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have always accepted as a natural law, is now seemingly being proved more and more satisfactorily by the notes which you and Mr. Webber present. The continental and topographical position of the region neccessitates unfavorable moisture conditions (unfavorable relative humidity, unfavorable precipiration). Allow destruction by fire to make the first inroad and repitition of this factory of destruction and you make these unfavorable climatic conditions more potent. Add the trampling herds of buffalo preventing filteration of falling water and detroying any chance seedlings, repreat the burning and you have here a combination of destructive forces which most easily explains the first destrution and the subsequent difficulty of natural reforestation. At present the difficulty I conceive mainly to lie in the enormous evaporation due to the unchecked sweep of winds.

With best regards,
Yours very truly,
[signature]
Chief of Forestry Divisions.