146 



RECREATION. 



ALASKAN FORESTS. 



The first 2 of the volumes which are 

 to record the results of the Harriman 

 expedition to Alaska, undertaken in 1899, 

 oame from the press in October, one of the 

 most sumptuously illustrated' publications 

 of its kind. Besides the narrative of the 

 journey it contains chapters on the cli- 

 mate, geography, and resources of the 

 country, and among these a chapter on the 

 forests by Dr. B. E. Fernow, who was of 

 the party. Dr. Fernow remarks on the 

 interesting distribution of the different 

 species of forest trees, showing that along 

 the coast, as is to be expected, the flora of 

 the West coast of Oregon and Washington 

 is continued, with one species after an- 

 other dropping out until only the tideland 

 spruce and the 2 hemlocks remain ; and 

 finally at the Western limit on Kadiak isl- 

 and the spruce alone forms the open, 

 park-like forest. 



In the interior, on the other hand, the 

 species are those of our Eastern flora, the 

 Adirondack spruce, aspen and birch. Of 

 the commercial value of the Alaskan forest 

 Dr. Fernow does not give glowing ac- 

 counts. The coast forest, about 20,000 

 square miles in extent, mostly found on the 

 .islands of the Alexander archipelago, con- 

 tains only a small quantity of the valuable 

 Alaska cedar, while the largest propor- 

 tion is hemlock, with the spruce a close 

 second. These 2 species are not very valu- 

 able, even where best developed in the 

 more Southern coast region, and here they 

 are poorly developed, knotty and branchy, 

 besides difficult of access ; so that it pays 

 better, even now, to import lumber from 

 the Puget sound country, notwithstanding 

 the efforts of local sawmills. 



The interior is described as an arid 

 region, with temperature extremes from 

 60 degrees below zero to 112 degrees above, 

 the forest growth mostly stunted and open, 

 occurring in patches or islands and along 

 river courses, as we are accustomed to see 

 it in the arid and semi-arid regions of the 

 Rocky mountains. The economic value of 

 these scanty resources can only be local, 

 but they are of highest importance to the 

 development of the mining industry. 



Curiously enough, in the same volume, 

 only a few pages removed, Mr. Henry 

 Gannett, the geographer of the U. S. 

 Geological Survey, uses the following 

 language with regard to these same forest 

 resources : "The interior of the territory 

 is forested, mainly with spruce, as far 

 North as the valley of the Koyukuk and 

 ns far Westward as the delta of the Yukon. 

 In this enormous region there must be 

 a great quantity of coniferous timber, 

 sufficient to supply our country for half 

 a generation in case our other supplies 

 become exhausted." 



Neither of the 2 writers saw that part of 

 the country, but report second-hand infor- 

 mation. Did the geographer or the forester 

 interpret conditions and statements of ex- 

 plorers correctly? Dr. Fernow at least 

 states his sources of information. Regard- 

 ing the coast forest, the 2 authorities also 

 differ. Dr. Fernow considers hemlock the 

 main timber and does not think either 

 spruce or hemlock of good quality. Mr. 

 Gannett says : 



"The timber is mainly, indeed almost 

 entirely, Sitka spruce. There is some hem- 

 lock at higher levels. . . . The spruce 

 is large, fine, judged by Eastern standards." 



Who is likely to have seen more ac- 

 curately and to have a judgment on the 

 market value of a forest? 



SUCCESSFUL FOREST PROTECTION. 



Pasadena, Cal. — Forest Supervisor E. B. 

 Thomas says that about 25 fires were started in 

 the San Gabriel forest reserve last season, but 

 in almost every case they were checked in their 

 incipiency, and little damage resulted to the cov- 

 ering of the mountains. Twenty-five rangers 

 are employed in the reserve, an increase of 10 

 over last year, and they are maintaining a strict 

 patrol of their territory, one of their duties 

 being to keep a record of every person who 

 passes through or to the interior of the reserve. 

 These persons are cautioned by • the rangers to 

 be careful in the building of camp fires, and in 

 no case to leave such fires burning after aban- 

 doning a camp. Flagrant disregard of this ad- 

 monition has involved a party of 3 men in a 

 serious difficulty. They were cautioned by the 

 rangers in the customary way, but on leaving 

 camp neglected to quench their fire. As the 

 names of the men were known, warrants were 

 issued against them and are now in the hands 

 of the United States Marshall for service, and 

 the men will soon be taken into the Federal court 

 for trial. The extreme penalty for the offense 

 charged is one year's imprisonment or a fine of 

 $1,000, placing the offenders in a serious di- 

 lemma. 



Another order recently issued forbids the car- 

 rying of shot guns int othe government forest 

 reserve. The enforcement of that order is a 

 source of much discomfiture to hunters, but it is 

 considered necessary for the protection of the 

 forests. The reason for the order is the dan- 

 ger from ignited gun wads, which ifall into the 

 brush and smoulder sometimes for hours before 

 breaking into flames. A fire was started in this 

 manner but a few days ago near Monrovia, and 

 only the prompt action of the rangers prevented 

 a destructive conflagration. Persons carrying 

 shot guns are informed by _ the rangers that such 

 firearms must be relinquished to the govern- 

 ment agents; failure so to turn them over barring 

 the hunter from the reserve. 



Little trouble is found by the rangers in en- 

 forcing these regulations. Intelligent persons rec- 

 ognize their justice, but an obstreperous indi- 

 vidual is encountered occasionally, and harsh 

 treatment becomes necessary. All rangers wear 

 government badges, making their identification 

 positive, and their word is law in the reserve. — 

 California Exchange. 



REDWOOD CUTTING SHOULD BE CON- 

 TROLLED. 

 According to a report received from California, 

 a company has been formed on the Pacific Coast, 

 with a capital of $15,000,000, for the purpose of 

 controlling the redwood market. There are not 

 many lumber merchants in the East who handle 



