100 NORTH AMERICA 



stand at the present time, are eminently suitable for at 

 least an abundant admixture of broad-leaf summer- 

 green forests, and that similar circumstances, at the 

 other end of South America, in southern Chile, in New 

 Zealand, and in Europe, favour the development of such 

 broad-leaf trees. It is therefore likely that the cause of 

 the exclusive predominance of conifers here will be found 

 mainly in the geological history of the country. 



The northern half of the coast-ranges enjoys a rather 

 moist and temperate climate ; even the seaward slopes 

 of the southern Alaskan range have a comparatively 

 mild winter. Hence the coniferous forests in these 

 regions, south to latitude 43°, display a luxuriance un- 

 surpassed in any part of the world. The predominant 

 forms, spruces, firs, douglasias, tsugas, possess heavy 

 crowns; the lighter pine form is subordinate. Towards 

 the mouths of the Columbia and Frazer these forestfl 

 reach their maximum of wealth and density on the 

 seaward slopes: heavy crops of gigantic trees, and a 

 ground encumbered with a tangle of dead wood, padded 

 with thick layers of mould, and carpeted with mosses 

 and ferns. 



Though the variety of tree-forms decreases as one 

 goes towards Alaska, the seaward slopes of the Pacific 

 coast mountains continue to enjoy a mild and humid 

 climate up to Cook's Inlet. They display, in contrast 

 to the central Alaskan plateau and the Rocky Moun- 

 tain chain on the north of it, the same luxuriant type of 

 hemlock-spruce and cedar forests ; South Alaska indeed 

 presents the appearance of a beautiful mountain park 

 pleasantly diversified by rich, flowery meadows. Above 

 1,200 feet the park landscape changes to sub-alpine 

 pastures dotted with groves of alders and willows ; and 

 a treeless belt of alpine grasses reaches to the snow- 



