The outlying mountains show mineral wealth, gold, silver, lead, and antimony, although little prospecting and less developing has been done. It may be said that very few of the mountain ranges in the interior of California have been fully and fairly prospected. Prospecting-parties usually traverse well-known routes or trails, and have in view certain objective points, to which their attention is entirely directed. Failing in good results there, they usually return to their old stamping ground and wait for an occasion to call them in another direction. It need not astonish any one to hear of most remarkable mineral discoveries in the coast range and Sierra Nevada for many years to come, or if further devel opments upon mining-claims taken up heretofore and abandoned as worthless shall prove the contrary. The creek, the main source of which is the one that flows by old Fort Tejon, thence down the cañon toward the great plains, and through which until the railroad had reached Caliente, on Tehachipi Creek, the stage-line to the south had usually passed. The road from the mouth of this creek to Caliente passes a little north of Tejon ranch, and likewise of the old Indian reservation, which has now passed into private hands, and traverses the passes of a series of foot-hills of remarkably pleasant contour, well grassed, and covered irregularly with copses of oak and pine. Although brown and seared at the date of our visit, still the landscape presented was one not easily to be forgotten.

Buena Vista Lake, lying in the great Tulare plain in front of us, acts as the reservoir of Kern River, evidently like Lake Tulare, which during seasons of great rain fall and the spring melting of snows overflows its banks. Tulare Lake, however, as a reservoir will reach approx imately to 100 square miles in size, and loses by evaporation throughout the months of the year characterized by non-precipitation or by a minimum raiu fall all that is obtained from the regular river source of supply that reaches it. I am informed that it was found by Maj. R. M. Brereton, late of the royal engineers, that the average amount of annual evaporation from its surface was approximately 6 feet. The question of irriga tion has of late years been agitated in the State of California by the gentleman to whom allusion has been made and others, and his aid is likely to promote the same by his engineering skill and experience in works of this class in India. The lines of proposed canals and opportunities for utilizing water-supply gathered in the various basins, espe cially those upon the western flauks of Sierra Nevadas, can be found in the report of the commissioners upon irrigation of the great valleys of of California. (See Executive Document No. 290, 43d Cong., 1st sess.)

NATURAL RESOURCES.

As time has permitted, a number of the assistants have been employed in laying down upon the preliminary maps and in tabulating the areas whose natural resources permit of use for agricultural, mining, grazing, and timber purposes as in contradistinction to those absolutely worthless, being arid and barren. The table, with remarks, is submitted herewith, and it is proposed to gather complete statistics upon these important points in all the areas traversed hereafter, and as time shall permit to make comparison of larger areas after material shall ħave been worked up in connection with the surveys of prior years. A number of colored maps, graphically illustrating the same, can then be prepared.

In addition to the determination of the natural resources of the sec

tion surveyed, as denoted by its superficial area, it is proposed, as far as practicable with the force at the disposal of the officer in charge, to have noted the prominent streams, lakes, and springs, the area of basin-drainage in which they are situate, with an accurate delineation of the perimeters of the same, and, when practicable, the determination of the rain-fall for a period, or annually, when it shall have been observed, and further, what bearing this practical information shall have upon the subject of irrigation by canals, reservoirs, or artesian wells within any of the basins visited.

52 D.-Almost the entire section is mountainous, the elevation being above 8,000 feet; it is too high for agricultural land.

The principal valleys are South Park, altitude from 9,500 to 10,000; Upper Arkansas Valley, 9,000 to 10,600; Blue River basin, 8,700 to 10,600; Ten-mile Creek and Blue River Valley, 7,800 to 11,000 feet.

The timber found up to timber-lines on all the mountains is spruce and pine; it is good for lumber. That along the streams is mainly cottonwood."

The grazing in the valleys is very good. It is usually necessary, however, to seek the lower lands for wintering cattle.

