18 HEPOHT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



The administrative business of this Office in its relations with the 

 insnhir stations has as hitiierto been in eliarge of Dr. WaUi'r II. 

 Evans, chief of the division of insuhir stations. The character and 

 scope of the work carried on l)y the dirt'erent stations may be seen 

 from the sunnnaries presented beh)w. 



ALASKA STATIONS. 



The climatic conditions in Alaska during 1009 were not so favor- 

 able for agriculture as in some previous years. Along the coast 

 region the rainfall was heavy, cloudy days numerous, and the tem- 

 perature rather lower than normal. The same conditions to a less 

 extent were noted in the interior, where the actual rainfall was not 

 large but the proportion of cloudy days was unusual. 



The work at these stations continues along the lines described in 

 previous reports, horticultural investigations being given promi- 

 nence at the Sitka Station, grain growing at Rampart and Fairbanks 

 in the interior, and stock raising on Kodiak Island. 



The most important change in the affairs of the Alaska stations 

 has been the temporary closing of the Copper Center Station. This 

 was decided upon for several reasons, among them the isolation, 

 which made transportation of .supplies very expensive; insufficient 

 rainfall, only 0.5 inch during April. May, and June of 1908; early 

 frosts, due to the proximity of the high mountains; and the desire to 

 develop the Fairbanks Station, where conditions are belived to be 

 more favorable and where a larger population has already become 

 established. The Copper River Valley has not become settled or de- 

 veloped as rapidly as was expected when the station was opened 

 there in 1902. The station, which was then located at Copjier Center, 

 has been maintained for six years, and about 40 acres of land were 

 brought under cultivation and some success was attained in growing 

 cereals — crops of wheat, oats, and barley maturing in favorable 

 sea.sons, while in other years practically all grains were lost, due 

 to early frosts. The possibility of growing hardy vegetables in the 

 Copper River Valley was fully demonstrated by the experiments 

 carried on at this point, and it seemed necessary to close this station 

 in order to open one in the rapidly settling region of the Tanana 

 Valley. The appropriations would not permit of maintaining two 

 stations, and as a consequence the greater part of the implements 

 and movable equipment was transferred to Fairbanks and the lands 

 and buildings temporarily turned over to the Bureau of Education 

 of the Department of the Interior. It is expected that some simple 

 demonstration work will be conducted by the Bureau of Education, 

 and experimental work can be resumed whenever it is believed wise 

 to take up work again in that locality, 



