The Ordway new era., 1912-05-24

last winter. which may be
permanent. The change was
caused by the switching Of the Japan
current toward the shores OF that
country. This Ia likely to cause a
great change In the raising Of agricul-
tural products and will. perhaps. open
up new fields OF endeavor. Records
show that It was Alaska's warmest
winter. Capt. Harry 8. Knapp. the
governments chief photographer. de-
clares that the Japan current probably
has been switched from its former
course to position very near the
Alaskan coast by recent earthquakes
in the Aleutian islands. Scientists are
now at work on the problem endeav-
oring to ascertain whether their sup
positions are correct.
The Alaska known to the tourist.
says the Philadelphia Record. Is a
strip Of land and fringe Of islands
about 425 miles long by 100 miles
wide. This extends north to Mount
Saint Elias and Ia about one.twelfth OF
the country. The main territory. be.
ginning at Saint Elias. stretches north.
ward about 700 miles to the Arctic
ocean and the same distance west
ward to the Bering sea. The total
area Is probably about 59o.ss+ square
miles.
Heretofore. the climate OF Alaska
has varied in different parts OF that
country. The impression is general
that the Alaskan climate Is arctic in
its severity. but this impression IS
misleading. There Is no typical Alas.
kan climate any more than there Is
typical European or American climate.
The extremes Of latitude and longi.
tude in Alaska and their parallel In
Europe between Norway and Sicily.
Equable Climate.
The Aleutian isles are favored by
most equable temperatures through
the Influences OF the Pacific ocean.
These modifying oceanic influences af-
feet the northern Alaskan coast to the
peninsula. and at Sitka and the coun-
try ,hereabouts is found northerly
extension OF the temperature condi-
tions OF the California and Washing.
ton coast region. The Sitkan archi-
pelago has a humid equable climate.
with cool summers. warm winters and
fre1uent falls OF rain and snow. OF
the coast stations Sitka Is typical. Its
mean OF 33 degrees for the coldest
month. February. Is practically iden.
tical with the January mean of Saint
Louis. Extremes are rarely known
there.
In the Saint Elias region westward
to the Alaskan peninsula the winters
are usually considerably colder. Earth
er to the northward the coasts are
washed by the Bering sea. cold
body of water with an average tenn.
perature OF about 80 degrees. In con.
sequence Of the cold sea and Its ad'
verse winds. 1t is natural to find
harsher climate on the northwest
coast.
In the Interior OF Alaska the climate
becomes continental. with great
ranges of temperature between the
short, comoaratively hot summers and
long. cold winters. Within 100 miles
of the const the oceanic influence
largely disappears.
Whether the greater nearness Of the
Japan current would change this In
terror Is not known. The southwest
coasts OF the territory would be af.
fected most The agricultural supply.
which would be Influenced by a milder
climate. has in the past been valuable
only for supplying the local market.
Heretofore views Of all kinds. opti.
mistic aud pessimistic. have been ad.
yauced on the possibilities of success.
full agriculture in Alaska. A number
of successful farmers live there. all in
welI.chosen localities. In the vicinity
of towns of considerable size.
On the outlying islands. such as Bar.
anof. where Sitka Is situated. and Ke-
mai. grain has been failure for the
most part. except when cut for hay. At
Sitka. where potatoes do we'll for some
years. they fall of In size and quality.