extensive trade with China,

Japan, Australia, Mexico, and

South America, and regular

lines of steamers to Hawaii

and Alaska. Its manufac

tures are extensive, consisting of refined sugar, clothing, mining machinery, and many other things.

SITKA, ALASKA. Los Angeles is an important city in the south and a center of fruit growing. Oakland, on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay, is an important center of trade. Alameda, and Berkeley, the site of the State University, are important suburbs. Sacramento, the capital, is in a fine farming region, and at the head of navigation on the Sacramento River. San Diego has the best harbor in the south. San Jose and Fresno are great fruit markets, and Stockton has a large trade in wheat and wool.

Text Questions. What part of the area of the United States is occupied by this section? What part of the entire population of the United States lives here? Which is more regular, the Pacific or the Atlantic coast? Describe the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges. Name and locate three famous peaks. Describe the Coast Range. Describe the valleys between the mountain ranges. Give an account of the drainage of these states and describe the three largest rivers. Account for the mildness of the climate and explain the peculiarity of the rainfall. How do the coast states rank agriculturally? What are the chief crops? What are the chief mineral resources? Locate and give the characteristic features of each state in this section and of each of the principal cities.

ALASKA

Questions on the Map. - Describe the position of Alaska and give its sea and land boundaries. Name three sounds; an inlet; two straits. What group of islands is at the western end of the peninsula? What small island group is north of the Aleutian Islands? Name two islands off the southeast coast. Describe the surface. Name three mountain chains; three single peaks. What large river crosses Alaska? Locate Sitka; Nome; Skagway.

Alaska, in the northwest corner of the continent, is more than twice as large as Texas. It was bought by the United States from Russia in 1867. It extends from 54° to 72° north latitude and westward in the Aleutian Islands almost to Kamchatka.

VINEYARD, CALIFORNIA.

It is a plateau bordered on the south. by mountains, which contain the loftiest peaks of North America, about four miles high. Mount McKinley is the highest. Along the Yukon the country is a vast marsh or tundra.

The Yukon is one of the great rivers of North America. It is navigable during the short Arctic summer for 1000 miles, and is five miles in width at its mouth.

GOLD MINING, ALASKA.

North of the southern mountains the climate of Alaska is that of the Arctic regions. South of the mountains the climate is quite mild and equable, due to the warm southwesterly winds from the ocean. The rainfall on the southern slope is very

The sands of the region about Cape Nome in western Alaska are rich with gold, and many claims are now worked. Copper and coal also exist in Alaska.

Sitka, on Baranof Island, is the chief center of trade. Nome is a gold-mining town of rapid growth on Norton Sound. Skagway, on Lynn Canal in the southeast, is the terminus of the overland route to the Klondike gold region.

Porto Rico, see p. 79.1

The Hawaiian Islands, see p. 139.

The Philippine Islands, see p. 123.

Text Questions. - Give an account of the position and size of Alaska. Describe its surface as far as known. Describe the valley of the Yukon. Explain the difference between the climate of northern and southern Alaska. What are the most important industries? What minerals have been discovered? What other outlying possessions has the United States?

Surface. The Rocky Mountain highland occupies the west, but is narrower than in the United States. It is traversed by a continuation of the Cascade range, and by the Rocky Mountains, both of which are high and rugged, and abound in glaciers. The highland descends gradually into the central lowland, which slopes gently to the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay, and contains thousands of glacial lakes. Several of these rival the Great Lakes in size. East of Hudson

What great bay is in the northern part of Canada? What strait con

nects it with the Atlantic? Name some of the largest islands off the northern coast of Canada. What large island and group of islands lie off the west coast? What cape is at the southern extremity of Nova Scotia? What is the great highland region of Canada? (Map p. 24.) What ranges are west of the Rocky Mountains? In what other part of

Canada are there highlands? Locate Mount St. Elias and Mount Logan.

Name three peaks in the southern part of the Canadian Rockies.

What great river drains the northwestern part of Canada to the Arctic? What three great lakes form part of the Mackenzie drainage system? What great river of Alaska rises in the Canadian Rockies? Name three rivers which flow northeast to Hudson Bay. Which of them forms an outlet for Lake Winnipeg? Describe the course of the Saskatchewan. What great river drains the southeastern part of Canada? What five great lakes are drained by the St. Lawrence?

Bay the surface rises gradually to the low and glaciated Laurentian plateau, which drops abruptly off to the Atlantic on the east. The extreme southeast is broken by the northern ranges of the Appalachians.

Give the boundaries of Quebec. What river drains most of it? What two large cities are on the St. Lawrence? Give the boundaries of Ontario. Locate Ottawa; Toronto; Hamilton; London. What is the

capital of Nova Scotia? of New Brunswick? of Manitoba? of British

Columbia? What city is at the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railroad? What is the capital of Prince Edward Island? What city is in northwestern Canada on the Yukon?

basin. Lake Winnipeg and its inlets, the Saskatchewan and the Red, are navigable in summer. The Mackenzie system drains to the Arctic, and includes three great lakes. The southern lakes and streams are navigated during the short summer. The Rocky Mountain highland is drained largely by the Yukon and Fraser systems. Climate. The winters are long and, except on the Pacific coast, are very cold. In the north snow never entirely disappears from the ground. The rainfall is

heavy on the Pacific coast, and moderate in the south and southeast, but over much of the west and north there is a scarcity of rainfall.

Resources. The southern half has great forests of pine, spruce, hemlock, and cedar throughout the east and center, and pines and firs in the west. These forests furnish valuable lumber, and contain many furbearing animals.

