THE FORESTS OF ALASKA. 23 



With crude equipment and high-priced labor, the placer miner can 

 work only the richest ground. His time is soon over. The low-grade 

 ground, which is always the most extensive, can be worked profitably 

 only by large capital and the most economical methods. This stage 

 has already been reached in the Klondike. It is coming in Alaska. 

 This will mean long-time operations. Then, too, there is the probable 

 development of lode mining for gold, which also requires large in- 

 vestments and long-time operations. There are agricultural pos- 

 sibilities in the Tanana and some other valleys. Nearly every cabin 

 in Fairbanks has a fine vegetable garden. Large quantities of po- 

 tatoes are already raised, and occasional fields of oats and barley. 

 The Government has experiment stations at Rampart and Fairbanks, 

 which are growing both grain and vegetables. Agriculture in the 

 interior of Alaska should eventually be sufficient to supply at least 

 the local needs for vegetables, and for horse and cattle feed. 

 Enthusiasts predict a large population for the Tanana Valley within 

 the next twenty-five years. Transportation at present is slow, ex- 

 pensive, and uncertain by means of river boats, which operate only a 

 few months of the year. The building of one or more trunk lines of 

 railway would greatly accelerate the development of the country. 



These resources already hold great promise, and doubtless there are 

 others which can not now be anticipated. 



The present sparse population will undoubtedly be greatly aug- 

 mented before many years. Alaska is almost a continent by itself, 

 and so far removed from the rest of the United States that it should 

 eventually depend as much as possible upon its own resources. This 

 makes it particularly necessary that the timber should be conserved. 

 The present population is made up largely of miners and others whose 

 only purpose is to make a stake and leave as quickly as possible there- 

 after. They are only too willing to skin the country for their own 

 benefit, without thought for the future. This will change as soon as 

 people go to Alaska expecting to make their homes there for at least 

 a considerable period of years, and there are already some families of 

 this sort in the Tanana Valley. 



WHAT SHOULD BE DONE. 



Obviously all che forests of Alaska, whether on the coast or in the 

 interior, should be protected and made of the utmost permanent use. 

 The coast forests, which include most of the saw timber of the Terri- 

 tory, and by. far the heaviest stands, are nearly all protected by 

 National Forests. They have not been damaged by fire, and are 

 but slightly reduced by cutting. They are overmature. . Carefully 

 planned cutting should take place as soon as possible. Every effort 

 should be made to have them utilized for lumber, and especially for 

 pulp. They should be so managed as to increase the. stand of spruce 



