304 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



soil, added to the slight knowledge we possess of its climate. And here 

 the last item becomes imporUnt in tliis estimate, as it is known that the 

 line of snfficient rain fall is found within its borders. 



It possesses, ]>robably, the smallest amount of timber of any State or 

 Territory in the Union, tlie forests bearing a ratio of not more than 3 to 

 5 per cent, to the entire area, and even this ratio is obtained by adding 

 the amount supposed to be in that part of the Black Hills within its 

 boundary. 



With the exception of the west side of Red River Valley and the sur- 

 face of the coteaus, the whole of that portion east of the Missouri 

 (which is the only part I shall allude to h«ne) consists of elevated, 

 undulating prairies, very similar in character to the plains of the central 

 and western portions of Nebraska and Kansas. The streams, as a gen- 

 eral thing, run through deep and narrow valleys, having but a small 

 amount of water in them, and the fall being insuiiicieiit to carry the 

 water upon the bordering uplands ; hence, as a rule, iu the northern and 

 central portion, if the rain-fall should prove insnllQcient for agricultural 

 purposes, there is but little hope of redeeming any portion by irrigation, 

 except the narrow valleys which the streams traverse. 



As a general rule the soil is good, and where there is a sufficiency of 

 moisture there is no reason why good crops cannot be raised ; but 1 have 

 very strong doubts on this point, except for the southeast portion and a 

 narrow belt along the eastern border. 



The following notes, taken down while crossing from Fargo, on Red 

 River, to James River, along the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, 

 will convey, I believe, a fair and correct idea of this section of the Ter- 

 ritory, the fact being borne in mind that 1872 was a more than usually 

 wet season. 



For about eighteen or twenty miles the surface is very fiat, being tlie 

 west half of Red River Valley, and corresponding in appearance with 

 that on the east side. The soil is also very similar to that on the east 

 side, the only diii'ereuce noted being that here, after leaving the river 

 for a short distance, it becomes more or less impregnated with alkali, 

 which is (|uite apparent where the sod has been turned or a cut made; 

 yet I do not think this is sufficient in quantity to injure any of the ordi- 

 nary crops, for 1 have learned from my observations iu Colorado and 

 Utah to look upon the presence of a moderate quantity of alkali in the 

 soil with much less serious ai)[)rehensions than formerly. 



Passing westward beyond tlie valley we gradually rise to an undu- 

 lating prairie, which becomes more rolling and sligiitly broken until we 

 reach the second crossing of Cheyenne River. Although this section is 

 evidently drier and not so rich as the Red River Valley, yet I think ex- 

 periment will show that it is tolerably good agricultural land and that 

 the amount of moisture is sufficient for ordinary crops. But already 

 this troublesome question makes its api)earance ; already we see the 

 grass growing much shorter and beginning to assume that peculiar 

 character so well known on the western plains. Still I think this strip 

 as far as the second crossing of the Cheyenne may be properly classed 

 with the lands suitable for farming purposes. The valley of the Cheyenne 

 ^ is quite narrow, affording but a small amount of tillable land and a 

 'very narrow strip of timber. After passing this valley there is a con 

 siderablo rise before reaching the general prairie-level beyond. I notice 

 here, where the railroad-cuts have exposed the subsoil, that it is chiefly, 

 I might say entirely, compa(;t drab clay, of considerable depth. The 

 surface of the country on the west side is undulating, dotted here and 

 there with lakes, most of which are strongly alkaline or saline, their peb- 



