43 



Tribune Extras Lecture and Letter Series. 



of tbese elements as the best soils known. 

 Sonic soils were found deficient in liine, some 

 in sulphuric acid; but this want can be easily supplied 

 by an addition of gypsum, which occurs iu many 

 places. 



There is also a class of soils productive without irriga- 

 tion. In such cases the underlying strata pivbably fur- 

 7iish water, which ascends by capillary attraction. 

 Specimens of such soils have been ta'ceu in sealed bot- 

 tles to determine f ho hygroscopic moisture of the sub- 

 soil. This was found to be 4 to 5 per cent, while 

 at the surface it was was from \ to 2. 



The valley of the Rio Graude del Norte, in New-Mex- 

 ico, recalls the features of the Egyptian Nile. A large 

 population is entirely dependent upon the river. An an- 

 nual rising of the wun-rs carries a muddy sediment su- 

 perior in fertilizing properties, as was proved liy anal- 

 ysis, to that of the great African wver. While the 

 amount of phosphoric acid is nearly the same, the 

 uuiount of potash is considerably higher. Thousands 

 of acre.! are lying idle along the valley of the stream 

 awaiting the enterprising farmer. 



PLANTS, TEXTILE FIBERS, &C. 



There are many plants growing in New-Mexico and 

 Arizona which have strong fibers that could be utilized 

 for the manufacture of rope, paper, &c. One such spe- 

 cie?, Yucca Amjustifulla, is now utilized at Denver, but 

 there are many more. The root of this plant is used by 

 the natives as a substitute for soap, and is highly prized 

 on account of its cleansing properties for wooleu goods. 

 Another plant of great interest is the maguey or mescal. 

 crowing in Southern Arizona a peculiar species of 

 vucca. Tiie plant consists of about 80 to 100 lanceolate 

 leaves from two to three feet Ions, pointed to a sharp 

 thorn at the end; all the developed leaves are concen- 

 trically united at the ground; those undeveloped the 

 heart of the plant remain soft and perfectly white so 

 L'Ug as the sunlight is kept away by the surrounding 

 outer leaves. The Indians bake this heart in 

 coals for eight or 10 hours, when it acquires an exceed- 

 ingly sweet taste, much like honey. The Mexicans, 

 t;lso, prepare from this baked mescal an alcoholic bever- 

 age. The fact of this substance turning into sugar by 

 simple heat has no parallel in our experience. Speci- 

 mens of all valuable plants collected during the survey, 

 Including such as are used in- Mexicans and Indians for 

 specific diseases, will IK- snbj 'etocl to chemieil investi- 

 gation. The geographical distribution of. plants affords 

 a study of peculiar interest in those regions where the 

 altitude changes from 5,000 to 8.000 feet, and on some oc- 

 casions, 10,000. Above 6,8(10 feet there are vast forests of 

 pine and hr. ;ni;l the climate of the eastern mountains, 

 While below fi.fmu feci, is a region v.'hero the cactus 

 grows. Tbe cacti are especially developed in Southern 

 Arizona, where the ynr.id cactus (Ccrcits yif/antetis), 30 

 to 40 feet in bight, and three to four feet diameter, is 

 pn e'miuent. Between t lie re-ion of these cacti and the 

 Zone of th" pine, grows the everywhere prevalent juni- 

 per, in higher altitudes accompanied by pifion, a pecu- 

 liar cuniler, with an ealahle fruit. A large eoUeciion of 

 plants was made in New-Mexico and Arizona. 



CURIOUS BOTANICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



It is hard to believe, that the vegetation of the plain s, 

 which is so strikingly somber in its imsrmMr, is really as 

 iliyer-ltied as that of most other regions of similar area. 

 Certain orders, as the Leguminous family about Den- 

 ver, or the Cactus family further south, do preponderate 

 over the others just as other orders in other places do 

 on the remaining plants. But there may bo as many 



species and genera in one'placs as the other, only it ro 

 quires more than casual observation to distinguish be- 

 tween the allied forms. Tne vegetation of the plains 

 disturbs all our preconceived ideas of plant life by pre- 

 senting an extraordinary class of representatives. The 

 physical conditions are just as peculiar as the plant life 

 One is the exact measure of the other. Imagine a vasV 

 open expanse, absorbing, without the protection of ac 

 intervening foliage, most of the sun's rays, and from 

 want of aqueous vapor in the air parting with that heat 

 as readily at night, and the reason why our familiar 

 forms of plant life are crowded out of existence is ob- 

 vious. They are unable, to endure an alternation of tem- 

 perature so extreme and so rapid. 



The mountain flora is especially fresh and attractive, 

 and up almost to the limits at which flowering plants 

 grow the luxuriance and beauty of the vegetation are 

 wondcrfil. Under the great diversity of physical con- 

 ditions furnished by the deep shade of the pine woods, 

 the sunny valleys, the rocky slopes, and the snow-ted 

 Alpine bogs, plants seem placed where every tendency 

 they may have to vary is intensified, and it does not in 

 the least surprise one to see some of our best-known 

 forms going off in all sorts of unexpected developments. 



The best agricultural region visited by the botanist 

 during the past season was the San Luis Valley. While 

 much of it is barren and unpromising, much more is 

 capable of raising good crops after irrigation has been 

 practiced. The portions bordering some of the creeks 

 are absolutely covered with the most luxuriant growth 

 of grasses and sedges. Indeed in ninny places one may 

 ride a mile through the grass without the animal being 

 seen among the tall grass. The following facts show 

 plainly the productiveness of the soil 



Yield per Weight 



Acre. per hasli. 



bush. tt>. 



OaU 40 to 50 40 



Barley 40 55 



Bald Barley 50 75 



Yield per Weight 



Acre. per hush, 



bush. 16. 



Wheat 30 05 to 68 



Potatoes.. 2aO to 300 bush. .. 



Turnips, onions, beets, cabbages, and radishes grow 

 to an immense size. Along the Rio Grande, iu the south- 

 ern portion of the valley, all our familiar garden 

 vegetables were readily raised. 



Ttie foot-hills and higher mountain ranges back of these 

 have much valuable pine and spruce timber growing upon 

 them, but it is probable that ere long tlio greater needs 

 of a rapidly increasing population wiH have exhausted 

 the supply, and it might therefore bo wise in Govern- 

 ment to become an active participant in the rage for 

 timber planting which is so prevalent iu portions of the 

 West. 



In certain places the curious fact was observed, that 

 trees attained their maximum hight and di iiueter just 

 before the level of timber-line was reached and sud- 

 denly were reduced (the same species) iu size, disap- 

 pearing entirely a few hundred feet higher up. 

 METEOROLOGICAL WOJ'.K. 



A system of observations with the barometer and pry- 

 chronicler, combined with a journal of our meteoro 

 logical phenomena, and onserved peculiarities of climate 

 and climatic influences is adapted to the li MM) stations 

 at the astronomical basis, aoil to the movable; stations 

 of the various field parlies. A voluminous record is thus 

 accumulated, containing the elements of much informa- 

 tion upon points important to the survey, the elimina- 

 tion of which, from the mass of figures, is a labor of no 

 trilling character. The primary object of this record 

 is the barometric determination of the relief of tho 

 country traversed, no other means suQlciug except t{ 

 supplement thU general plan. 



