CHARACTER OF THE GREAT PLAINS IN THE U. STATES. 377 



runs as far as the neighbourhood of that locality, at the 

 foot of the Eocky Mountains. 



In the State of Missouri, forests have sprung up. with 

 wonderful rapidity on the prairies, as the country becomes 

 settled, so as to resist and subdue the encroachment of the 

 annual fires from the west. Missouri lies within the limit 

 of the humid south-west wind coming up the Valley of 

 the Mississippi, and enjoys a greater rainfall than the 

 region west of the 100° of longitude. 



GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE REGION WEST OF THE 98TH 

 MERIDIAN IN THE UNITED STATES. 



Very great misapprehension has prevailed with regard 

 to the region west of the Mississippi, as well as of the 

 valley drained by the Saskatchewan. Sanguine enthu- 

 siasts have laid out new states and territories on the broad 

 map of the Federation, and peopled them in imagination 

 with bustling, industrious, and wealthy communities. 

 Other visionaries have converted the 400,000 square 

 miles drained by the Saskatchewan into a region of 

 unbounded fertility and inexhaustible resources. Whereas 

 a proper appreciation and use of facts will convince the 

 most sanguine, that the larger portion of this area, is, 

 in its present state, unlit for the permanent habitation 

 of man both on account of climate, soil *, and absence 

 of fuel. 



The candid opinion of Professor Joseph Henry regard- 

 ing the adaptation of a large portion of the United States 

 for settlement has been already given ; it is confirmed and 

 strengthened by the following excellent summary, from 

 the pen of Major Emory of the United States and Mexi- 

 can Boundary Commission. It will at once occur to the 



* See u Cretaceous Series/' Vol. II. 



