NEW MEXICO, a State in the West ern Division of the North American Union; bounded by Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Mexico, and Arizona; organized as a Territory, Sept. 9, 1850; number of counties, 29; capital, Santa Fe; area, 122,580 square miles; pop. (1890) 153, 593; (1900) 195,310; (1910) 327,396; (1920) 360,350.
Topography. — The State is a lofty plateau, crossed by mountain ranges, be ing the foundation of the Rocky and Sierra Madre Mountains. The Sierra Madre range passes through a series of low and often detached ranges to join the Sierra Madre range in Mexico. The Rocky Mountains, in the E. of the State, are the highest and often reach an elevation of 13,000 feet. The W. part is characterized by isolated peaks, lofty plateaus and deep canons. The Llano Estacado is a broad nearly barren pla teau in the S. E. The Rio Grande val ley descends from an elevation of 6,000 feet near the Colorado border to 3,000 feet in the S. The Rio Grande traverses the State in a N. and S. direction and forms the principal drainage system. The Rio Pecos runs nearly parallel to it on the E. and finally joins it in Texas. Other important rivers are the Rio Chama, Rio Puerco, San Juan, Little Colorado, and Gila, the first two flowing into the Rio Grande, and the others be ing tributaries to the Colorado.
Geology.—The chief geological forma tions are of the and Carboni ferous periods, broken here and there by Azoic formations. Sandstones of Palaeozoic formation are overlaid in places by lava beds, while in other por tions large areas of exposed beds of marl occur. Carboniferous limestones cover strata Tertiary and Cretaceous deposits in the central portion of New Mexico. The mineral productions are quite extensive. Gold, silver, copper, lead, anthracite and bituminous coal, lig nite, salt, plumbago, fire clay, gypsum, cement and marble occur in the moun tain districts and fine turquoises, emer alds, sapphires, garnets, opals, agates, petrified wood, and other precious stone abound. Coal production in 1918 amounted to 4,241,000 tons, an increase of about 242,000 tons over the produc tion of 1917. The production of copper
has also become an important industry. There were produced in 1918 96,559,580 pounds of copper. The production of gold was 30,871 fine ounces, valued at $638,200. The silver production amounted to 763,758 fine ounces, valued at $763,758. Other mineral products of importance are clay products, lead, and zinc. The total value of the mineral products in 1917 was $43,312,947.
Soil and Productians.—The soil is very productive, but as yet but little worked, though irrigation by means of wells and canals is being rapidly installed. The cereals grow well and the ordinary farm, orchard, and garden fruits are raised to a considerable extent. The hills and valleys are covered with a short grass, which provides excellent grazing facili ties. Stock raising, especially of sheep, is carried on extensively. The most val uable farm crops are wheat, hay, corn, oats, and potatoes. New Mexico is but sparsely wooded. The evergreens, pine, spruce, and fir grow on the mountains and lower down, the cedar, mesquite, nut-pine, oak, ash, maple, walnut, syca more, and cottonwood. The State is noted for its many species of yucca and cactus.
Agriculture. — The production and value of the principal crops in 1919 was as follows: Corn, 7,200,000 bushles, val ued at $10,872,000; oats, 2,340,000 bush els, valued at $2,223,000; wheat, 6,100, 000 bushels, valued at $12,200,000; hay, 640,000 tons, valued at $11,757,000; potatoes, 494,000 bushels, valued at $940,000; beans, 960,000 bushels, val ued at $3,562,000.
Manufactures.— The statistics of manufacturing for 1914 were as fol lows: Number of establishments, 368; average number of wage earners, 3,776; capital invested, $8,984,000; wages paid, $2,695,000; value of materials, $4,430, 000; value of finished product, $9,320, 000. The principal manufacturing cities are Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Socorro. The principal manufactures include rail road cars, flour and grist, lumber and timber products, masonry, bread and bakery products, brick and tile, foundry and machine shop products, boots and shoes, tobacco, and cigars.