts are being made to domesticate the wild species of these 

 plants. Successful efforts have been made in hybridizing the wild 

 strawberry with some of the cultivated sorts, the cultivated rasp- 

 berry and the salmon berry, wild and cultivated raspberries, and 

 others, the object of these breeding experiments being to secure the 

 hardiness of the native sj)ecies and the improved quality of the cul- 

 tivated varieties. 



An extended series of experiments is in progress at the Sitka Sta- 

 tion to determine the best varieties of cabbages, cauliflower, and 

 potatoes for Alaska, and also to determine the relative merits of 

 Alaskan grown and imported seed potatoes of different varieties. 

 The.se exj^eriments will be continued until it will be possible to 

 .definitely recommend varieties for Alaskan cultivation. 



At the Copper Center Station attention is being paid to the grow- 

 ing of grains and forage, about 40 acres being under cultivation, 10 

 acres of which are in permanent grass plats. The growth of the 

 crops was heavier this year than usual, doubtless due to an unusual 



