by English, in 1634. One of the thirteen original States. twenty-second in population. The first settlement was at St. Mary, in coal, seventh in tobacco, eighth in copper, ninth in iron ore, MARYLAND ranks second among the States in fisheries, fourth

mouth, 1620. One of the thirteen original States. steel, seventh in population. First settlement, by English, at Plythird in manufactures, printing and publishing, sixth in iron and goods, cod and mackerel fishing, second in wealth and commerce, MASSACHUSETTS ranks first in cotton, woolen and worsted

advantages of fertile soil and large deposits of valuable minerals, so that agriculture, grazing, manufacturing and mining have become wide-spread industries. According to the agricultural returns for 1886, 569,703,000 bushels of corn, 161,881,000 bushels of wheat, and 235,693,000 bushels of oats were grown; while, in 1887, there were 3,705,660 horses and 8,693,147 cattle. In 1882, 256,047,310 pounds of tobacco were produced. During 1885, 19,587,190 tons of coal and 1,562,566 tons of iron were produced. In 1880 the manufacturing establishments numbered 68,320.

NORTHERN DIVISION WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.-In this are included Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri, Dakota and the Indian Territory. Industries similar to above. 611,107,000 bushels of corn, 160,006,000 bushels of wheat, and 217,798,000 bushels of oats were grown during 1886, while the farm stock included, in 1887, 3,290,569 horses and 11,518,417 cattle. 7,885,610 tons of coal and 67,955 tons of iron were produced in 1885. In 1880 the manufactories numbered 19,720.

SOUTHERN DIVISION.—Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. The warm and moist climate and extreme fertility of the soil have made the growth of cotton, rice and sugar-cane the foremost industries. During 1882, 4,794,000 bales of cotton were raised, while Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas produced 25,000,000 pounds of rice in 1880, and Louisiana alone 145,986 hogsheads of sugar in 1886–87.

HIGHLAND STATES AND TERRITORIES.-This region, embracing Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, has a cool and remarkably dry climate, and the valleys afford fine pasture, but the rich mines of gold and silver in the mountains render mining the chief occupation. During 1885 gold valued at $14,260,000, silver valued at $48,910,000, and 2,471,397 tons of coal were produced.

THE PACIFIC COAST.-This section embraces California, Oregon and Washington Territory. This district with the above mentioned is, perhaps, the richest in metals on the globe. Besides mining, the chief occupation, the forests of the outer slope furnish inexhaustible supplies of timber, so that lumbering has become a distinctive industry. The most wealthy and populous State is California, which, besides its immense mineral deposits, possesses great fertility of soil in its valleys, so that agriculture and the cultivation of fruits, both of the temperate and semi-tropical zones, are in a most advanced condition. During 1885 gold valued at $13,620,000, silver valued at $2,580,000, and 448,095 tons of coal were produced, while, in 1886, the wheat crop of California alone amounted to 36,165,000 bushels, and the

lumber produce of Puget Sound (Washington) to $1,200,000 in 1880.

MEXICO.-Area, 751,177 square miles. Population, 10,460,703 in 1884, 20 per cent. white race, 43 per cent. natives of mixed race, and 37 per cent. Indians. Religion-Prevailing religion, Roman Catholic, though by law there is toleration of all other religions. 62 Protestant churches with over 20,000 adherents. Government -A confederate republic. Executive, the President. Legislative, the Congress, consisting of the House of Representatives with 227 members, and the Senate with 56 members. Army20,635 men (peace footing); 164,000 men (war footing). Navy -7 small vessels. Education-1884, 8,986 elementary schools with nearly 500,000 pupils, and 138 higher schools with 17,200 scholars. Government grant, $3,400,000. Finance-Revenue, 1886-87 (estimated), $30,625,000; expenditures, 1886-87 (estimated), $26,700,000; national debt, $162,737,650. Imports1885-86, $41,285,000. Exports--1885-86, $51,500,000. Chief articles exported, 1884-85--Precious metals, $13,425,000; textile fibers, $4,630,000. Industries-102,240 men employed in mining. Between 1821 and 1880 silver to the value of $900,000,000, and gold to the value of $4,841,000 were produced. 88 cotton factories with 12,846 employes.

CENTRAL AMERICA AND WEST INDIES.-The Central American States comprise that portion of the narrow belt of land adjoining North and South America which extends from the southern borders of Mexico, south of the Yucatan peninsula, to the beginning of the Isthmus of Panama-Guatemala, San Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and British Honduras. The West Indies are an immense number of islands and islets, some of them mere rocks, extending from 100 to 27° N. lat. and from 55° 30′ to 850 W. long. They are divided physically into three distinct groups, the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. But politically they are, with a few exceptions, divided between European powers-Spain, Great Britain, France, Holland and Denmark.

SOUTH AMERICA

Forms the southern and lesser part of the great American Peninsula, and is joined to North America by the Isthmus of Panama, which, at its narrowest part, is only 30 miles broad. Greatest length, Pt. Gallinas to Cape Horn, 4,700 miles. Greatest breadth, Cape Branco to Cape Burica, 3,200 miles. The outline is regular and forms a continuous though curved line, not greatly serrated or broken into by the sea, except at the south, where a large number of islands occur. The coast line measures 16,500 miles, or 420 miles of surface to each mile of coast. Area

MICHIGAN ranks first among the States in copper, lumber and salt second in iron ore, third in buckwheat and wool, fifth in hops and potatoes, sixth in wheat and barley, seventh in agricultural implements, eighth in miles of railway, ninth in population. First settlement, by French, at Detroit, 1650. Admitted to the Union, 1837.