The old plantation life prevails as unchanged as in any Southern State, with spacious mansion houses and large estates, the homes of the oldtime aristocracy of the age of the Southern cavalier. Parchman, Mississippi's state penal farm, has been called by the Library of Congress the best source of Negro folk music in the nation. Mound Bayou is a half-century old, exclusively-Negro community founded by Isaiah Montgomery, former slave of Jefferson Davis.

There are 20 universities and colleges in the State, the most noted being the University of Mississippi, Oxford: Mississippi State College, Starkville; and Mississippi State College for Women, Columbus.

The battlefield in Vicksburg was established as a national military park (1899) to commemorate the campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg, one of the turning points of the Civil War, and to preserve the ground where took place the battles and operations connected with the siege. There the Confederates made their last stand for control of the lower Mississippi River, the highway to the sea for the Union States of the Middle West. There, on the high bluffs commanding a bend in the stream, the Confederate batteries prevented the passage of Federal vessels and made impossible cooperation between Federal troops above and below the city.

Federal naval and military expeditions against Vicksburg failed (1862). An army under General Grant (early in 1863) descended the river to the Louisiana shore near Vicksburg, and assisted by a strong fleet under Admiral Porter strove for three months to cross the river and attack the city from the rear.

Failing in these efforts, Grant finally marched

his army southward, crossed the river 30 miles below Vicksburg, and (early in May, 1863) established a position on the Mississippi side. From there he marched rapidly northeast and, in a series of five pitched battles, defeated and separated the armies of Joseph E. Johnston and John C. Pemberton. The latter was driven (May 18) within the defenses of Vicksburg, to which Grant then laid siege. The siege was pushed for 47 days. Two Federal assaults were repulsed by the defenders, whose system of earthworks encircling the city proved impregnable to direct attack. The Federal army then resorted to regular siege operations, subjecting the Confederate forts to an almost continuous bombardment. The city was also shelled by the fleet in the river, the inhabitants taking refuge in caves and cellars when the firing became intense. The expected relief from Johnston's army failed to materialize and at length, weakened by sickness and lack of food, the Confederates were compelled to surrender. Grant's army entered Vicksburg (July 4). General Grant said later in his memoirs, when Vicksburg fell "the fate of the Confederacy was sealed."

Vicksburg National Military Park is noted among the world's battlefields for its distinctive topography and for the extensive remains of trenches and earthworks which render the military operations in the locality readily comprehensible. Today the visitor can traverse the remains of the Confederate works, and see, marching up the steep slopes before him, rows of markers indicating the positions attained by the Federal forces in their assaults and engineering operations. To an unusual degree the battlefield preserves and illustrates the heroic events which occurred there.

furnish railroad transportation.

The Mississippi River. forms the entire eastern boundary line for 500 miles, and the Missouri River the northern part of the western line, cutting then through the State to confluence with the Mississippi above St. Louis. In all it has nearly 1,000 miles of navigable waterways.

Its topography is varied-upland table in the north and west, the Ozark Mountains in the center and south, with low-lying river bottom areas in the extreme southeast. Its climate varies from the north temperate to the sub-tropical.

Economically, it partakes of the characteristics of both North and South, is strong agriculturally and industrially, and far advanced in education.

Corn is the chief crop, but large quantities of winter wheat, oats, potatoes and tobacco are marketed. Cotton is grown in the southeast counties.

The State is rich in minerals with extensive deposits of coal and lead. Other important minerals are zinc, Portland cement, grindstones, pig-iron, copper, barite, blue and white lead, limestone, sandstone, granite and silver.

The stockyards and packing plants in Kansas City are famous. Flour and feed mills, butter and cheese factories, have large outputs; and so have the printing establishments and machine shops. Missouri is first in the world's output of corn cob pipes and sells millions annually.

The Bagnell Dam across the Osage river in the Ozarks (completed in 1931) created the Lake of the Ozarks, 129 miles long, with a shore line of approximately 1,300 miles, flooding more than 60,000 acres and impounding 97,000,000,000 cubic ft. of water. The dam is 2,543 ft. long and 148 ft. high from bed rock to the state highway on its top. It is part of a $33,000,000 hydro-electrical development designed to generate 268,000 h. p.

The metropolitan area of which St. Louis is the business and banking center, has a population of 1,246,000. St. Louis is noted for its botanical gardens, zoo, parks and Municipal Open-Air The

St. Louis is the gateway for north and south travel as well as of freight traffic, and many tourists stop there en route. A feature is the Eads bridge across the Mississippi, which is said to accommodate more freight cars than any other in the world. River traffic is immense, to and from New Orleans and intermediate points.

In livestock the Missouri mule, which is facetiously said to have won the first World War, has always been bred much locally and exported to all States and foreign countries,

The influx of Germans in the revolutionary times of their native land in the last century left a large proportion of persons of that blood, especially in St. Louis to this day, those now being practically all natives.

The University of Missouri in Columbia, and St. Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis, twelve colleges and seven normal schools are the higher institutions of education.

The William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Atkins Museum, erected at a cost of $15,000,000 in Kansas City (1933) is one of the foremost art museums in the Middle-west.

La Salle's explorations (1682) located what is now Missouri as a part of the vast Louisiana claim, which was relinquished to Spain (1762), returned to France (1800), and purchased by the United States (1803).

The State is rich in sites of historic and prehistoric interest. At many places, such as near Hartsburg and Hannibal, travelers see where ancient Indian Mound builders lived and constructed their great "stone vault" and "garden" earthworks. The old U. S. Grant log cabin, built by Grant himself outside St. Louis, draws many

visitors.

The early home of Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) stands in Hannibal, the region made famous by his books. In the same city is the statue of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, two of his best-known characters. Many persons each year visit the farm home, about six miles from Excelsior Springs, of the most colorful bandit of the old days-Jesse James.

The Rocky Mountain range crosses the State in the west, with the Bitter Root range at the extreme

western side, the country east of the Rockies sloping off into vast plains and smaller valleys between smaller hill elevations. Its rivers of note are the Missouri, up which crude boat navigation has passed for generations; the Yellowstone. Madison and Bitter Root. Of the 50,000,000 acres, the forests

of about 30,000,000 acres are, with other areas, ranges for livestock grazing.

Irrigation by Federal Government and private initiative, and through the instrumentality of the State Water Conservation Board, has been highly developed, resulting in the production of large quantities of the standard fruits, orchard and small, of the temperate zone. The State, although far north and high in elevation, is especially suited to that activity, with the largest development in the Bitter Root, Missoula and Flathead regions. Wheat, oats, flaxseed, barley, rye, corn, hay, potatoes and sugar beets are produced. The annual wool clip is large.

Chief mineral products are gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, petroleum, high grade manganese ore, coal, natural gas, asbestos.

Montana has a stumpage of more than 58,000.000,000 ft. of timber, of which much is the increasingly valuable white pine; other kinds are larch, spruce, cedar, Douglas fir, white fir, lodge-pole pine, valuable for telegraph poles, hemlock and yellow pine.

The potential horsepower available in the waters is estimated at 3,700,000, of which 506,957 h. p. had been developed by Jan. 1, 1940. Immense reservoirs have been constructed on the Madison and Missouri Rivers to give dependable water supplies.

Places of higher education are the State University in Missoula, the State College in Bozeman; School of Mines, Butte; three additional colleges, three normal schools (1 for teachers) and two junior colleges.

