302 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



rocky ridge; there is scarcely an elevation which could be called a 

 peak in sight along the divide, and yet it is too rough to have any 

 agricultural value, except as a range for sheep and goats. On the 

 south side the valley is likewise bounded by a divide, which separates 

 it from the region drained by the Copper River system. This divide 

 is decidedly more rugged than the one on the north side, but still it 

 has no high mountains with glaciers or snowy peaks. In the middle 

 of September, when Mr. Jones passed through, some of the highest 

 elevations had just been capped with fresh snow, but during the sum- 

 mer there are no snowy mountains within the region under considera- 

 tion. The distance from the top of the ridge on one side of the valley 

 to the top of the ridge on the other is about 50 miles. Between the 

 two lies the Tanana Valley proper. 



The river takes its rise in the same elevated portion of the coast 

 range from which the White River and the Copper River also spring. 

 The White River runs almost due east, and soon enters Canadian 

 territory. The tributary of the Copper which rises here runs west 

 until it joins the main river; and the general direction of the Tanana 

 is northwest. 



The Tanana is a large river, which measures in a straight line from 

 source to mouth more than 400 miles, and counting the windings it may 

 be twice this length. It is of varying width, but generally spreads 

 out from half a mile to 2 miles in width. In the lower half of its 

 course there are numerous islands. At the point where the trail crosses 

 the stream is about 500 feet wide and moderately swift. The water car- 

 ries much sediment and is of a milky color at this point, indicating that 

 some of its upper tributaries take their rise in a light-colored clay soil. 

 The valley proper, from base to base of the two divides which hedge it 

 in, is about 25 miles wide. It is almost a level tract, with but a slight 

 and very gradual rise from the stream toward the divide. The banks 

 are about 15 feet high above the stream at normal level of river. So 

 far as known the river does not overflow these banks at any time, but 

 we have no definite knowledge on this point. Where the trail crosses 

 the river is in about the middle of the valle}^. 



The valley in the belt under consideration is for the most part cov- 

 ered with a sparse and scattering growth of spruce, with some poplars. 

 The forest can scarcely be said to be continuous, as there are many 

 small patches of open meadow. Near the river, and especially in low 

 places in the bends of the stream, the growth was the densest and the 

 timber the largest; spruce trees 18 and 20 inches in diameter were plen- 

 tiful. On the dry land away from the river the timber was smaller, 

 and the growth open and scattering. There was very little continuous 

 grass land in sight, but scattering bunches of grass everywhere. A 

 low straggling blueberry bush was abundant, where not crowded out 

 by the spruce, and a very light coat of moss covered the ground. The 



