PniSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES 

 OE MINNESOTA, DAKOTA, AND NEBRASKA. 



Washington, D. C, ]\Jarc1i 1, 1873. 



Dear Sm: Herewith I present a partial report of the results of my 

 ex])loratious of the year 1872 iu Miuuesota, Dakota, aud Nebraska. 



The time employed iu preparing another report (which has already 

 been submitted) aud a temporary separation from the survey Lave pre- 

 vented me from preparing and submitting at this time a full and com- 

 plete report iu regard to the agricultural resources of the very interest- 

 ing region visited by me. I have, therefore, thought it best that I should 

 prepare at present but a preliminary report, elaborating one or two 

 points only which bear upon the agricultural resources of this section, 

 aud which 1 might make somewhat complete iu time for publication 

 the present season. Another important reason for tbis course, aside 

 from the want of time, was that, having entered upon the discussion of 

 the climatology of this region, as exhibited by the meteorological records, 

 it became evident that important and valuable results might be obtained 

 by a more full and complete discussion of all the records of that portion 

 of the West situated between the Mississippi River and the Sierra Nevada 

 Mountains. But to do this required more time than remained previous 

 to the publication of your annual report for the year 1872. It also 

 required the preparation and printing of certain charts, which could not 

 be properly done in time. Therefore, with your consent, I determined 

 to devote a portion of the present season to the preparation of a special 

 report on the climatology of the West. For this reason much of the 

 material I had already ]>repared does not appear in this report. 



These explanations will suffice to account for the meageiness of the 

 report herewith submitted, although the material obtained was equal in 

 amount and importance to that of any fovmer year of my connection 

 with the survey. 



In my introductory remarks I give an outline of what the full report 

 may be expected to contain. At present I have confined myself chiefly 

 to a discussion of the physical geography and topography of that por- 

 tion of the iSTorthwest visited during the summer of 1872. 



As in pur former visits to the West, I have met with the kindest 

 treatment at every point and on the part of all with whom my duties 

 brought me iu contact. The railroad and stage companies in Minne- 

 sota, Nebraska, Dakota, aud Kansas have, in every instance where I 

 stated my business and my connection with your survey, granted me 

 passes over their lines, thereby greatly lessening my expenses, and 

 enabling me with the means at my command to extend my examina- 

 tions over a much larger area than I could otherwise have done. 



It is, perhaps, proper that I should mention by name those companies 

 from which I have received these favors. The railway companies were : 

 Northern Pacific, Saint Paul and Pacific, Saint Paul and Sioux City, 

 Illinois Central, (Jnion Pacific, Burlington and Missouri River, and Kan- 

 sas Pacific. 1 also received a pass from Mr. Blakesly over all the stage- 

 lines he represented .in Minnesota, and from Messrs. Haskell & Cheney 