Scenically, Montana is not surpassed. Its lofty mountains are rugged and picturesque, and travel by rail or automobile takes one through beautiful places. Glacier National Park, on the line between the United States and Canada, is one of the greatest public preserves in the world. Beyond the roads in the park is a vast primeval wilderness (750,000 acres) which cannot be entered by auto

mobile. Eighty-one percent of the entire park area (or 1,249 sq. m.) is accessible only by trail. Separated only by the Going-to-the-Sun Highway through the central part of the State, running east to west, the area is a vast wild region of peaks, glaciers and beautiful mountain lakes, about 250 of which fill great glacial basins. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation is east of the Park, one of seven such reservations in the State. That portion of the State east of Continental Divide was once a part of Louisiana and later of Dakota. The portion west of the Divide was in turn a part of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Probably the first white man to venture into Montana was Chevalier De La Verendrye, a Frenchman who came down from Canada. He picked up stories from the Indians of a great river that ran westward to the sea, so he left Fort LaReine, now

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (1742), to find the southwestern corner of Montana and on New Columbia River. He probably entered the extreme Year's Day (1743) sighted snow-capped mountains to the west. Verendrye called the region the "Land of the Shining Mountains." No more white men visited Montana until the Lewis and Clark Expedition 62 years later.

The discovery of gold (1850-1860) attracted swarms of miners and merchants. Bustling towns sprouted overnight on land where previously had roamed the Indians-Blackfeet, Flatheads, Crows, Sioux and Cheyennes. Strife developed between white man and red man, causing much bloodshed. It was at the junction of Little and Big Horn Rivers (1876) that General Custer and 277 of his men were massacred by the Indians under Chief Sitting Bull. With mining prosperity came banditry, and vigilante committees were organized to cope with the outlawry. Informal hangings became a daily occurrence. "Trees began bearing a strange fruit with a tough rind," one historian wrote. When order was restored, the vigilante members disbanded.

The western portion lies in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, with high barren table lands broken by low ridges reaching an altitude of about 5,000 ft. in the Bad Lands near Wyoming and South Dakota. Then come the sand hills section (about 15,000 sq. m.), now well grassed over and stable. Thence the prairie slopes gently to the Missouri, where the altitude at Rulo in the southeast corner is 842 ft. The average altitude is about 2,000 ft. Three river systems, the Platte, the Niobrara and the Big Blue, drain eastward into the Missouri.

The climate is exceptionally healthful, with constant winds, much sunshine and dry, pure air. The winters are of considerable severity and the summers hot. Rainfall is not heavy, though usually sufficient in the growing season for the crops in the prairie counties. Irrigation is resorted to in the west. The soil is very fertile.

The chief crops are corn, oats, wheat, barley, rye, alfalfa hay, potatoes, sugar beets. The State leads in production of wild hay. Nebraska cattle exceed 3,000,000; there are more than 2,000,000 swine.

Higher institutions of education include the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Creighton (R. C.) University, Omaha; Nebraska Wesleyan University (M. E.), Lincoln; Hastings College (Presby.), Hastings; and Municipal University, Omaha.

Nebraska (1934) voted an amendment to its constitution to substitute a single chamber for the old bicameral legislature. The new chamber has 43 members elected without party designation. whereas the old legislature had 133 senators and representatives.

The cost of the first uni-cameral session (1937) was $110,000 as compared with $260,000 for the last bicameral meeting. Legislative machinery and procedure have been simplified, reducing the number of committees from 61 to 16; and abolishing executive sessions. News papermen are permitted to attend all committee ineetings. Before a bill becomes law it is submitted to a Committee of Review which, with the assistance of three prominent lawyers, attests its constitutionality.

Under the Constitution, the bonded debt of the State is limited to $100,000.

The earliest records of Nebraska are the rocks

and the soil. These indicate that this part of the planet has at times been the bottom of a sea and other times has been elevated above the water; that at one time the region had a climate of tropical warmth and at a later time was covered in part by a thick sheet of ice. The remains of former plants and animals which testify to these conditions are abundant within the State.

Recent investigations indicate the presence of prehistoric men in Nebraska at a period several hundred, perhaps thousands of years ago.

The Otoe, Omaha, Ponca, Pawnee, Sioux. Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes of Indians were found in Nebraska by the first explorers. These numbered altogether about 40.000 persons who lived chiefly by hunting. partly by primitive agriculture. War was the normal condition existing among these tribes. The traditions of these Indians indicate that they had migrated to the Nebraska region within a few hundred years of the time they were found by the first explorers.

