CHAPTER Y. 
Agricultural and Mineral Resources of the Route. 
As I have represented at some length in the preceding chapters the facilities presented by 
this route for a great highway of travel across the plains, and for the establishment of military 
posts for its security, and for military operations against the Indians, not only in view of the 
great practicability of the country for such purposes, but in consequence of its extremely favor¬ 
able agricultural features, I consider it proper to enter in some detail into the examination of 
this subject. 
The opinions I shall express are not based upon the results of superficial observation, but 
will be found confirmed by an analysis of the soils, and an examination and description of the 
specimens of grasses and other vegetation which were collected at short intervals. 
To the results of these examinations by scientific men, and which will be found under the 
head of botany and soils, in the appendix to this report, I refer for the amount of confidence to 
be placed in my statements. 
It seems proper to state here that the region of the agricultural resources of which I am 
about to give a hasty sketch, lies entirely to the west of the limits of possible settlement in the 
Indian territories west of Missouri. 
I will say, first, that with a considerable train of wagons, drawn by mules and heavily loaded, 
I left Dona Ana on the 12th February—a season of the year the worst possible, when the old 
grass was in its most unfavorable condition, and the new grass had not begun to spring up— 
and traversed this route for the first time, over an unbroken country, without losing, during 
the whole expedition, one single animal. 
The mules arrived at Preston, on the Red river, after a journey of this character of six hun¬ 
dred and fifty miles, in better order than when they started; and at no time during the entire 
journey were they in worse condition than when they left the valley of the Rio G-rande. 
This simple fact, which will be found confirmed in the journals of the expedition, speaks 
more strongly than volumes of opinions in establishing the remarkable advantages of the 
country for the support of stock. 
The grama and mezquite grasses, which cover the entire surface, are short and curly, 
growing very thickly and almost matted, and form a firm, spongy sod. They do not dry up 
and lose their strength and nutriment during the winter, as is the case with the grasses further 
east, but actually u cure” where they grow, like hay which has been prepared by the farmer. 
To this singular fact, and to the extreme abundance of the grass, is undoubtedly due the com¬ 
plete success of the expedition ; and the journey across the plains with such successful results 
during the most unfavorable months, exhibits conclusively the practicability of traversing this 
route at any season of the year. 
Of the valley of the Red river .—This valley is fourteen miles in width from the point at which 
the route of survey intersected its first tributary, to the crossing of the river at Preston. 
About four-fiftbs are covered with large timber—a few patches of prairie of limited extent, 
only, sufficing to interrupt its continuity. The immediate valley of the river is about one hun¬ 
dred feet below the gently receding bluffs which border it, and is overgrown by timber of the 
largest size and best quality—oak, pecan, hickory, elm, &c. 
Although the bottom-land is covered with this timber, growing so thickly as absolutely to 
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