10 
those residing on the soil that this is erroneous. It is said that in the 
natural condition of the soil the full benefitof the rainfall is not obtained, 
that the ground is so densely packed that it is impervious to moisture, so 
that a large share of the rainfall rapidly runs into the arroyas and streams 
as it would from a roof, whereas if the ground were plowed and pulver- 
ized a large part of the rainfall would be retained for the gradual nour- 
ishment of such plants as were on the ground. Nature has here done 
the best she could under the circumstances. But nature never spon- 
taneously presents us with great and luxuriant fields of grain or other 
vegetables ready to the hand of man. But by means of agriculture 
man directs and controls nature, and she willingly submits to his guid- 
ance. Man has learned to select those plants, grains, and grasses 
which are best adapted to his wants, and to grow them to the exclusion 
of others. This is the essence of agriculture. Nature shows her will- 
ingness even here to respond to the ameliorating influences of cultiva- 
tion. No sooner is the ground plowed, and corn, sorghum, or millet 
planted, than a crop many times as heavy as that of the native soil is at 
once produced. Even if nothing but such annual crops as those can be 
raised on this soil the cultivation of an eighth part of the land would 
be sufficient to make safe the keeping of twice the number of cattle 
which could subsist otherwise. But it is reasonable to conclude that 
nature will be as ready to help in the production of perennial glasses 
as she is in the annual ones. There is eveiy r reason to expect that even 
the gramma-grass may be made to double its yield by cultivation. But 
there is a considerable number of grasses native to this district which 
are much more thrifty and productive than the gramma and buffalo, 
and if they were selected and sown upon the properly prepared land 
there can be no doubt that a great improvement in the grass produc- 
tion would be effected. Indeed we should extend our inquiry to foreign 
grasses cultivated in similar situations. 
ESTIMATE OF RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED. 
Between the thirty-seventh and forty third degrees of latitude, and 
between the one hundredth and the one hundred and fifth degrees of 
longitude, there are embraced not far from 120,000 square miles of sur- 
face. There can be little doubt that one-half of that quantity is capable 
of sustaining, under proper management, with provision for winter food 
and shelter, at least 50 head of cattle to the square mile, or 3,000,000 
cattle on the entire tract. By many of the residents this estimate would 
be considered much too small. And can we not expect that the time is 
advancing when we shall see all this vast area so improved as to fully 
realize this estimate, not only for the limited area above mentioned, but 
for many other sections of what are now called the arid lands ? If also 
we can gradually introduce more productive grasses we can readily an- 
ticipate a still further development of the cattle industry. 
