NEW MEXICO.

of 121,201 square miles, nearly two-thirds of which lie east of the Rio
Grande, which bisects the territory the entire distance from North to
South. The northwestern quarter of New Mexico is among the most
rugged and mountainous regions on the continent, but rich in miner-
als. The entire eastern portion is comparatively level, being the
most western portion of the great fertile plains which slope towards
the Mississippi and the Gulf, and are drained by the more southern
tributaries of the Arkansas, the Red River and some of the larger
streams of western Texas. The southern half, from Albuquerque to
the southern boundary, is a country of diversified aspect, made up of
hills and valleys. The valleys are exceedingly fertile and peculiarly
adapted to the culture of the vine. Mr. Hall, in his valuable work,
‘‘Guide to the Great West,” remarks:

“The valleys and slopes in the eastern section consist generally of
very productive land, the soil in this part being adapted to the culture
of sugar.” Again he says: “Cotton of good quality is grown in the
southern part of the Territory; and the wine of the region, from
Scorro, or even from Albuquerque, to the Texas line at Franklin, or the
Mexican line at El Paso, is celebrated for its fine quality. Peaches
are excellent and abundant in the southern part of the Territory.”

There is probably no portion of North America so well adapted to
the rearing of sheep as New Mexico. Already millions are found
there; and were there a communication by rail, their numbers could
be indefinitely increased. While out beyond Fort Riley I saw many
Mexican wagons, with large bodies, loaded with wool, not in sacks,
but in bulk. These wagons were unloaded into warebousés at the
railroad stations, just as hay is thrown loose into a barn and tramped
down. I examined some of this wool and found it to be of very good
quality. As it requires at least two months for one of these wagon
trains—each wagon drawn by four yoke of oxen and attended by
two men—to make the trip from Santa Fé to Junction City, the
expense of carrying this wool cannot be less than one hundred and
fifty dollars per ton. With heavier return loads, and more ascending
grade, it takes three months for the Santa Fé trains to make the
return trips.

But, after all, the great value of New Mexico is in its mineral trea-
sures, gold, silver and copper. Discoveries of rich mines of gold have
recently been reported, but the information is yet too vague to war-
rant more than a general mention of the fact. Bituminous coal exists
in great abundance on the eastern slopes; and near the Old Placer
gold mine, about twenty-seven miles southeast of Santa Fé, and but a
few miles from the contemplated route of this road, ANTHRACITE CoaL
has been found. Of this Mr. Hall says: