AGRICULTUKAL 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 Kodiak 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 TO 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 
