Ársrit Skógræktarfélags Íslands - 15.12.1946, Blaðsíða 52

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most heartily and gave me all possible assistance. Without their
help my visit woukl by no means have provecl so successful.
After a week in Juneau, I was invited on a three day motorboat
trip to Sitka, the former capital of Alaska, along with Messrs. Sper-
ling and lirillhart.
It was very interesting to see the forest in Fish Bay, not only be-
cause of its fine growth, but also owing to the fact that some Sitka
spruce trees which were planted in Fljótshlíð in the southern part
of Iceland must have grown from seed from this very region.
These seeds were gathered in 1930 or 1931 and sent to Norway,
wherefrom we got the seedlings in 1937, which by that time had
reached the height of half a meter. Now the highest tree in this
group is 4,1 meters, and their average height is over 3 meters. In
view of the fact that the summer temperature and precipitation in
Fljótshlíð is considerably lower than in Fish Bay, even though the
winter temperature is similar, it is certainly interesting that the
trees have done so well. 'l'herefore we have everey reason to bcliéve
that seed originating from more northerly places, such as the northern
coast af prince William Sound, would produce trees which will
be able to stand the Icelandic climate*).
From Sitka I flew back to Juneau, together with Mr. Sperling,
and enjoyed a short stay there before I flew to Cordova. The Division
Supervisor, Mr. E. M. Jacobsen, is located there. Mr. Jacobsen was
a sailor tvhen young and visited Icelancl a number of times on his
travels. Later on, he settled down in Alaska, became a forester, and
enjoys his work. His district covers the entire coast around Prince
William Sound, ancl the assignment is really a big one, as he has
only limited help.
On the 3rcl of September, Mr. Vigfús Jakobsson, an Icelander
studying forestry at the University of Washington, accompanied me
on board the good ship Chugach of the U. S. Forest Service, of which
Mr. E. M. Jacobsen is captain.
After a nine hours voyage across the Sound, we reached Point
Pakenham, where I was left, together with two of the men whom
Vigfús had engaged to gather cones. I stayed there with some 20
loggers for ten days at their camp, by kind permisison of the Morgan
brothers and Mr. Dan Moller of the Columbia Lumber Company
of Alaska. I really enjoyed my stay with tliese hardworking fine
fellows.
Vigfús Jakobsson went to Pigot Bay where he stayed with his
*) See page 29 for comparision of average monthly temperature
in the southern part of Iceland and the Prince William Sound and
Iíenai regions.