ALASKA EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 253 



quence of this the crops were backward for the season. They were 

 revived, however, by later rains. The result of the season's operations 

 is given in detail in Mr. Nielsen's report, which is submitted herewith. 

 PL XI, fig. 1, shows a view of a cart load of ha}. 



On the whole, the writer regards the prospects for farming on the 

 Kenai Peninsula as very promising. The success of the work at the 

 station has stimulated many, of the natives, chiefly those of Russian 

 descent, as well as the Indians, to raise gardens of their own, or to 

 extend the area and increase the varieties grown in the case of those 

 who had gardens before. Potatoes are grown very generally and very 

 successfully everywhere in that region as their main crop, but they 

 raise also cabbage, kale, turnips, lettuce, and radishes. 



I found that I could not reach Unalaska except by waiting nearly a 

 month at Homer for the next boat going westward, and this being 

 impracticable, I decided to return to Sitka with the Newport. Through 

 the kindness of Mr. Gompets, superintendent of the Kenai cannery, 

 I got passage to Homer on one of the fishing steamers belonging to 

 this cannery, and arrived there just in time for the eastward trip of 

 the Newport. 



I returned to Sitka, June 29, and finding that Assistant Director 

 Allen, of the Office of Experiment Stations, would be there shortly, I 

 decided to await his arrival before starting for the interior. 



There is much good pasture land in the neighborhood of Homer. 

 I present herewith a reproduction of a photograph of horses at pasture 

 (PI. XI, fig. 2). The hill country back from the beach affords also an 

 abundance of pasture. The nature of the country is indicated some- 

 what by a photograph of a clearing near Homer (PI. XII, Hg. 1). 

 The buildings in this clearing belong to the Cook Inlet Coal Fields 

 Company. 



There are enormous deposits of coal in this region. It crops out on 

 the high bank facing the beach, several thick seams being exposed. 

 It is said to be of good qualhty, and it has the peculiar property that, 

 although it is a soft coal, it does not soil a white handkerchief. This 

 coal deposit will doubtless play an important part in the settlement of 

 the region. 



MAIL FACILITIES FROM SITKA WESTWARD. 



Before leaving this subject, I deem it my duty to mention that the 

 mail service at Kenai, and in general between Sitka and the westward, 

 is very inadequate. Mail is carried between Sitka and Kenai only 

 once a month and the boat stops at Kenai only long enough to land 

 the mail, so that it is impossible to get replies until the next mail 

 boat. On the return trip east, the mail boat does not stop at either 

 Kenai or Sitka. Letters addressed to the Kenai Station can not be 

 answered for a month after their arrival, and then they are carried to 