Francesco Vasquez Coronado and his party of 30 Spanish cavalry were the first white men to visit this region (1541) French fur traders and trappers began to venture up the Missouri River (about 1700). The Mallet brothers, with a party of eight Frenchmen, named the Platte River and traveled nearly the entire length of the State (1739) on a journey from the Missouri River to Santa Fe. They were followed by many other French fur traders during the next 60 years.

Spain, France and England all claimed the Nebraska region at different times, basing their claims upon discoveries and explorations. At the close of the Seven Years' War (1769) France ceded all her claims east of the Mississippi to England and west of the Mississippi to Spain. Nebraska was thus a part of the Spanish province of Louisiana (from 1763 until 1801) when Napoleon bought it back.

Lewis and Clark were the commanders of the first American expedition to visit Nebraska (1804 1806). The Hunt party of Astorians skirted the Nebraska shores (1811) on their way to Oregon and seven of the party crossed the mountains (1812) and followed the North Platte down to its junction with the Missouri. Major Long with a party of 20 men traveled (1819) from the Missouri River up the Platte to the head waters of its south fork near Denver. During the years 18071820 Manuel Lisa, of Spanish descent, but a citizen of the United States, became the leading fur trader and explorer of the Nebraska region.

Sites marking the places where Indian fights

took place in the State are Fort McPherson Cemetery, Massacre Canyon Monument, and Pawnee Battlefield. Fort McPherson Cemetery, situated on the south side of the Platte River near Maxwell, is a national military cemetery containing the graves of many early-day heroes. Here are graves of soldiers of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indian wars, and here lies Spotted Horse, a Pawnee scout. Massacre

Canyon Monument, in Hitchcock county, commemorates the last great battle between the Sioux and the Pawnees. The Pawnees were badly beaten and suffered a loss of 156 men. The monument was erected by the United States Government. Pawnee Battlefield is the site where the Pawnees surrendered to the Nebraska militia, under the command of General John M. Thayer (July 12, 1859).

It is mountainous and much of the high tablelands is arid or semi-arid. Agriculture is not varied, owing hitherto to lack of water, but as irrigation advances diversification of products proceeds. Wheat, barley, potatoes are the chief crops. Live stock interests are relatively large.

Boulder Dam, the highest dam in the world is on the Colorado river about 25 miles southeast of Las Vegas. The University of Nevada, established at Elko (1873) and moved to Reno (1886) is the chief institution of learning. The state has four colleges.

The mountains have produced more than a billion dollars of mineral wealth, chiefly in gold. silver and copper. Other important minerals are lead, zinc, quicksilver, tungsten, sulphur, graphite, borax, gypsum and building stone.

There are a number of interesting caverns in Nevada, the most noted being Gypsum Cave, 20 miles northeast of Las Vegas, in a limestone spur of the Frenchman range of mountains, about 2,000 ft. above sea level in a rocky desert country. When completely excavated some years ago the cave was known to have six rooms and measured about 300 ft. in length. The widest spot was about 120 ft

The entrance measured 70 ft. across with a height of about 15 ft. On passing the portal the

Gypsum Cave furnishes artifacts which prove that at one time prehistoric men and animals conjointly by the two, nevertheless there is suffLived there. Although quite evidently not occupied cient proof to show that both types were contemporary.

Franciscan friars were the first white men to set foot in what is now Nevada. They crossed the territory on their way to California (1775). Peter Ogden of the Hudson Bay Company discovered the Humboldt or Ogden River (1825); Judediah Smith passed through the region (1826); and John C. Fremont traversed the territory with an exploring party (1834-44). A trading post was founded by the Mormons near the Carson River (1849).

Until the discovery of the famous Comstock Lode (1859), the inhabitants of Nevada numbered only about 1,000, chiefly Mormons and California gold seekers who had tarried on the way. After the discovery there was a stampede of fortune hunters from all over the country. The population of Virginia City spurted from a few hundred to 30.000. Bonanzas were struck and developed; men became wealthy beyond dreams over night. For several years the Comstock Lode was the richest silver mining center in the world and from it has come approximately one billion dollars in gold and silver. By reason of the short period of residence required for divorce suits, Nevada has become a popular resort, and the city of Reno is the center of that activity. Games of chance have been legalized.

