New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-19
ALASKA.
,optcrITI-RE IN TIE NEW TERRIr0Rf-rHE
FOKEsTs-LUAIBERING-
- a., c,eof,l CouespoudenL

occ,,notion in Alaska. in the eastern group OF
islonds-those in the region about H4tAa-'He
continuous rains Of August and September prevent
tho raising of grain and destroy the nutritious quar-
ties of the grass. The amount OF arabic SOIL ABOUT
the town hardly exceeds dozen acres, ana theSe
need understanding and rich dressing to make
- ,ortbv of cultivation. The soil is black and
fun Of small pebbles. As to gardening, have seen
more value ON patch of 200 feet square in Massa-
cbnsetts than is raised on this island In truth, not
over half-dozen families and few Indians pretend
70 raise anything. The garden of Prince Maksoutoh'
which has in its culture the constant OF an adept
Yields an abundance of cuTants and few lndlgesu-
ble raspberries. The cabbage, turnip, aruchoAe,
parsnip. and cauliGower, exhibit fair display Oh
leaves but the cabbages headless, the turnlpS
wateBy the artichokes tough, the parsnips STATE
and the cauliAowers tasteless. Six years ago. tiie
Governor obtained from Victoria apple pear, anu
cherry trees. They have been carefully ue et nn.
thrifty and this years growth OF foliage Is ~ J It
touched by the frost They bloSsomed ABOUT tie o S
of June and few dozen apples ana Le" LIZ oin
attempted to mature but failed. quar- O. P'i;
rcd ineinid cherries completes the yield OF irut III
the only orchard in this part OF russian it 80,
The Indians raise few potatoes for the market Oh
tI J;as"nt Islands of the harbOT-perhapS 1OO
Lnsheis IN the aggregate-in beds sharply thrown up
10 avoid the OF water. IN lhe apsenSo ~
better ouality the Russians have been satsneu WIN
them With the increased facilities Tor transpoitaI
fon l predict that SItka potatoes. caDDages' auu
ket Whoever visits Sika will not be long III de-
Gliding that while the latitude OF this region may not
be too high the eXcesStH9 rams ~ Decemher viii
prevent any other than r6y incidental klhu Oh
Eve hundred and fifty miles west of Sltka is the
island Of Kodac. having length Of 81 and width
of Is miles Lying in the same latitude as Stka, IL
is very unlike it in climate; Ihe summers alo
warmer and the Winters colder One-thuu Oh , !no
island is,wOod land and the rest an open, rolling
region, covered with thick fine grass IeseemoIug
red-top The forest trees are spruce, mr. ana ceui'
covering the most OF the northern PaIt VI 1ne H.
and having only few belts stretching across tl1
southern The climate IN summer Is diy-NeIy NUN y
Ike that of San Francisco Inc sea an prevents tII
raising of grain hut potatoes tuInlpS, peas anu
other hardy vegetables are grown OF excellent Quly;
Grass is very abundant and affords the best on
TastUraoe There are about hundred cattle on the
island mostly of the Siberian breed small ana Snort
with round, plump bodies and short h ri InoS
80 market and no inducement to raise cattle here
The natives are satisfied with wild meat ana nsn
forna and Oregon, as they must be ho9sea anu leu
four months of the year, but the beef is better re-
minding the whalemen OF the hnest eIlnoht Ste5h'
Both Russian aud American visitors say that Rooldc
has pasturage and hay enough for the support OF rom
5000 to 5000 head of cattle IL mas the OeSJ SUI VI
any Os the islands of Alaska Territory
The population of KOdiac is about 500. Inc nus
slams number less than 20. st. Paul the capital Is
next to Stka in size, having population OF So inc
number of dwellings and warehouses Is o. ~ Is on
the northern side of the island. Near by Is spruce
Island, the home of the retired hst' OF s1pelaahu
ted of
They have by far the best farms IN the territory
over $50 of the finest cattle, and raise excellent po-
tatoes and the harder vegetables
Ounalaska, the second III importance OF the long
series of islands which stretch 1900 miles westward
from KOdiac is 200 miles beyond that island III mas
GOOinhabitants. of whom only one Is white the late
Russian Governor. There is no wood on the island
and turf is used for fuel No cattle are here, al
though grass abOunds everywhere The climate ana
soil are the same as at Zodiac, but the surface IS
more mountainous One active volcanic peak, 600
feet high has vast quantities OF aNa IN f1 g4gGS
leading down from its crater. The capital luaIooh
has 115 inhabitants Extending 200 miles west OF
Ounaaska is an uninterrupted range OF lslahdS nav
ing surface varying from lOOO 10 ~ square lhlios
They are all of volcanic origin are destitute OF trees
and only the larger and more attractive are Occu-
pied by natives. Only two of them, Atka and Attoo
have Russian trading posts They are more 5 OF HS
land animals except the fox. The natives I'VE on hsh
and seal AttOo, the most western soil OF the Amer
lean Republic is in 1882 10 west longitude ana o.
