aughet.] ALLUVIUM OF NEBRASKA. 257 



sand miles, and their breadth ranges from one to ten miles. The 

 Manas and the Bows, and portions of the Niobrara, also add a great 

 deal to the area of bottomlands. All these rivers have numerous trib- 

 utaries, which have valleys in size proportionate to the main rivers, 

 and these more than double the areas of bottom-land. The Missouri 

 has, also, in some counties, like Dakota and Burt, contributed large 

 areas of bottom-land to the soil of the State. These Missouri bottoms 

 in Nebraska are exceptionally high, so that few of them have been over- 

 flowed since the settlement of the country. The one element of uncer- 

 tainty about them is, when located near the river the danger of being 

 gradually washed away by the undermining action of the water. Some- 

 times duriug flood-time, when the current sweeps the bank, it is so insid- 

 iously undermined that, for several rods in length and many feet in 

 breadth, it tumbles into the river. This cutting of the river is greatest 

 when it commences to fall. Where the bank is removed on one side it 

 generally is built up on the other. The old town of Omadi, in Dakota 

 County, is an instance of this kind. So rapidly did the river cut into 

 the bank tnat many of the houses could not be removed, and fell victims 

 to the flood. The river cut far enough to the west of the old site to leave 

 it and its own bed, after being blown full of sand, to be grown up into a 

 forest of cotton wood. 



When now we bring into our estimate all the river-bottoms of Ne- 

 braska, and the tributaries of these rivers, and reflect that all these 

 valleys were formed in the same way, within comparatively modern 

 geological times, the forces which water-agencies brought into play 

 almost appall the mind by their very immensity. So well are these 

 bottom-lands distributed that the emigrants can, in most of the 

 counties of the State, choose between them and the uplands for their 

 future home. In some of the few counties, like Fillmore, where 

 bottom-lands are far apart, there are many small, modern, dried-up 

 lake-beds, whose soil is closely allied to that of the valleys. Not 

 unfrequently is the choice made of portions of each, on the sup- 

 position that the bottom-lands are best adapted for the growth of 

 large crops of grasses. But all the years of experience in cultivating 

 uplands and bottoms in Nebraska leave the question of the superiority 

 of the one over the other undecided. Both have their advocates. The 

 seasons as well as the location have much to do with the question. 

 Some bottom-lands are high and dry. while others are lower and contain 

 so much alumina that in wet seasons they are difficult to work. On such 

 lands, too, a wet spring interferes somewhat with early planting and 

 sowing. All the uplands, too, which have a Loess origin, seem to pro- 

 duce cultivated grass as luxuriantly as the richest bottoms, especially 

 where there is deep cultivation on old breaking. Again, most of the 

 bottom-lands are so mingled with Loess materials, and their drainage is 

 so good that the cereal grains and fruits are as productive on them as 

 on the high lands. The bottom-lands are, however, the richest in or- 

 ganic matter. The following analyses of these soils will give a better idea 

 of their chemical and physical character. The samples were taken from 

 what are believed to be average soils. The first is from the Elkhorn, 

 the second from the Platte, the third from the Bepublican, and the 

 fourth from the Blue Biver. The fifth is from an exceptionally wet and 

 sticky soil, about two miles southeast of Dakota City. 

 17 H 



