AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN" ALASKA. 5 



Precipitation, is much less at Seward than at the more eastern points 

 on the south coast, and winter temperatures are lower; still, the 

 climate is comparatively mild, so that the harbor is never icebound. 

 To the west of the Kenai Mountains, which form the southwestern 

 extension of the Chugach Mountains, the precipitation becomes much 

 less and winter temperatures much lower. 



The south portion of Alaska is a heavily timbered area, a natural 

 result of the heavy precipitation and equable temperatures. The tim- 

 ber is largely spruce, with some hemlock, and groves of poplar on the 

 alluvial bottoms. Proceeding southwestward along the Alaska Pen- 

 insula and adjacent islands, the timber decreases and disappears 

 entirely beyond the north end of Kocliak Island. The islands and 

 mainland are quite mountainous, level land being limited to narrow 

 strips along the beaches and to the numerous coves that indent the 

 shores. Grass in great variety and luxuriance clothes the land from 

 water to snow line and makes this the best grazing area of Alaska. 

 At Kodiak, on the island of the same name, is an experiment station 

 of the Office of Experiment Stations, United States Department of 

 Agriculture, maintained as an animal-husbandry station. A herd 

 of Galloway cattle and a flock of sheep are kept. A number of 

 private live-stock enterprises are being established on Kodiak and 

 neighboring islands. The stock is grazed during the summer, and 

 winter forage is provided mainly from the native grasses that are' 

 cut for hay and silage. 



TOPOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT INTERIOR. 



Having considered briefly the topography, climatic conditions, 

 and agricultural features on the seaward side of the mountains that 

 front the south Alaskan coast, let us proceed to the great interior 

 plateau. In the winter time the route is overland from the south 

 coast. From- Seward one can go by rail 70 miles on the Alaska 

 Northern Railroad, then by trail to Iditarod in the lower Yukon 

 Valley. From Valdez a Government-built wagon road runs to Fair- 

 banks on the Tanana ; or, one can use the Copper River & North- 

 western Railroad 135 miles from Cordova to Chitina and thence by 

 Government trail to Fairbanks. The last is the winter mail route 

 to the interior, and a regular stage service is maintained, there being 

 stage stations at the end of each day's run. Notwithstanding the 

 route is over the mountain ranges and very low temperatures are 

 experienced, the trips are comfortably made. 



Summer travel by team is not yet feasible by these routes, because 

 of the wet and boggy condition of much of the land, due to the melt- 

 ing at the surface, with a frost line a few feet below that prevents 

 the escape of the surplus water. So the summer route to the interior 



