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7 Further north and west of the Indian Territory the same wide domain assumes a novel feature; here an efflorescence of salt crackles under the feet of the walker, as if frozen snow had fallen upon the ground, and imparts to the whole earth a parched appearance.

Proceeding further north, the eye of the traveller is greeted at a great distance with the sight of trees. He approaches and finds "Le Grand Forêt" of the old Canadian Trappers—the "Big Timbers" of the Arkansas River now in the State of Kansas.

Going on in this direction over the same unbroken, bare plain, for hundreds of miles, you reach the Platte River, which is skirted with a few willow trees; and, hence through the heart of NebrasbaNebraska [sic] and Montana, upon still the same endless plain, to the northern limits of the United States. From which boundary, looking back south, to the frontiers of Mexico, over seventeen degrees of latitude, perhaps, there is no point where the forest is as large, or as wide, as that of the "Big Timbers," already mentioned—and that "Grand Forest" is not a mile in width.

In view of these facts, then, let the emigrant beware of approaching the 98th meridian, or of going too far west. It is true that the settlers on the fresh lands here have hitherto succeeded in most years in making fair crops, but this is owing, perhaps, to the strength and freshness of the soil, full of vegetable matter, holding the water like a sponge, and preventing its evaporation. When this vegetable matter shall have been exhausted by cultivation, periodical rains will be indispensable. In short, those who emigrate to the "Far West" must calculate to rely on irrigation solely in their agricultural operations.

The objection of this is that so few places can be found where water can be had, and, even when had, so little of the land is below the water level, and susceptible of irrigation. A third objection to this system is the expense inseparably connected with it.

In a report recently made by the Hon. J. Ross Brown (in 1868, page 484), and referred by the Secretary of the Treasury to Congress, respecting irrigation canals in the territory of Utah, he says:—"There have been constructed 277 main canals, in length amounting to 1,043 miles, and which water 153,949 acres of land, at a cost of $1,766,939, and that there is in course of construction canals at an estimated cost of $900,000."

There are already, in the single county of Jefferson, in the State of Colorado, "about one hundred and forty miles of large irrigating ditches, besides several hundred miles of smaller private ditches, used by each farmer for his own crops.

The trouble and expense of irrigation must everywhere be resorted to, in order to produce either crops of grain or vegetables, in this arid climate. This shows it would be much better for emigrants to purchase lands in more favoured regions, even if higher prices were paid.

I know the impression prevails that the further you go to the west the richer the lands, and the more cheap and desirable. This impression is sedulously fostered by the agents of land and railway companies, who have "palmed off" millions of acres in this arid region, where, without irrigation, there is no certainty in crops.

The completion of the Union Pacific Railroad will cause an immense amount of land along its track through this dreary, inhospitable region, recently donated by the Government to the company, to be brought into market. The company is composed of the keenest speculators in America, who have already been using some "sharp practice" in obtaining millions of land and money from the United States Government. They will have their agents sown broadcast over Europe, thicker than life insurance agents in America.

Let unsuspecting emigrants beware, or they will deeply bewail their credulity after having been set down with exhausted means in some accur-