6i 



of the northern latitude, there is almost continuous day- 

 light during June and July; and for five months, typical 

 warm summer weather prevails. The amount of rain 

 varies greatly in different localities according to elevation 

 and proximity to mountain ranges. 



The rivers generally open early in May, but the ice 

 remains on some of the lakes until the first week in June. 

 Slack water stretches freeze over at any time after the 

 middle of October, but during some seasons, the rivers 

 remain open until well into November. 



The climate is in a general way similar to that in many 

 parts of British Columbia and other northerly mining 

 camps in the world and few more difficulties have to be 

 met there, in actual mining operations, than in localities 

 farther south. At least six months in each year are suitable 

 for surface working and for the necessary outside operations 

 contingent to mining. Further, during part of the summer, 

 outside work can be continued by night as well almost as 

 by day without the aid of artificial light. The ground is in 

 most places permanently frozen to varying depths, but 

 this does not interfere with mining operations, except while 

 such are being conducted at or near the surface, and in 

 underground placer mining the frost is often an advantage, 

 as when the ground is frozen timbering is not necessary. 



The forests of Southern Yukon are nowhere as heavy or 

 dense as those of more southerly latitudes, still in most of 

 the valleys and on many of the slopes up to an elevation of 

 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 m.) above sea-level, there 

 is a fair growth of useful timber. On the hillsides the trees 

 become dwarfed near timber line and there give place to 

 shrubbery. The higher elevations are moss-covered or 

 bare. 



The forest consists chiefly of 12 or 13 species, 8 of which 

 attain the dimensions of trees. These are the white spruce, 

 Picea alba, black spruce, Picea nigra, balsam fir, Abies 

 subalpina, black pine, Pinus Murray ana, balsam poplar, 

 Populus balsamifera, W. balsam poplar, Populus trichocarpa, 

 aspen poplar, Populus tremuloides, and white birch, B etui a 

 alaskana. 



Several varieties of wild fruits grow very abundantly, 

 and many of the wide, flat, extensive valleys are covered 

 with luxuriant growths of wild grasses. Also many varie- 

 ties of vegetables grown at Dawson, Whitehorse and inter- 

 mediate points compare favourably with those imported. 

 Moreover, it is well known that horses winter safely in 



