THE CONQUEST OF ARID AMERICA 



farming in the locality, and thus to enhance the valley's 

 prestige. The Missouri Valley, in the neighborhood of 

 Great Falls, and the Bitter Root Valley about Missoula, 

 are other well-developed districts. Crops are generally 

 planted in April or the first half of May, though some- 

 times in March. The spring rains continuing until the 

 middle of June, irrigation does not begin until that date. 

 Cattle, sheep, and wool are shipped to eastern markets, 

 but other products are consumed within the State. 



While copper and the precious metals are the chief 

 mineral products of the State, it is rich in lead, iron, 

 coal, building materials, and precious stones. It is esti- 

 mated that an area of not less than fifty thousand square 

 miles is underlaid with bituminous or lignite coal of good 

 quality. Coke is a growing product. The State is also 

 rich in forests and abundantly supplied with natural 

 water-power. It has, in a word, all the materials of a 

 diversified industrial life. 



The social and political life of Montana is vigorous 

 and interesting. Both the climate and the industries 

 are calculated to breed a sturdy and self-reliant people. 

 Helena, the capital, located in what was formerly known 

 as Last Chance Gulch, has long enjoyed the reputation 

 of being the richest city in proportion to its population 

 in the world. Butte is still larger the largest mining 

 camp in the United States. These two leading towns 

 present radically dilferent aspects of western life. 

 Helena is the political and social capital, Butte the 

 grimy centre of industry. Botli have enjoyed phenom- 

 enal prosperity, and escaped, to a large degree, the re- 

 lapses which have afflicted other ambitious western 

 cities at various times. 



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