By 1865 the American West had been thoroughly explored, but the knowledge obtained was by no means comprehensive. Though Americans generally agreed that the West was full of opportunities, exactly what those opportunities were and how they might best be exploited was not completely clear. Agriculture as it was then practiced was unsuitable for the rugged mountains and arid plains. Mining success depended upon identifying mineral deposits and developing effective means of extracting them. Science could contribute to answering these questions, but at the time there were no bureaus or agencies...