ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ALASKA AGRICULTURAL EXPERI- 

 MENT STATIONS FOR i 9 oi. 



By C. C. Georgeson, Special Agent in Charge. 



The leading features of the Alaska investigations during the year 

 1901 have been the further clearing and improving of land, the grow- 

 ing of experimental crops, the opening of the station at Rampart, on 

 the Yukon, the distribution of seed, and a reconnoissance of the region 

 between Eagle, on the Yukon, and Valdez, on Prince William Sound. 

 We have, in addition, as heretofore, superintended the meteorological 

 observations along the Alaska coast. 



At Sitka but little more land has been cleared, but a good deal has 

 been done toward the improvement of that already cleared. At the 

 Kenai Station likewise additional land has been cleared, broken, and 

 put in condition for culture, and at the Rampart Station as much 

 land was cleared as one man could get in condition in time for spring 

 planting. 



The experimental croppings have been chiefly directed toward ascer- 

 taining what can best be grown in this climate, and how crops should 

 be treated for the best results. By the distribution of small packages 

 of seed grain to persons who seemed likely to undertake the work an 

 effort has been made to have the common hardy cereals tested over as 

 wide an area as possible. However, but very few reports from these 

 volunteer experiments have been received at this writing. Garden 

 seeds and some flower seeds have also been distributed to about 500 

 persons in the Territory, who either are or ought to be interested in 

 the development of agriculture. The seed distributed is much appre- 

 ciated for the reason that it is a difficult matter for settlers anywhere, 

 except along the seacoast, to obtain seeds. 



The examination of the interior from Eagle to Valdez, with a view 

 to get information in regard to its agricultural possibilities, the writer 

 regards as an important piece of work preliminary to the opening of 

 one or more stations in that region. A detailed report on the subject 

 is submitted herewith (p. 283). 



The season has, on the whole, been unfavorable. Of the four years 

 during which work has been in progress, this has been the worst. 

 The spring and early summer were abnormally dry, which retarded 

 the growth of crops, and the latter half of the summer and the entire 

 fall have been abnormally wet, which prolonged the growth and made 



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