The land is mainly valuable for its mines. In the vicinity of Georgetown, Bakersville, and Gray's Peak, in northeastern part of sheet, silver-mines are worked. Silvermines of Mount Lincoln and gold placer-mines near Granite Post-Office, and the Fairplay and Alma placers, are in the central part of sheet. In the western part of sheet are gold-mines on tributaries of Tennessee Creek. The water-supply, mainly of mountain-streams, is very good.

61 B.-Constituting a portion of Central Colorado. The greater portion of the sheet is mountainous, very little being under 7,000, in places running up to over 14,000 feet. The principal valleys, those in which the agricultural land is situated, are South Park, on the Platte, 8,500 to 8,800 feet; Upper Arkansas, 7,300 to 8,800 feet; Pleasant Valley, 7,000 feet; San Luis Valley, 7,700 to 8,500 feet; and Tumichi Valley, 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Crops are more or less uncertain, owing to the altitude.

In the northeastern portion of the sheet, and on the lower slopes of the mountains, throughout its whole extent, the grazing is good.

The timber in Saguache, Elk, and Sangre de Cristo ranges is pine and spruce, suitable for lumber. The scattered timber on foot-hills is mainly piñon, suitable only for fuel. The mines at head of Chalk Creek, head of San Luis Valley, are silver and lead. Gold is found in place and placer-mines about Upper Arkansas, also in Union Park at head of Gunnison River; salt-wells at head of Salt Creek.

The water-supply is very good, from the South Platte, Arkansas, Gunnison, and San Luis Creek, with their many branches.

The barren land is above timber-line and along sides of cañons, where the bare rocks are developed.

61 D.-Half-mountainous. Timber on western rim of San Luis Valley. Piñons near valley on western foot-hills. Elsewhere spruce and pines. Large cottonwoods along Rio Grande, Alamosa, and La Jara Creeks. Sangre de Cristo range within limits of sheet, well wooded to timber-lines.

Agricultural lands on Rio Grande below mouth of South Fork, and in San Luis Valley along all running streams, also on Upper San Juan. Elsewhere land too high for cultivation.

Grazing lands.-San Luis Valley; hills of western boundary of San Luis Valley; on headwaters of the Cochetopa; on Upper San Juan. Large part of San Luis Valley covered with sage, but susceptible of irrigation.

Mines.-Summit and Decatur districts, oa headwaters of Alamosa Creek, near divide between Rio Grande and San Juan waters. Gold and silver, principally the former. Gold found in Sangre de Cristo range; (not worked extensively.)

Barren land lies above timber-lines.

62 C.-The sheet lies in Central Colorado. In the western part the Sangre de Cristo, Greenhorn, and Culebra ranges limit the great plain extending eastward from their base. The cultivatable land is found in the valleys of the southern tributaries of the Arkansas, the Saint Charles, Greenhorn, Apache, Huerfano, Cucharas, Santa Clara, and Purgatoire; also along the Ute, Sangre de Cristo, and Trinchera Creeks. There is heavy pine and spruce timber on the mountains.

The grazing land in the mountain-valleys is very good, on the plains but indifferent, but not so poor as to be called barren. The little barren land of the sheet is above timber-line.

The Rosita silver-mining district is rapidly developing. Silver has also been found in Spanish Peak. Gold is found in the Sangre de Cristo range, iron on Grape Creek, and good coal in northwestern part of sheet.

The water-supply in the mountains is good, and on the plains sufficient for grazing lands, with enough for irrigation along the streams.

61 C, sub.-Central Colorado. Mountainous, except small tracts, perhaps 3 per cent. of level ground.

Timber-Area well timbered with spruce upon the mountain-sides, and below 8,500 feet with large yellow pines and cottonwood. Scrub-oak, reaching 20 feet in height and 10 inches in diameter, found on Animas and Uncompahgre.

Agricultural lands are situated in the Uncompahgre Valley in north section of area, and on Lake Fork of the Gunnison. Good crops of wheat, corn, and vegetables may be produced in these small valleys.

Mines.-Extensive deposits and veins of gold, silver, lead, copper, manganese, and iron exist. Gold, silver, lead, and copper found in Upper Animas.