470 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
physiographic conditions. Its area is almost one-fifth that of the 
entire United States, and although much of this is economically full 
of promise it must not be forgotten that nearly one-fourth lies be¬ 
yond the Arctic Circle and that a large proportion of the remainder 
consists of high mountains and inhospitable wilds. In the States 
irrigation is reclaiming many arid tracts and drainage is making it 
possible to utilize swamps and waste areas which now furnish refuges 
for game. From all parts of the country come reports of an increas¬ 
ing scarcity of game animals. Hence our remaining natural game 
preserves in Alaska are the more to be prized and correspondingly 
to be guarded. Within the United States certain kinds of game may 
be maintained for years on their original range, but for other kinds 
the reserve is inevitable, as no restriction of shooting can offset the 
constant diminution of the natural range they require. Thus most 
of the winter feeding grounds of the wapiti, or elk, already have been 
absorbed for agricultural purposes and the animals bid fair to be 
reduced to semidomestication, being fed like cattle in winter or con¬ 
fined to inclosed or restricted ranges. The same experience probably 
would have come to the bison, but its fate was decided more per¬ 
emptorily. Very different, however, are conditions in Alaska, and, 
so far as can be seen at present, ample room for Avild game Avill be 
available for years to come. The problem to be solved therefore 
relates only- to saving the game itself. 
Even if bison, elk, and antelope had remained abundant in the 
United States, still the game of Alaska would be of special interest 
because it includes many fine animals quite different from these 
in kind and in habits. The Avholesome interest in nature study and 
outdoor life recently awakened in the United States is likely to be' 
permanent, and future generations, whether hunters, naturalists, 
animal photographers, or simply lovers of nature, will set a high 
value upon the possession of an undespoiled territory furnishing 
primitive haunts for wild game. 
To the permanent inhabitants of Alaska the value of game is 
obvious. Indeed, although much game Avas killed during the early 
rushes of gold seekers, Alaskans generally have not been sIoav to 
appreciate the necessity of game protection and the sentiment in 
favor of it is growing rapidly. Prospectors and travelers in the 
Avilderness must depend largely on game for food, and their necessi¬ 
ties have been fully recognized in the game laAv. Considerable game 
also has been killed for consumption in small settlements Avhere no 
regular supply of other fresh meat is available. HoAveA^er this be 
regarded, it is evident that restrictions must be placed upon the 
killing of game for sale in large towns where the demand is sufficient 
to endanger the very existence of the species. So far no species 
