212 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



sul)jcct,s is now \v\\ hir^c, uiul llii; altciiipts which hsivc been made to 

 reduce this material to organized form, in order that it Jiiay be utilized 

 for purposes of agricultural education, have shown that the stations 

 are doing- a great work in supplying the materials out of which a defi- 

 nite science of agriculture is l>eing constructed, and on which courses 

 of instruction in agricultui'e of different gi-ades can be successfully 

 based. Hence the highest interests of agricultural education, as well 

 as the practical interests of agriculture, call for increased thoroughness 

 and efficiency on tlie part of the stations in their efforts to solve prob- 

 lems in agricultural science and practice. 



It is encouraging to note the progress of experiment station work 

 in Alaska, as evidenced by the reports of Prof. C. C. Georgeson from 

 year to year. The work there differs from that in an}^ other locality 

 of this country owing to the conditions under which it is carried on 

 and the fact that it usually precedes even primitive attempts at farming. 

 There is as 3'et no basis of practical experience on which to fall back, 

 but the woi-k is laying the foundation for a future agriculture. It par- 

 takes of all the elements of pioneering in a new country, and from the 

 inaccessibility of many parts of the country and uncertainties of trans- 

 portation it is carried on under unusual difficulties. 



This is illustrated b}' the experience in opening the new station at 

 Copper Center the past season. This station embraces a tract of about 

 775 acres of land in the valley of the Copper River, which has been 

 temporarily withdrawn from entry by the Secretary of the Interior 

 and set aside for the use of the station. The nearest port is Valdez on 

 Prince AVilliam Sound. A luilitary trail has been constructed from 

 Valdez to Eagle on the Yukon, a distance of about 500 miles, and 

 Copper Center is located on this trail a little over 100 miles inland. 

 A start was made from Valdez early in the spring to transport the 

 equipment of the station which was absolutely necessary to begin the 

 work. The team purchased for the station was used for this purpose, 

 but proved inadequate for the undertaking, as the trail was verj^ diffi- 

 cult, and transportation was completed by contract at a price which 

 would ])e prohibitive to the ordinary individual. 



During the past season about lU acres of land have been cleared, 

 plowed, and seeded to spring crops. These consisted chiefly of varieties 

 of oats, ])arley, spring wheat, emmer, buckwheat, and various grasses. 

 The season was rather backward, and some of the cereals were not 

 received in time for early sowing. Their growth was impeded by 

 dry weather following the seeding, but in spite of this all were in 

 quite a flourishing condition July 20, and it was believed that many of 

 the cereals would mature by the end of August if frost did not inter- 

 vene. As noted in previous reports, the newness of the ground had 

 an important influence on the growth of the crops. Where brush had 