New Hampshire is bounded on the north by Canada, on the east by Maine and the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Massachusetts, and on the west by Vermont. It was one of the Thirteen Original States.

Its northern parts are rugged, reaching in the White Mountains the highest elevations of the Northeastern United States (Mount Washington, 6,293 ft.). There are 86 mountain peaks in an area of 1,270 square miles. Toward the sea, it is more level and agricultural and industrial by utilization of river water power. There are more than 1,300 lakes and ponds in the state. The Connecticut River rises in New Hampshire and forms the greater part of the Vermont border.

Agriculture, despite an income below that of manufacturing and the recreational business, remains an important use of land and a basic part of the state's economic structure. As a land use it occupies one-third of the state's area and as a source of employment it is directly responsible for the support of one-sixth of the state's population. Most of the State's soil cover consists of sandy or stony loam, considered excellent for forest growth, but requiring continuous fertilization when used for plowed crops. There are small patches of excellent soil along the river valleys and in old glacial lake bottoms, but the total is relatively small.

The leading lines of agricultural activity are dairy and poultry products, hay, potatoes, maple products, corn, oats, and apples, the first mentioned accounting for more than one-half the value of total agricultural production at present. The physical characteristics of the State are such that most of its area is better fitted for growing forest than for any other purpose. At present, including farm woodland, over three-fourths of the State's land is forested. These forest resources, used intelligently, should continue to be an important factor in the economic life of the State.

The principal commercial minerals of New Hampshire are, in order of their present importance: granite, sand and gravel, clay products, feldspar, and mica: other materials include garnet, quartz, beryl, fluorspar, molybdenum, lead, silver, zinc, copper, gold, and others.

Textiles, leather products, paper and pulp industries comprise, at present, about 60% of the State's manufactures. Preeminent for many years, the textile industry in the State has yielded to the rapidly growing boot and shoe industry. Though experiencing a sharp decline in paper and pulp production after 1929. New Hampshire still ranks high in that field. Other important classes of industry in New Hampshire are wood and lumber. iron and steel products, stone and clay products and electrical equipment.

Among New Hampshire's famous scenic and recreational attractions are the Old Man of the Mountains, Mt. Washington, the Flume, Glen Ellis Falls. Dixville Notch and Lake Winnipesaukee. The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, first of its kind in North America, carried 156,349 passengers during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1940. The College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, State tramway is operated by the State.

The White Mountain National Forest is the largest single publicly-owned area in New England. While not acquired and operated primarily as a recreational area, recreational values are a direct by-product of its existence. New Hampshire is ideally suited for both summer and winter sports and among the latter skiing has recently taken precedence.

Dartmouth College, Hanover, is a leading educational institution, from which many eminent men have come, among them Daniel Webster. There are other higher institutions, including the State University in Durham, and St. Anselm's College, in Manchester.

New Hampshire was first settled at Dover and Portsmouth (1623). This was only three years after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers and was seven years before Boston was founded. The first settlers were fishermen and farmers and traders. Soon four towns, Dover, Exeter, Hampton and Portsmouth, were organized.

New Hampshire is the only New England state to cling to the observance of Fast Day (last Thursday in April) first proclaimed (1681) when the governor of the province lay dying and ordered a day of public fasting and prayer in view of "sundry tokens of divine displeasure."

New Jersey is bounded on the north by New York, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and New York, on the south by the Atlantic and Delaware Bay, and on the western side by Delaware Bay and Pennsylvania. It is mostly low and flat, having hilly development in the northern end.

New Jersey has extensive water navigation facilities, with Delaware Bay and the Delaware River along its western side, the Atlantic on the east and the valuable facilities of New York harbor and branches on the northeast.

The State grades high in industrial strength, production being varied and well diffused in all parts. As a consequence, railway facilities are highly developed.

