OBSERVATIONS IN THE NORTH WK8T. o'l 



Valley, a jdateajt-like area of land about 140 miles in length and vary- 

 ing from 20 to 30 miles in width, or perhaps a little more, if we include 

 that lying to the west of the Rio Grande. The general elevation of 

 this valley along its eastern border is about 8,000 feet, sloping gradu- 

 ally toward the Rio Grande on the west. It is bounded all along the 

 east by high, snow-covered mountains, and on the west by a series of 

 volcanie eones and basaltic ridges. Some of these also, at isolated 

 points, are to be seen protruding from the valley itself. All the way 

 from Albuquerque, X. Mex., to this point (Fort Garland) the Rio Grande 

 appears to be the dividing line between the basaltie and the other rocks, 

 the basalt only appearing at isolated points near the river on the east 

 side. The general surface of this entire valley is somewhat sandy, and 

 the soil is interspersed with bowlders and pebbles from the mountains. 

 It is covered with sage-brush, interspersed with short grasses, chiefly 

 Bouteloua. At various points small streams cross it, and it is along 

 these that all the efforts at farming have been made. 



North of Alamosa and west of the Sierra Sangre de Christo range 

 the valley appears to be richer in natural grasses, and is dotted here 

 and there by small, shallow lakes. Immediately to the north of Fort 

 Garland are situated Sierra Blanca and Mount Baldy, two of the 

 highest peaks in Colorado, and at their base runs Ute Creek, the valley 

 of which contains some fine grazing lands and a few good ranches, where 

 at times the locusts have bred in great numbers. 



After leaving Fort Garland we followed up the valley of Trinchara 

 Creek to Veta Pass, where we crossed over the range into the valley of 

 the Apaches and Santa Clara — a magnificent farming and grazing sec- 

 tion. 



At La Veta the elevation is between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, but descends 

 quite rapidly towards the Arkansas, where the country expands into a 

 wide, somewhat rolling country, dotted here and there with rocky ridges 

 and coal fields. This country lies north of the Spanish Peaks and south 

 and east of the Rainy range of mountains. This entire area, with the 

 exception of a few small patches, is quite suitable for the propagation 

 of locust swarms, and at times undoubtedly has been the seat of great 

 swarms, although I failed to obtain any data concerning this insect for 

 this particular locality. At the time of passing through here (June 10) 

 the vegetation was quite green ami the country looked well, although 

 around Ojo, in the head of the valley, the oaks had not yet leafed out. 

 On the summit in Veta Pass, where the elevation is about 10.100 feet, 

 there was about 6 inches of snow. 



Of course these extensive plains, that are so admirably fitted for the 

 development of large locust swarms, sometimes have their drawbacks 

 in the shape of seasons of great drought, as well as cold, wet, and back- 

 ward springs following open winters, and in such cases the locusts sutler 

 decrease here as elsewhere. From here we passed through such country 

 as has already been often described — that lying between Pueblo and I>en- 



