THE GKEAT WEST. 469 



* 



As the object of this work is to place before its readers all 

 the essential information now obtainable concerning the great 

 plains, no apology will be necessary for adding some of the 

 observations and opinions of other competent writers upon the 

 same subject. By far the most valuable source which I have 

 found to draw from in this connection, is the comprehensive 

 report published by Government, and bearing the title of 

 " United States Geological Survey of Wyoming and Contigu- 

 ous Territory, 1870. Hayden." 



THE GKEAT WEST. 



Prof. Thomas informs us, in his report (embodied in Hay- 

 den's survey), that, lying east of the divide, " the broad belt of 

 country situated between the 99th and 104th meridians, and 

 reaching from the Big Horn Mountains on the north to the 

 Llano Estacado on the south, contains one hundred and fifty 

 thousand square miles. If but one-fifth of it could be brought 

 under culture and made productive, this alone, when fully im- 

 proved, would add $400,000,000 to the aggregate value of the 

 lands of the nation. And, taking the lowest estimate of the 

 cash value of the crops of 1869 per acre, it would give an ad- 

 dition of more than 200,000,000 per annum to the aggregate 

 value of our products." 



" One single view from a slightly elevated point often em- 

 braces a territory equal to one of the smaller States, taking in 

 at one sweep millions of acres. Eastern Colorado and Eastern 

 Wyoming each contains as much land sufficiently level for 

 cultivation as the entire cultivated area of Egypt." 



