CCXXXvi GENERAL SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND 



clining, while that of silver increases. The twenty-six years 

 from 1848 (the first year of a gold yield in California) to 



1873 are embraced in the statement. 



During this period the average annual gold yield was 

 $50,800,000, while the average annual yield of silver was 

 $13,300,000. The highest gold production was between the 

 years 1851 and 1857, when it exceeded $55,000,000 a year. 

 The highest annual silver production was in 1873, when it 

 reached $37,750,000. With the exception of one or two 

 years, the gold production has steadily decreased from 1857, 

 while the silver production has steadily increased since 1859. 

 About the year 1873 the proportion of the one about equaled 

 that of the other. The annual statement of the production 

 of the precious metals in the states and territories west of 

 the Missouri River (including British Columbia) for the year 



1874 shows an aggregate yield of $74,401,065, being an ex- 

 cess of $2,142,362 over that of 1873. The discovery of the 

 great " bonanza," or ore-body, on the Comstock lode, during 

 the past year, will doubtless swell the figures of silver pro- 

 duction enormously. The Annual Report of the Director of 

 the Mint to the Secretary of the Treasury enables us to bring 

 forward the statistics of the domestic production of the pre- 

 cious metals to June 30, 1875. For the year ending with 

 the date just given, the director gives the following values, 

 viz. : 



Arizona $1,000,000 



California 17,000,000 



Colorado 5,472,000 



Idaho 2,500,000 



Montana 4,119,852 



Nevada 31,795,193 



New Mexico $1 ,000,000 



Utah 6,844,570 



Oregon 1,6G5,000 



Wyoming Ter 250,000 



Washington Ter.... 300,000 



Total $71,046,615 



In view of its growing importance, it may not be amiss to 

 notice in our statistical summary the condition of the Amer- 

 ican Silk Industry, as presented in the report of the Secreta- 

 ry of the Silk Association of America. This document em- 

 braces comprehensive facts and figures, bringing up the statis- 

 tics of this growing industry to December 31, 1874. From 

 these statistics we learn that thirteen states manufactured 

 silk goods during 1874, distributed as follows in firms and 

 corporations : New Jersey, 42 ; Connecticut, 21 ; New York, 

 70; Massachusetts, 11; Pennsylvania, 23; California, 3; 



