SURFACE. 29 



of the second plain are bare, monotonous, and lifeless as 

 the third. 



Many scientific reasons have been given for the tree- 

 less condition of the prairies, none of which, that I have 

 seen or heard, meet all the points of the problem. It is 

 easy to account for the treeless character of the high plains ; 

 but why one portion of the lower plain should be bare 

 while a contiguous portion apparently exactly similar in 

 soil and position is covered with a fine forest, is a problem 

 which I believe will never be satisfactorily solved. 



From the evidence of practical farmers I am convinced 

 that the soil of the second plain is naturally as good for 

 agricultural purposes as any to be found. It is a deep, 

 rich loam, containing all the ingredients necessary for the 

 best farming lands. AlHt needsis water. Along the 

 railroads which cross this plain, wherever there is water 

 sufficient for irrigation, fine gardens are made. The trees 

 set out are healthy and grow rapidly, if only supplied with 

 enough water and protected from the winds. Many of 

 the streamlets of the second plain, rising apparently on its 

 surface, probably owe their origin to the strata from the 

 first plain. They sometimes meander for miles in meadow- 

 like plains, or through gentle undulations, before cutting 

 canons for themselves. The soil is perfect, the water 

 abundant, yet there is not a tree, scarcely a bush. As 

 soon as the brook has cut a narrow and deep canon, every 

 available space is probably crowded with vegetation trees, 

 shrubs, and vines. The soil is the same, the water the 

 same ; the only difference is, that one portion is exposed 

 to the wind, whilst the other is not. 



The Indians burn portions of the prairie every fall, 

 setting the fires so as to burn as vast an extent of country 

 as possible, and yet preserve unburned a good section in 

 the vicinity where they purpose to make their fall hunt. 

 The buffalo, finding nothing to eat on the burnt ground 

 collect on that unburnt reducing greatly the labour of 

 the hunt. These prairie fires, which were formerly sup- 



