18 



the road, water is bauled in cars and emptied into cisterns, from which 

 it is drawn as needed. When exposed to the air it loses to some extent 

 its snlphnrons odor and taste. In this region the emigrant trail runs 

 ])arallel to the railroad, and the dusty traveller and the thirsty horses 

 refresh themselves at the oft-recurring and generous cisterns. 



EXTENT OF SETTLEMENT. 



The population of the <lesert is small, and from necessity will not for 

 some time at least be greatly increased. Outside of the towns and 

 stations on the Union Pacific Railroad there are not in all this 11,000 

 square miles more than 200 inhabitants. 



Nearly the whole population of the region is found in immediate 

 proximity to the railroad. To this population the railroad and com- 

 mercial and official interests, together Mith the coal-mining industry, 

 give employment in large part. However, a number of men who have 

 stock interests of greater or lesser magnitude in the country make 

 their homes in the towns. The ren)nant of population outside of these 

 is found upon widely separated ranches, which are scattered over the 

 desert where the occasional springs of usable water permit, or, more 

 frequently, along its borders where streams of fresh water come down 

 from the hills, making possible the well irrigated and successful ranch. 



At a very few of the springs that are not too distant from the to.\ns 

 there have been established highly successful and i)rofitable gardens 

 and truck farms. The proihicts of these oases find a ready market in 

 Kock Springs and other points upon the railroad. 



The increase in the population of the desert will be largely an increase 

 in the size of the towns. While the range interests of the region are 

 capable of considerable expansion, yet those who may engage in the 

 stock industry will, for many reasons, more fre(iuently make their 

 homes in the towns than upon the borders of the desert, remote from 

 the conveniences of civilization. 



PLANT FORMATIONS. 



The region shows no well-marked plant fornmtious or areas except 

 such as are bounded by soil conditions; that is, the character of the 

 vegetation of one ])artof the desert as comi)ared with another, depends 

 upon soil constituents and amount of water. Considered from this 

 standpoint, the following groui)ing nuiy be serviceable in pointing out 

 the characteristic vegetation : 



VEGETATION OF THE DIVISIONS OF THE DESERT. 



J'lains division.— Vudtiv this «lesignation may be included nearly 

 three-fourths of the entire desert. TIk^ vegetation here is easily dis- 

 tinguished from that of the rest of the desert. The most characteristic 

 vegetation is the common sngebrusii (Arlemisia tridnitdtn), wiiicli grows 

 in all the soils which aie less strongly impregnated with salt. With 



