Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-07-25
Alaska.
Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

MOSES occupying still higher regions
afford splendid pastures in the sum-
mer for moose, caribou, ibex, and
mountain sheep, and in the winter
even supply food for immense herds
of wild reindeer.
The river valleys of Alaska are us,
ually wide and rolling, and covered
with interminable forests of birch,
spruce, willow, poplar, cottonwood,
and some of the smaller varieties of
needlewoOd. Throughout these
primeval timber lands the soil con-
sists in the summer time of a thick,
spongy layer of moss and lichens fair
ly soaking in moisture. The closely
woven vegetation has for centuries
made it impossible for the sun to dry
out this peaty soil, and the moisture
retained makes the land unfit for ag-
riculture. | have found in several
instances, however, large tracts of
timber land through which forest
fires have ragged, and in which the
peat has been burned out. The ashes
and the sandy soil under the moss
and lichen, mixed through the ages
with rich humus from decaved vege>
tation, in such cases, produced perfect
tangles of wild flowers. The density
and variety of Alaskan vegetation, its
quantities Ofwild flowers and berries,
argue in favor of agricultural possibil-
tiles. 1t is true that from two to five
feet below the surface one may strike
at all times layer of solidly frozen
ground, yet the same fact has been
shown to obtain with the great wheat
fields of Manitoba and the Northwest
Territory. Only potatoes and turnips
have been tried in Alaska, and both
have yielded remarkable crops.
was surprised not to find anywhere
among the white traders and mission
aries any hot beds, for the use of
which the climate seems to be partic>
ularly adapted. The summer season
is short in months, but in point of
hours of sunshine it is equal to about
six months of our summer. BY the
gift of the midnight sun, Providence
has intended at least a partial equali>
cation for the benefit of the poor
Alaskan.
The tundra land lisa dreary moor
which frames the western shore of
Alaska. 1t consists of deposits made
by the great streams, the Yukon,
Kuskokvim, and Nushagak, through
the ages. All these streams are full
Of driftwood and sediment; and are
gradually building new territory out
into Behring Sea. The tundra is,
therefore, practically delta land, con-
sisting of stratum ofsunken and in>
terlaced water>logged driftwood, COW
cred with silt or clay on which a
layer of peaty vegetable remains,
forming foundation for the endless
moss. Throughout this immense
plain of "made" land there are pools
and lakes and dead rivers which are
inhabited during the summer by mil
lions of ducks, geese, and cranes, who
have developed in that region the
great breeding ground of the world.
The numbers of these aquatic birds
which are seen on a summer through
the tundra are simply beyond compre-
hension. myself have seen the sky
black with geese as if a swarm of lo~
Gusts were descending, and l have
also enjoyed the peculiar sport of
hunting wild geese with club. The
tundra moss is literally mixed with a
moss~like plant. bearing blue berry,
which geese and ducks consider rare
delicacy. 1t seems to me that some
profitable industries might be derived
from the existence of these huge
breeding grounds.
Every where in Alaska is secured
every year magnificent output of
land furs, not to be surpassed. There
are mink, marten, land otter, white,
red, black, and silver-tipped dear,
gay timber wolves, marmot, ground
squirrel, muskrat, ermine, wolverine,
and1prObably some varieties have
been omitted in the list. The annual
catch of seal and sea otter is generally
known. The salmon canning indus
try of Alaska is being rapidly devel-
Oped, there over twenty established
canneries in the territory at the pres
ent time. Yet there are many other
pursuits which may be and which
will be followed to advantage.