PREFACE. 



Since the discovery of gold in Alaska in 1897 continuous calls for 

 information concerning the agricultural possibilities of the Alaska 

 Peninsida have come to the Department of Agriculture. Much valu- 

 nh\e information on this topic has been secured by the Office of Ex- 

 periment Stations largely through the Alaska experiment stations 

 at Sitka, Kenai, and Copper Center in charge of Prof. C. C. George- 

 son, but as the work of these experiment stations was necessarily 

 largely local in character, and as it Avas highly desirable to study con- 

 ditions in sections remote from the stations, the Office of Experiment 

 Stations requested the Bureau of Plant Industry to send some one to 

 explore as large an area of the Alaskan country as might be feasible. 

 Accordingly Prof. C. V. Piper, of the Office of Grass and Forage 

 l^lant Investigations, w^as detailed to make this exploration under 

 the joint auspices of the Office of Experiment Stations and the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry. The summer of 1904 was spent in this 

 work. The area explored is shown in black on the map constituting 

 Plate I. Many interesting facts relating to agricultural possibilities 

 in the region covered were recorded, and Professor Piper discusses 

 them in the following pages in detail. 



For further information concerning the results of this exploration 

 the reader is referred to the Annual Report of the Office of Experi- 

 ment Stations for the year 1904. 



W. J. Spili.man, Agrostologist. 



Office of Grass and Forage Plant Investigations, 



Washhujtoii, I). 6'., Aynl H^ 190o. 



