278 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEEEITOEIES. 



between tbese two regions — that of sufficient and tbat of insufficient 

 rain — must be found somewhere between the east base of the Rocky 

 Mountains and the west line of the States last named. It becomes, 

 therefore, very important to determine where this line is. It is true 

 that the transition may be gradual and render it difficult to fix it with 

 any great degree of exactitude, yet it must be possible to determine it 

 approximately. The importance of this will scarcely be appreciated by 

 those who have not come practically in contact with the question ', but 

 the individual who has gone beyond this Hue and opened a farm upon 

 the broad prairie, depending upon the rain-fall alone to supply his crops, 

 has learned by sad experience that knowledge which ought to be sup- 

 plied to the public. But land-speculators and others, who are interested 

 in settling up this portion of the West, are often too sanguine in their 

 belief in regard, to favorable climatic changes, or are regardless of the 

 sufferings and hardships they cause by a too favorable representation 

 of the climate of this uncertain section. I dislike to make such state- 

 ments, but I deem it a duty to speak plainly on this point. There is no 

 necessity for any misrepresentations in regard to this part of the West; 

 the facts are sufficiently favorable ; and if these, and these only, are pre- 

 sented, in the end the result will be better for the country and even for 

 the particular section. I have, therefore, made this matter the subject 

 of special investigation, but in this report will only give a short sum- 

 mary of the facts, as I expect hereafter to present the whole subject of 

 the climate of the West in a special report. 



Although the topography of the country presents great uniformity 

 in character, the general level being interrupted by no elevated peaks 

 ®r extensive mountain-ranges, yet the physical geography is not devoid 

 of interesting and important features, as within the bounds of the region 

 under consideration are the initial points of three of the most import- 

 ant water-basins on the east side of the continent. 



As the surface-soil also presents great uniformity in character, another 

 important item to be examined was the nature of the subsoil; but as 

 this has been penetrated at comparatively few points in the newly- 

 settled or unsettled j)0rtions, the data obtained was necessarily meager; 

 yet sufficient has been ascertained to show that it varies much more in 

 the different sections than the surface-soil. I do not allude so much to 

 its chemical ingredients as to its productive qualities. 



Although a knowledge of the present condition of climate, soil, and 

 topograi)hy is sufficient to determine the agricultural value, yet there 

 are some questions relating to the physical conditions which are so 

 intimately connected with these practical points that a full and ex- 

 haustive report should embrace them. I allude particularly to the last 

 geological changes which have resulted in the present condition of the 

 surface and climate. I include "climate" because I am thoroughly 

 convinced, after studying this subject for several years, that, so far as 

 the amount of moisture is concerned, the present condition has resulted, 

 in part at least, from the effect of the last geological change that took 

 place in the surface. Bat, unfortunately, my knowledge of geology is 

 not sufficient to discuss this question properly, even if I h,ad all the data 

 necessary to do so, and the geological surveys which have been made 

 of this section have not been directed particularly to the surface-features. 

 It is true that Professor Hayden, in his very interesting resumS 

 (Chapter XII) of his report of 1870, touches upon this subject, alluding 

 to its importance and expressing the desire to return to its investigation 

 at some future time. It is to be hoped that he may be permitted to 

 carry out this desire at an early day, as there is no one who more highly 



