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Show 128 leads naturally to the probable effect a more dense growth of herbaceous vegetation or of trees would have in retarding the rapid escape of this surface- water. That most of it is actually wasted, is evident. The violence of it » precipitation or the rapidity of its flow from the surface even at times destroys the sparse coating of vegetation that may exist. The first effect of a good sod would unquestionably be to retard the water in its flow, thus allowing more time for its percolation along the roots of the plants to a depth at which evaporation would be less rapid, and hence the moisture would be productive of greater results as the period of its operation was lengthened. The deeper roots of the trees would be even more efficient in conducting the water beyond reach of immediate evaporation. The effect upon the streams would be that, instead of a rush of waters, often increasing into a flood and carrying destruction before it, the average amount of water would be greater, more of it could be utilised, and a larger area irrigated. Doubtless, agriculture in early years in such a region would have its own peculiar difficulties, the trouble being to obtain the first reel growth; this done, each succeeding year the task would be lighter. That it can be done is certain. The only question is, how long will it be before the necessities of our civilization compel the occupancy of a country where such labor is needed to reclaim the soil! It should be remembered in this connection that the seeds of the nutritious native grasses, that now grow sparsely in that region, could be, by sowing and care, readily made to furnish a turf, whose interlacing of stem with stem ana roots with roots would confer the needed protection upon the soil, giving besides, in their subsequent death and decay, the elements of a greater fertility and the promise of more lucrative crops. Facts from similar areas prove the possibility of this. Competent observers state that since the advent of the Mormons in Utah the waters of Great Salt Lake have risen 12 feet, and are still rising; that the waters throughout the entire Territory are rising. Cultivation of trees where water exists should be encouraged. Beside the air of comfort they confer on a homestead, they can at slight expense often be made to afford shelter to stock and to ward off the sweeping blasts, which so frequently do such damage to the crops. Where the irrigating- ditohes are carried, two or three rows of oottonwood trees on either side would probably thrive, involve little or no expense in cutting and planting, and in a very few years more than pay for themselves. There are, besides, thousands of acres now unoocupied, where at a small expense luxuriant groves of cottonwood and other trees could be made to grow, and confer in a few years a different aspect on the entire country. It is fairly a question of political economy as to whether, for the purposes of increasing our agricultural areas, it would not pay the nation to offer liberal encouragement to tree- culture in onr great Southwest. Taking the entire area along our line of march through New Mexico and Arizona into consideration, the diseases appear to group themselves thus: In New Mexico, diarrhoea, rheumatism, mild pneumonia, and typhoid fever are the prevailing diseases, having a small mortality. In Arizona, malaria is the chief source of disease, especially along the southern line, where it impresses itself on almost every other disease; dysentery and a mild typhoid fever are also not uncommon. Here the death- rate is probably somewhat larger than in New Mexico. In some portions of the Territory the notorious unhealthinees of the best situations has been so great as to deter settlers from remaining in the country. In the fall of 1874 in the San Pedro Valley the death- rate was unusually large, ( if we may credit report,) and the proportion of sickness excessive. The Cienega is certainly anything but healthy; and the Sonoita Valley appears to be almost a plague-spot, so far as malaria is concerned. Camps Grant and Apache, though usually enjoying an immunity from intermittent fever, had each some cases in 1674. A glance, however, at the list of the diseases above given shows two things conclusively: first that the malarial cases may in almost all instances be prevented by judicious use of quinine, or cured, if they should occur, by the Bame agent alone or combined with iron; second, that the other diseases, not being common, and seldom giving a high death- rate, in reality offer no obstacle to settlement in that region, being, in fact, the very diseases with which we are most familiar east of the Mississippi River. It should also be remembered that some of the most densely- populated States in the Union were not long since as bad, or even worse, in some portions than the worst region to which I have alluded, t. e., the Sonoita Valley, and that drainage and removal of the exuberant living and the decaying vegetation would vastly improve the sanitary condition of these places. That the excessive heat does indispose to active exertion is certain; but this feeling must be distinguished from an exhaustion, and it is common to all tropical and subtropical regions alike. Sunstroke is almost, if not entirely, unknown. To sum up the above, the following statements are probably correct concerning those portions of Arizona and New Mexico through which we were moving during the past season: first, that the soil, particularly that resulting from decomposition of the volcanic and sedimentary rocks, possesses the elements requisite for vegetable growth, and will produce crops when water sufficient for irrigating purposes can be had; second, that almost all points accessible to water enough for nerds can be utilized as grazing- giound; third, that the forests, though localized, contain timber enough for the wants of these |