The times., 1897-07-29
Spring Lovely at Sitka, With
Winters Like Autumn.
FROM A COAST SURVEY VIEW
Fruit Ts Borne on Trees, But Fails
10 Fully Mature. and Berries
Abound i'm Summer, But the
Flavor Is Not Up to the Stauc-
ard.


vegetation Of Alaska which appears to
contradict some things that have been
recently printed about that country
He saws that the time OF his last visit to
Alaska was about the latter part of May
The uo;,lars and other deciduous trees were
inst budding, and in some places the young
leaves had sIread out. The nights, though
cold, were not frosty, the thermometer sci
dora indicating less that 40 degrees. 1t
was quite hot in the sun during the day,
though IL the shade the mercury seldom
rose at owe 65 degrees. 1t is much hotter
in midsummer. At Sitka, in the sameiatitude
or a little north, there is not as great d
difference between the summer and win
ter az uUon the StiRine River.
The winter at Sitks is not severe, and
the year that / WIS there" /" said Mr.. David
son, "there was not a crop of ice On the
EtiRlne and In the interior valley, shut out
from the influence of the ocean current, the
seasons are strongly marked. There the
winters are cold and the summers are hot
The river closes in December and freezes
over from The mouth up and opens in May.
In some years tins river has remained open
till the middle OF December, and thawed
out by the list OF May. But those We're
soft winters. As soon as the warm days or
spring cause the SHOWS to melt, the river
begins 10 rise and so breaks up the ice
Then there Is a shcTt season of rising
and falling, after which come the con
tinuous floods OF the hot months. Very
little rain falls in the upper part OF the
valley during the summer Little or moth
ing is known or the climate in the noun
tains at the head of the Stikne. At the
mining Camps near Sbek's bar, the winters
were said TO DE very severe Snow com
mences to fau in october and Is most iienti
ful in December, and covers the ground to
a depth Of from -four 10 fourteen feet OF
more all winter
There is a story from Alaska that four
feet OF snow on a level fell in one day.
in December Of the year that Mr.. David
son visited Alaska the mercury sank be
low zero in December and remained solid
In the hib FOR nine days, when it oncemore
rose. There was no thawing or rain during
the winter Mt Davidson thinks tnau It is
this alienation Of the seasons which causes
the timber of the interior to be superior
TO that OF the coast
LAT Sitka,'' said Mr. Davidson. fruit
trees were introduced and special atten-
ton devoted 70 their culture, but they
have not borne fruit, except few small
specimens that never fully matured Ber-
mes aboIiud throughout the country IN
summer. They are of large size, but gen
orally lack flavor, on account of the alb
senceo OF direct sunlight. Mostof the Ferries
were ripe when left Kadiak, August %,
and potatoes Were in full bloom The
potato yields well in Alaska, but the vege-
table is small and watery. Cranberries
grow wild, and are small and, generally.
well Favored. They might easily be cul-
tivated there and would form a valuable
addition 20 the California market. None
of the cereals were in cultivation when
I was in Alaska, and it is very doubtful
IL they would sucoeed- In fact, except a
few small gardens, belonging TO private
individuals, nothing is cultivated, the pop
ulation trusting mainly for their food to
southern markets. There is butIittIe space
cleared about Sitka for grass, and there
are but few horses or cattle. But there
would bc no difficulty in raising large
crops OF grass at Kadak if the land Were
cleared OF timber.
TIE prevailing forest tree is the Sitka
spruce, growing 10 great size and cover
ing every foot of ground, climbing the
steepest mountain sides, to the height OF
1000 or $500 feet above the level of
the sea. / have measured feled trees of
this spruce that were $50 feet long and
-four feet thick at the butt, while adjacent
standing trees measured over six feet in
diameter and were branchess for over
fifty feet He1nlock, aldcrs and willows
are founG, but the most valuable wood of
the country is the yellow cedar, with a
fine, even texture, fragrant smell, good
size, and greater strength than the spruce
OF llaf1 MT lon
said MI. Davidson, Ito the Port Oxford
white cedar and while admitting its man
good qualities. / have no hesitation in
saying that the yellow cedar OF Alaska is
q much superior wood
This wood is readily worked, takes q
smooth surface, and is remarkably dura
BILE lit viii eventually make a valuable
addition TO our cabinet woods and is SAIL
70 be superior as ship timber to other
on the Pacific coast. II may be obtained
in ample size for frames and knees OF yes
sels OF ordinary size. At Skalitch anchor
age one Uf these trees measured eighteen
feet in circumference and 125 feet ir
height. Part OF the keels and frame o
one OF the ships belonging TO the Russian
American Company was found on the beact
where il had been wrecked forty year.
before 1t was built of this wood, which
exhibited not the least sign of decay o
teredO attacks. The wood around tht
copper and iron bolts was as well preserved
Hs on the day they We're driven. 1t Il
possible TO construct the hulls OF all TN,
shipping needed in Alaska for many years
20 come out OF this native timber ThI
timber is found from the southern bound
AIRY of Alaska TO the furthest point ex
plored northward The spruce, hemlock
alder, and willow cover the coast as IA
north as Sterya Bay, whence WESTWARD
70 Prince Williams Sound very little i
known.
ION Prince Williams Sound, notwitt
standing the severity OF the winters, vege
tation is reported to spring up with. grea
rapidity, and berries of every variet,
and great abundance flourish whereve
the low shores are not too deusely tirr
bered. This Is also true of the countr-
around Cooks Inlet, where the summe
Is warmer and there the vegetation /
more vigorous Similar products continu
10 Alaska peninsula and to the norther7
part Of the island OF KaCiiak, although O
this island the trees are shorter and
smaller and grow only in the valleys am
low grounds and in comparatively sma
areas along the northern coast iine-
The vegetable productions of Unalask
are similar TO those of Sitka and Kadiak, bu
no trees exist In the middle or Kadiak en-
the peninsula abreast of it, Turnips an
potatoes are cultivated by a few of tn