480 MINING INDUSTET. 



Gulches join Gregory Gulch ; while Nevada is in the gulch of the same 

 name about a mile beyond Central. They thus form one continuous town, 

 about three miles in length, and contain together about 6,000 people. They 

 are connected with Denver and Golden City by daily stages and are about 

 40 and 28 miles distant from those places respectively, according to the 

 length of the traveled roads. They are also connected by good mountain 

 roads with the towns of neighboring districts. They are surrounded by 

 mines, mills, and metallurgical establishments that will receive more minute 

 description in the following chapter. 



Agriculture. — It will be seen that the natural wealth of the Territory 

 is based not only upon varied mineral but also large agricultural resources. 

 The latter at first attracted but little attention in a country that was chiefly 

 opened by mining enterprise, but during late years, as the growing settle- 

 ments created a permanent market for the products of the soil, the farming 

 interests have greatly increased in importance, and during the past two years 

 the reported value of the crops is but little, if anything, less than the bulKon 

 product. 



Thus in 1868, according to Mr. W. R. Thomas of the Denver News, 

 the agricultural statistics were as follows : Number of acres of land cultivated 

 in wheat, 7,410, producing an average of 28 bushels per acre ; acres culti- 

 vated in corn, 10,834, producing an average of 25 bushels per acre; acres 

 cultivated in oats and barley, 3,709, producing an average of 35 bushels per 

 acre; acres cultivated in potatoes, 1,966, producing an average of 100 bushels 

 per acre. Estimated value of these crops, $2,683,840. 



The crop of 1869, according to Mr. Cyrus Thomas, attached to Dr. 

 Hayden's Geological Survey of Colorado and New Mexico, is larger than that 

 of any preceding year, and is thus estimated: Wheat, 675,000 bushels; corn, 

 600,000 bushels; oats and barley, (nine-tenths oats,) 550,000 bushels; pota- 

 toes and other vegetables, 350,000 bushels ; the market value of which, with 

 that of the hay and dairy product, is placed at not less than $3,500,000. | 



Mineral Wealth. — The mineral products of commercial value are 

 widely distributed throughout the Territory. The eastern base of the 

 mountain range is flanked by the coal beds, which crop out, at frequent 

 mtervals, in the upturned strata of the foot-hills, and, extending thence east- 