New Jersey shares with New York in the Port of New York Authority, a body which has wide powers over bridge and tunnel traffic affecting both States; and with Pennsylvania in the Delaware River Joint Commission established to own and operate the Camden-Philadelphia bridge.

Petroleum refining and copper smelting are important industries. The silk mills and textile industries, the manufacture of electrical machinery and supplies, foundries, machine shops and rolling mills, the paint and chemical plants and the pottery works are also of importance. So are the canneries, meat-packing houses, soap and perfume factories, gold and silver refineries, and the jewelry factories.

New Jersey's agriculture is affected most vitally by the proximity of the immense markets of New York City and the fact that its own population is largely urban. Market gardening has advanced to great magnitude. Chief crops are apples, peaches, tomatoes, asparagus, cranberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, hay.

New Jersey produces minerals abundantly-iron ore, and about one-fourth of the Nation's supply of magnetite, zinc, and clay products.

The educational institutions are important: Princeton University in Princeton is one of the country's foremost. Rutgers College, New Brunswick, and Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken are well known, and there are other colleges of prominence, including the University of Newark and New Jersey College for Women, New Brunswick.

Atlantic City, Cape May, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Wildwood, are among the larger sea coast resorts, attracting hundreds of thousands each year.

The State is becoming increasingly popular as a winter resort, its numerous lakes and hills being ideally suited to skiing, skating, ice boating, tobogganing and related sports.

The voters of the State adopted (1939) an amendment to the constitution to permit horse racing with the pari-mutuel system of betting.

New Jersey abounds in points of historic and scenic interest. The Ringwood Iron Works, Ringwood, the earliest in the country (established 1740) provided much of the iron products for the Revolutionary army and here was forged the great iron chain which was stretched across the Hudson river near West Point to prevent the ascent of British war vessels. The oldest lighthouse in the United States (erected in 1764) is at Sandy Hook; and the oldest highway in North America-the Old Mine Road-still may be seen in Warren county. It was built (1650) and it originally linked Paquaharry, near the Delaware Water Gap, and Kingston,

The length of the

The Delaware Water Gap, a famous landmark, is a break in the flat-crested Kittatinny Ridge elevation of the ridge is 1,496 ft. and of the river through which the Delaware River flows. The 287 ft. The mountain rises abruptly 1,200 ft. above the river. The Palisades, a massive vertical wall of rock, stands more than 500 ft. above the Hudson River. Winding roads permit ascent from the river's bank to the summit. A large area of the Palisades lies within Palisades Interstate Park, maintained cooperatively by New York and New Jersey.

The birthplaces of Capt. John Lawrence. who immortalized the words "Don't Give Up the Ship." and of James Fenimore Cooper, novelist, stand side by side in Burlington.

Morristown National Historical Park occupies the area which was used by George Washington for camping and hospital purposes every winter (17751781) and which for two winters (1776-1777) and (1779-1780) was the main camp site for the Continental army.

High Point Park, 1,805 ft. above sea level in the northwest corner of the State, is noted for its views. Within the limits of what is now the State of New Jersey, aside from any evidences of the presence of prehistoric man in the "Trenton Gravels," the original inhabitants of the commonwealth were Lenni Lenape, or Delaware, Indians. This subdivision of the great Algonkin family occupied the river valleys of the State, had made some progress in agriculture and in elementary arts, were peaceable but small in numbers, and at last have become totally extinct in this portion of the United States.

In its settlement, New Jersey was not an English colony. The claims of the Crown, based upon early discovery and various grants, were ignored by two great commercial nations of Europe-Holland and Sweden. It was not until 1664, practically a half century after the first occupancy of New Jersey by a white man, that England had more than a slight influence upon the destinies of the State.

In settlement, Holland was first to send out planters, under the auspices of the Dutch West India Company. Claiming both the valleys of the Hudson and the Delaware, by virtue of the explorations of Hudson and Mey, land was taken up upon the banks of the Hudson, Passaic, Hackensack, Raritan and smaller streams tributary to New York harbor, as well as at Gloucester upon the Delaware. By 1630 these claims were well established by occupancy, and by the creation of a center of local government in what is now New York City.

