GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 213 



grazed and tended with but little trouble. But the stream is too small 

 to irrigate any great extent of the lands through which it passes, and 

 which could easily be reached if the supply of water was sufficient ; yet 

 enough can be obtained to supply the wants of a moderate pastoral 

 settlement. 



The first tributary we reach that will afford means of irrigation is a 

 small stream that flows in from the northwest along the base of the 

 variegated mural boundary that hems in the landscape on the west. I 

 believe it is called Una. It has some very pretty bottoms, which are 

 quite fertile and can be easily irrigated to the full capacity of the 

 stream, which is but a few feet wide and a few inches deep. 



The Little Cimarron and Vermijo afford considerable breadth of arable 

 land, the former presenting a valley some twenty-five or thirty miles 

 Jong, varying in width from one to six miles, which can be easily irri- 

 gated. The latter presents a valley of more uniform width, and bordered, 

 generally, by higher lands. It is about the same length as the former, 

 and where we crossed it about two miles wide, and very rich and fertile, 

 the creek supplying sufficient water to irrigate the whole of it. 



The Eayada runs through a valley somewhat similar to that of the 

 Vermijo, the bottoms being very low and easily irrigated, but I think 

 they are subject to occasional overflows. The creek is sufficient to 

 supply the lower level with water for irrigation, but the second level is 

 rather too high to be reached except by a lengthy canal. 



The Ocate winds through a narrow valley of erosion, the high border- 

 ing bluffs descending to it in steep curves, beautifully carpeted over 

 with grass. Not a tree or bush is to be seen ; all is as smooth as a 

 meadowy lawn. The part of this valley which I visited is narrow, vary- 

 ing from one-half to a mile or so in width, but it may expand as it 

 approaches the river. 



The Moro Valley is the finest in this section, and, next to the Taos 

 Valley, the best wheat-growing region in the Territory. The upper or 

 mountain portiou of it is some eight or ten miles long and about three 

 miles wide. After passing out of this through a narrow gorge, the 

 creek enters the more open plains, and is bordered for the greater part 

 of its length by a tolerably broad and very fertile valley. The entire 

 length is, perhaps, some sixty or seventy miles, and the width of the 

 irrigable lands that skirt the creek will probably average four or five 

 miles. 



As the topography of this portion of the section has been somewhat 

 minutely described by Dr. Hayden, (see Preliminary Eeport, 1869, pp. 

 56-G1,) it is unnecessary for me to repeat it here. 



The comparatively low elevation and southeastern exposure of this 

 section, together with the mountain barriers west and north, give to it 

 a more moderate climate than, that of the section immediately west. 

 Not only is wheat which is produced here remarkably fine, but maize 

 grows large, with full, fine ears. The fruits, if cultivated, would pro- 

 duce crops almost, if not quite, equal to those of the Eio Grande Valley. 

 And in the southeast part of the section, along the Canadian Eivei, 

 grapes can be grown without any difficulty. The native grape, without 

 having the aid of irrigation, grows here in rich profusion, the stunted 

 vines often being loaded down with the clusters. 



As heretofore intimated, the western border affords some of the finest 

 grazing fields in the Territory, especially for sheep. 



THE ARKANSAS DISTRICT. 



This district includes that part of Colorado Territory situated between 



