702 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



At Skagway the land was newly cleared and was " raw and sour, 

 containing a large percentage of imperfectly decayed vegetable matter, 

 mostly the rotten wood of conifers which had accumulated in the course 

 of ages." But in spite of these unfavorable conditions and the fact that 

 planting was delayed until June, oats, barley, and flax were success- 

 fully grown, together with a long list of vegetables. 



One important fact developed during the past season is the sensi- 

 tiveness of certain varieties and crops to^ the new ground, and its 

 possible explanation of the adverse criticisms which have been made 

 on Alaska as a farming country. The newly broken ground is raw, 

 sour, and water-logged, and contains a large amount of decaying wood, 

 etc. It needs to be aerated, drained, and in many cases limed to make 

 it suitable for most cultivated plants. For example, barley and flax 

 were nearly total failures on new ground and oats were only a partial 

 success, while on old ground they all made excellent growth. The 

 same was true of varieties of clover from Norway, and a considerable 

 number of vegetables. The seed in all cases germinated promptly in 

 the new ground, but the young plants languished, turned yellow, and 

 soon died. The failure in all these cases was due to the soil and not 

 to the climate. 



In addition to these field trials, observations and records were made 

 of soil temperatures, and samples of soil were taken for moisture and 

 other determinations. A number of places in the coast region of 

 Alaska were visited, and surveys and reservations of land for experi- 

 mental purposes were made at Sitka, Kadiak Island, and Kenai in 

 Cook Inlet. Considerable additional information relative to the agri- 

 cultural conditions in different parts of Alaska was obtained in response 

 to circulars of inquiry. 



Dr. Walter H. Evans, of this Office, continued his botanical survey 

 during the past summer, adding a considerable number of new speci- 

 mens of the flora of the coast region. Several species were found 

 which give promise of considerable value as sand binders. The reports 

 of Professor Georgeson and Dr. Evans for the past year have recently 

 been issued. 



On the whole, the outcome of the two years' investigation was suffi- 

 ciently encouraging to recommend the establishment of a station or 

 stations on a definite basis, and Congress has accordingly increased the 

 appropriation for the ensuing year. 



The main station will be located at Sitka, and an office and laboratory 

 building costing about $5,000 will be erected there this spring on a 

 small tract of land reserved for that purpose. Other land near Sitka 

 will be cleared and broken and put in shape for field trials. This will 

 be of little use the coming season except for growing forage for the 

 work animals, but several small patches of old ground have been secured 

 for continuing the field tests. 



At Kenai a tract of land will be cleared and broken, and log silos 

 will be erected for ensiling the native grass, which is abundant and 

 nutritious, but not easily made into hay on account of the very frequent 