Gustavus Adolphus, in his plan to make Sweden a world-power, saw the Dutch to be dangerous Swedish expedition to settle the valley of the Delarivals in America. There was equipped (1638) a ware. What is now the State of Delaware, the valley of the Schuylkill and isolated portions of the west bank of the Delaware River were occupied, civil and military government was established, and the colony of farmers and traders entered upon a brief career of prosperity. The death of Gustavus Adolphus, internal dissensions in Sweden, the weakness of the Delaware settlements, and the constantly increasing power of Holland brought matters to a crisis.

New Sweden was conquered (1655) by New Netherlands, and for nine years the soil of New Jersey was under Dutch control. They were forced (1664) to give up the State to the English.

The climate is dry, stimulating, with annual rainfall of from 12 to 16 inches in different localities,

The United States Geological Survey estimates that the undeveloped coal lands contain 192,000000,000 tons, and that there are also 33,000,000 tons of gypsum.

The State is largely agricultural and principal crops are corn, wheat, potatoes, grain sorghums and cotton. All the cereals and vegetables, sugar beets and much fruit are raised. There are many cattle on the ranges and the annual wool clip is important.

The State University is in Albuquerque; other institutions of higher education are New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, State College, and the New Mexico School of Mines. Socorro. There are two teachers' colleges and two junior colleges, one of which is the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell.

Santa Fe, after St. Augustine, Fla., is the oldest town in the United States and was settled by the Spanish (1605).

New Mexican pueblo villages are of interest to scientist and tourist alike. The golden age of pueblo construction began (900 A.D.) and flourished for 300 years. Ruins of these community dwellings, often containing as many as 1,200 rooms, may be seen today. Some examples of pueblo architecture are still standing and in daily use by the Indians at Taos and other pueblos. The Pueblo Indians evolved a drama, a religion and a system of government so advanced that they were called savages only because they had not developed a written language. They still hold strange dances and ceremonials, prayers for rain and thanks for crops, weird rites which attract the curious from all over the world.

The Aztec National Monument contains an interesting cluster of pre-historic ruins. The large beams which support the ceilings were cut and dressed with stone tools, and are interesting examples of Stone Age work.

The Great White Sands near Alamogordo are almost 100% pure gypsum and even the field mice wear coats as white as ermine on the White Sands, but rainfall produces strange lakes, sometimes crimson red. Not far from Alamogordo is the highest golf course in the world, where the poorest drive is at least 9,000 ft. above sea level.

Carlsbad Caverns are openings made by water in a massive rock known as the Carlsbad limestone. This limestone was formed originally in a shallow inland extension of the ocean, some 200 million years ago.

The brilliance and translucent appearance of the

New

formations in a cave are due to the fact that they are saturated with water. If, for any reason, the seepage of water into the cave is stopped, its appearance gradually becomes dull and the surface slowly assumes a powdered appearance. Such a dry cave is spoken of, in cave parlance, as being dead. Although it has been the subject of extensive explorations, the size of the Carlsbad Caverns is not yet known. Already many miles of passages and chambers have been explored, and further mileage is continually being conquered. How far the caverns extend under the Guadalupe Mountains no one knows. At the present time the. caverns have three main levels, and there may be others not yet discovered. The first is at the 750foot level to which visitors are conducted by elevators. (These are the second largest single-lift elevators in the world, being surpassed only by those of the Empire State Building in New York City). Below it is another vast subterranean apartment at 900 ft. and below that still another at 1,320 ft. At the present time seven miles of lighted underground corridors are open to tourists who are conducted over government-built trails by rangers.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is open throughout the year. Temperature in the caverns remains stationary at 56 degrees Fahrenheit, summer and winter.

