494 BUFFALO LAND. 



NEW MEXICO ITS SOIL, CLIMATE, RESOURCES, ETC. 



Bordering on what might be called the south-western corner 

 of the plains, or perhaps more properly forming, :>ver ite 

 eastern half, part of them, lies New Mexico. I find the fol- 

 lowing valuable description of the soil, climate, and pro- 

 ductions of this section in the report of Prof. Cyrus Thomas : 



" The best estimate I can make of the arable area of the 

 Territory is about as follows : In the Rio Grande district, one 

 twentieth, or about two thousand eight hundred square miles ; 

 in the strip along the western border, one-fiftieth, or about six 

 hundred square miles; in the north-eastern triangle, watered by 

 the Canadian River, one-fifteenth, or about one thousand four 

 hundred square miles. This calculation excludes the ' Staked 

 Plains/ and amounts in the aggregate to four thousand eight 

 hundred square miles, or nearly two million nine hundred 

 thousand acres. This, I am aware, is larger than any previous 

 estimate that I have seen; but when the country is penetrated 

 by one or two railroads, and a more enterprising agricultural 

 population is introduced, the fact will soon be developed that 

 many portions now considered beyond the reach of irrigation 

 will be reclaimed. I do not found this estimate wholly upon 

 the observations made in the small portions I have visited, but, 

 in addition thereto, I have carefully examined the various re- 

 ports made upon special sections, and have obtained all the in- 

 formation I could from intelligent persons who have resided in 

 the Territory for a number of years. 



" As the Territory includes in its bounds some portions of 

 the Rocky Mountain range on which snow remains for a great 

 part of the year, and also a semi-tropical region along its 

 southern boundary, there is, of necessity, a wide difference in 



