4 BULLETIN 50, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
150 inches annually have been recorded. This heavy snowfall at the 
higher levels, accumulating through the ages and solidifying into 
ice. forms the great glaciers, and we have here on the south coast of 
Alaska in this 200 by 400 mile area, much of which lies plainly in 
sight from the decks of steamers, the most extensive permanent snow 
and ice field in the world, outside of the polar region. In fact, nearly 
all of the permanent snow fields and glaciers of Alaska are in this 
area, there being, strange as it may seem, comparatively few that lie 
wholly north of the Arctic Circle, even in the Arctic mountain system. 
At the shore line of this same south-coast snow and ice field, in sight 
of the great glaciers, the temperatures are so high in winter that zero 
is rarely reached. The winters at Sitka, Juneau, and other points in 
southeastern Alaska are never as cold as they are at Washington, 
D. C, though the mean annual temperatures are about the same, the 
summers on the Alaskan coast being cooler than those in "Washing- 
ton. But it does not follow that because the south coast has a mild 
climate the conditions are favorable for agriculture. The cool sum- 
mers and excessive precipitation, with much cloudy weather, are dis- 
tinctly unfavorable, excepting for the growth of grass, garden vege- 
tables, and small fruits. Vegetation is slow in maturing, and the 
curing of hay and grain quite difficult ; to which may be added the 
fact that land available for tillage is very limited because of the 
mountainous topography. 
Two considerable drainage areas are on the seaward side of this 
Pacific mountain system, that of the Copper River, which heads in 
the Xutzotin and TTrangell Mountains, and that of the Susitna, 
which heads in the Alaskan Range. In the valley of the Chitina, 
which unites with the Copper River 100 miles back from the coast, 
and in the valley of the latter above that point, there are areas of 
possible tillable land in flats and benches along the streams. A few 
homesteads have been located in these areas. Because of the Chugach 
Mountains that lie between these areas and tidewater to the south, 
the precipitation is very much less than immediately on the coast 
and the extremes of temperature are greater, the summers being 
warmer and the winters much colder. 
Passing westward into the Cook Inlet region, we find in the valley 
of the Susitna and that of the Matanuska. both of which streams flow 
into the Cook Inlet at the north end. and extending down the east 
and west shores of the inlet, particularly on the east shore, to the 
southern end of Kenai Peninsula, considerable areas of tillable land. 
On the east side, near Seward, at the head of Resurrection Bay and 
up the river of that name, is a limited area of tillable land with a 
number of good homesteads. There are other homesteads at Sun- 
rise. Hope, Knik. Kenai. and other points in the Cook Inlet region. 