The cod fisheries of the Atlantic coast and the salmon fisheries of the west coast contribute greatly to the wealth of the Dominion.

HARVESTING WHEAT, CANADA.

It con

SHEEP RAISING, CANADA.

portant, furnishing gold, silver, coal, copper, iron, nickel, and asbestos.

The soil is fertile, and in the south great crops of wheat, oats, and apples are produced, and stock raising is important. Most parts, however, are too cold for farming.

The manufacturing comprises flour and lumber milling and the making of cheese and butter.

The St. Lawrence estuary, the Great Lakes, and the Ottawa form great trade routes. Montreal is connected by rail with Halifax on the Atlantic and with Vancouver on the Pacific coast. The chief exports are wood, cheese and other animal products, and wheat.

Divisions. Canada comprises the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, British Columbia, and the vast Northwest Territories, which are subdivided into a number of thinly settled districts.

Ontario is the most important province. It produces iron, nickel, petroleum, copper, and gold. There are great pine forests in the north, and maple groves in the south from which maple sugar is obtained. In the south are good farming lands, and wheat and other grains, fruits, and potatoes are grown.

Toronto, the capital and chief city, is the largest lake port in Canada. Hamilton, at the head of Lake Ontario, and London, in a fine farming region, are important trade centers.

Quebec lies mainly in the valley of the St. Lawrence. The inhabitants are chiefly of French descent. Their language, manners, and customs are very old-fashioned. In the south, rye, oats, barley, fruits, and potatoes are grown; in the north, the great pine forests make lumbering the chief pursuit. Many of the people are engaged in fishing.

Montreal, the metropolis of Canada, is the great center of trade. Its chief exports are cattle and grain. In winter, when the St. Lawrence is frozen, Portland, Maine, becomes its port. Quebec, the capital, is situated on a high bluff, and the upper city is strongly walled. Its lumber business is extensive. The scenery above Quebec is beautiful.

New Brunswick has many good harbors. The hilly and rolling surface is covered with good timber, and some of the valleys form good farming land. Lumbering and fishing are the chief industries. Timber, hay, and potatoes are exported. St. John is the metropolis and chief port.

Nova Scotia includes the island of Cape Breton. The surface is broken by low mountains, and the coast is indented by many fine harbors. The tides in the Bay of Fundy reach heights of 40 to 60 feet. The climate is humid and often foggy. Much coal and iron, gold, and gypsum are mined. The most important industry is cod fishing. The building of fishing vessels employs many men. The orchards and the forests are also important.

Halifax, the capital, has a fine harbor and an extensive trade in fish and other products with the United States and the West Indies. It is the most important British naval station on this side of the Atlantic.

Prince Edward Island, the smallest province, lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It produces hay, oats, barley, potatoes, and apples. Many of the people are engaged in fishing and shipbuilding. Charlottetown is the capital.

Manitoba lies in a region similar to the Red River valley in Minnesota. The soil is fertile, and the summers are warm and long enough to raise heavy crops of fine wheat. Cattle, horses, and sheep graze on the plains. In the pine forests of the north hunting and trapping are the chief pursuits.

Winnipeg, in a lake region, is the center of an active trade in wheat and furs. The Canadian Pacific Railway passes through it.

British Columbia, the largest of the provinces, lies on the Pacific coast and on the great highland. The scenery is wild, and the glaciercrowned mountains very impressive. Near the coast the climate is mild, with heavy winter rainfall. Gold, coal, and silver are extensively mined. Most of the coal is found on Vancouver Island. The forest resources are very large, and the salmon fisheries important.

Victoria, on Vancouver Island, is the capital, and an important seaport. Vancouver is the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

DOCKS AT MONTREAL.

chilly. The chief wealth consists in the fisheries of cod and mackerel off its shores.

St. Johns is the capital and chief fishing station. Text Questions. Compare Canada and the United States in area and population. Describe the surface of Canada. Name the drainage basins in which it lies. Describe the largest river in each basin. Describe the climate. Where are the winters mild? Where is the rainfall heaviest ? What are the chief resources of Canada? Describe the government. Locate and characterize the chief subdivisions and the principal cities in each.

Danish America, owned by. Denmark, comprises Greenland, Iceland, and their outlying islands.

Greenland is one fourth as large as the United States. Except a narrow strip of coast in the south, it is one vast sheet of ice, forming the greatest glacier in the northern hemisphere. In many places the glacier extends into the sea, and in summer great masses break from it and float away to the south as icebergs. Only in the south does the snow and ice disappear from the ground during the very short Arctic

summer.

Nearly all of the few inhabitants are Eskimos. They live in snow huts in the long winter, and in skin tents or sod huts in summer. They are skillful hunters and fishermen, and use their skin boat or kayak, and make their sledges with great skill. Their food consists chiefly of the flesh of seals, walruses, and whales, and of birds and birds' eggs.

Greenland is governed by Danish officers, who, with some Danes engaged in trade, live in settlements on the western coast.

Iceland is situated 250 miles east of Greenland. The warm winds render the southern side habitable, and adapt it to grazing and some farming. The surface is rugged and ice-scored. Mount Hecla is an active volcano, and near it are noted geysers. The inhabitants are descendants of the Northmen. They are intelligent and thrifty, and are engaged in raising some vegetables and stock, collecting eiderdown, and fishing. They govern themselves, but acknowledge the supremacy of Denmark.

Reikiavik (meaning "steam town"), on the southwest coast, is the capital. It contains a college and public library.