Each evening at dusk, except during the winter period of hibernation, millions of bats come forth from a cavern 180 ft. below the surface, flying in a spiral through the great entrance arch, and streaming off over the rim in a southerly direction, later to separate into flocks which disappear in the distance for a night's foraging. Beginning about sunset, the flight outward lasts about three hours. The bats return before the following dawn. It has been estimated that 3,000,000 bats during one night's foray consume a little more than 1111⁄2 tons of night-flying insects, such as various kinds of moths, beetles, flies, and mosquitoes. During the day the bats hang in great clusters high on the walls and ceilings of parts of the caverns.

York

The Dutch discovered the Hudson Valley (1609) settled it (1624) and ruled New Netherlands (until 1664). Meanwhile the French discovered Lake Champlain (1609) and laid claim to what is now northern and western New York. The English (1664) seized New Netherlands, named it New York, and after a century of conflict drove out the French (1763). Severed from the British Empire in the War for Independence, New York adopted a State constitution (April 20, 1777), joined the Confederation (1778) as one of the original Thirteen States, and, by ratifying the Constitution (July 26, 1788) became a member of the United States. George Washington was inaugurated as the first President in New York City (April 30, 1789).

After the Revolution the northern, central and western portion of the State were quickly populated. The completion of the Erie Canal (1825) followed shortly by the railroad brought an era of industrial prosperity, and New York became a leading center of lumbering (about 1850) and Albany a thriving market. The industry gradually declined and now the State imports large quantities of lumber.

New York was originally covered with forestsgreat stands of white pine; red spruce, pine and hemlock in the Adirondacks and Catskills, and beech, brick, maple, elm, hickory, chestnut and ash in the valleys and on the hills.

Topographically New York is mountainous in the east and level or hilly in the central and western parts. About half of the boundary is water. Mount Marcy, 5,344 feet, is the highest elevation. The waters of all the rivers finally drain into the Atlantic. Nearly all geological formations are present. The chief minerals are salt, iron, sandstone. limestone, fire clay. marble, granite. slate, gypsum, talc, gas, oil and cement.

Industrial revolution and the rise of the factory system, augmented by water, steam and electric power, and later influenced by the Barge Canal, automobile highways and air routes. the Port of Albany and the superior facilities of the Port of New York, the greatest in the world.

gave the Empire State a primacy in manufacturing and commerce. The State ranks high in the production of clothing, textiles, foods, sugar refining, meat packing, liquors and tobacco, printing and metal and chemicals; ranks second only to California in grape production and fruit orchards cover many acres.

New York has about 800 miles of navigable ocean, lake and river waterways, the State being penetrated by the New York State Barge Canal (Erie), State owned and operated, through which there is capacity for the passage annually of 20.000.000 tons of freight. The canal also connects with Lake Champlain so that inland tonnage may move between New York City, Buffalo, about 500 miles northwestward on Lake Erie. Oswego, on Lake Ontario, the ports on Lake Champlain northward so far as Rouses Point at the Canadian border. and on into the St. Lawrence River, besides to several interior New York State points on other minor canal routes.

New York ranks high in its transportation facilities. The Barge Canal connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean at New York City; steam railroads operate for 8,270 miles within the borders of New York State; and there is also a network of modern, improved, hard-surfaced highways.

In the State are Columbia University, New York University, College of the City of New York, Cornell University, Syracuse University, University of Rochester, Hamilton College. Union University, Colgate University, Buffalo University, St. Lawrence University, Hobart College, College of St. Francis, Fordham University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and scores of special schools suited to every requirement in letters, science, engineering, finance, economics, sociology and art. At West Point, on the Hudson above New York City, is the United States Military Academy.

New York as a vacation land possesses various regions of unsurpassed natural beauty. Recreational attractions are to be found widely and numerously in mountains, seashore, lakes, rivers. waterfalls, farm lands, and in great cities like New York. In addition, the State maintains a splendid Falls, the Thousand Islands, forest preserves, system of more than 70 State parks. Niagara Ausable Chasm, the Palisades and Howe's Caverns are only a few of the points of interest that are visited yearly by thousands of natives and guests from other States.

Lake George, stretching 32 miles between sky