Vol. XXI, No. 8 WASHINGTON August, 1910 







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MATKOMAL 

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THE SOUTHWEST 



Its Splendid Natural Resources, Agricultural Wealth, 



and Scenic Beauty 



By N. H. Darton, of the U. S. Geological Survey 



THE southwestern section of the 

 United States is a province that 

 presents many special characteris- 

 tics of physiography, cHmate, resources, 

 and capabiHties which are not as well 

 known as they deserve to be. The term 

 "'Southwest" is usually apphed to New 

 Mexico, Arizona, and southern Califor- 

 nia, an area of about the size of New 

 England, New York, Pennsylvania, 

 Maryland, and the Virginias. Much 

 public attention has of late been attracted 

 to Arizona and New Mexico in connec- 

 tion with their admission to statehood, 

 and one gratifying result of this has been 

 a greatly increased interest in their re- 

 sources and conditions. 



Excluding the populous and thrifty 

 coast region of southern California, the 

 Southwest is the most thinly populated 

 and least developed portion of the coun- 

 try south of Alaska. As this condition 

 is due mainly to a climate so arid that 

 but little can be raised without irriga- 

 tion, its future development is to be 

 measured by the utilization of the vast 

 volume of flood waters now going to 

 waste. This water can be applied to 

 millions of acres of level lands with rich 

 soil, which with the unending sunshine 

 of its mild climate will respond with 

 large and profitable crops. 



Unfortunately, there is not enough 

 water for all the land, but there is suffi- 

 cient, if all were utilized, to support a 

 population many times as large as the 

 present one. ' The Government is now 

 spending $12,000,000 in reclamation 

 projects in Arizona and New Mexico, 

 which will supply water for nearly one- 

 half million acres of fertile lands. This 

 will give great impetus to development, 

 and in time, when settlers take up the 

 reclaimed land, there will be a large in- 

 crease in its agricultural productions. 



In the great coast region of southern 

 California, with a population of nearly 

 600,000, the principal product is the 

 orange and other fruits, with a value of 

 about $20,000,000 a year, while in the 

 inland districts the mining industry is 

 the largest source of revenue. Portions 

 of the Southwest are richly productive 

 of various minerals, notably those of 

 copper, and recently southern California 

 has become a heavy producer of petro- 

 leum. The value of the copper, oil, and 

 other products of the ground aggregates 

 about $75,000,000 a year. 



It is probable that further exploration 

 will disclose large additional supplies of 

 ores of various kinds, especially those of 

 low grade, which will prove profitable 

 under improved methods of reduction. 