so north latitude and has about 100 natives hVlng
amid1he rudest scenery. ,
have already mentioned that the ocean air pre-
vented the growth and maturity OF grain at zodiac
On the mainland opposite IS Cooks Inlet to the hOrth
of which is wide reach OF nearly Ieyel Isnd haE1hg
deep black soil Beyond the cooling eiiects OF tne
sea air and protected on the west by mgh range OF
mountains the Summer Is warmer than upon me
islands The grass Is taller and vegetable pfOoucls
larger and of better flavor 1t is occupied by sparse
and small tribes ofnaves, with several Russian posts
ON the coast Prince MaksoutO thinks that no grain
can be maured here but has no trial Of It, Capt
~ Englisb Raw in 1G2 but the frost killed it before
maturity Mr.. La Borne, whose authority Is good,
" saws that two wears ago 1883 he saw faiTszed and
fulrpe kernels of rye and barley raised that season
ut RedOubt ST. Nicholas on the east side OF Cooks
All authorities which have been able to consult
agree that if agriculture is carried on 10 any eX-
tent in Alaska Territory, 1t must be IN the vicinity
of Cooks Inlet and they positive that there IS an
area of 10000 to 1900 square miles that will mature
the aboYe-named grains.
Alaska Peninsula has too rugged a surface, and
eastward of Cooks Inlet is too cold for agriculture:
But in southeastern Aliaska-the narrow mainland
belt reaching down 10 541 co. there is somewhat eX-
port for large herds of the caTbOo deer 1t would
probably be able TO furnish beef and the hardy yege-
tables for sparse mining population, but nothing
beyond this. The quantity OF arabic soil is very
One-half of Kodac and all the islands west Of it
destitute of trees is all the region north OF
Alaska Peninsula around Behring's Strait, and along
the shores of the Arctic Ocean The rest OF the
Territory. including its most accessible districts, IS
wooded, the most OF it very heavily; The decduous
trees of this vast region few The reports which
have reached California about its valuable oak and
ash timber are entirely Observation-Disclosures species
having habitat in any part OF the Territory. All
the forest trees of the islands eveTgreens, but
few small alders-rarely five inches in diameter
but the main land. and especially In all the level
country north of Cooks Inlet, and in the Valley of
the KVRpak there is a growth, of poplar and birch,
having the same serviceable purposes as on the
northern Atlantic coast. 1t does not afford the
terial for pbuilding carriages wagons and farm
ing implements so much needed in the Pacific States
soft maple and balm of Gilead, which abundant
the Valley Of the Skeen and only seTyiceable
for feeding grouse and deer during the Winter.
For common building timber and planks the supply
is unlimited. The Sitka Group of Islands alone has Of
spruce fir cedar and hemlOck enough, it access
sible to supply the world for century. The Sitka
spruce-clOsey resembling the Scotch larch and diff
teTing from the Atlantic spruce IN having larger
growth, wider straw and more pitcly guIn--s by far
the most numerous Of the trees Of the northwestern
region of North America. The buildings of Alaska
made of its timbers liz is useful for heavy plank