No beds of rock salt have yet been reached in the deep borings made, but brines of great s limit ha‘e been secured from wells of vary depth throughout the State. These brines of great strength and abundance are readily accessible for the Increased production of salt and its by-products. At present, the production i! confined to the Great Kanawha alley just above Charleston and along the Ohio River in Mason County. In the latter region, extending across the river into Meigs County, Ohio. is the greatest bromine manufacturing field in this country producing 70 per cent of the entire output in the United Inexhautible deposits of almost solid lime stone unmixed with shales stretch miles in length and several in breadth through the east and northeast. This lies in two broad belts. The one follows the Potomac valleys, along both the north and south branches; the other west of the Allegheny crest and parallel to it, extends from the Pennsylvania line in Preston, to the Virginia line in Mercer County. This latter is of Mountain or Greenbrier. the former of Shenandoah limestone. Great quar ries, along the Baltimore and Ohio. from Martinsburg east, produce a large amount of lime and limestone of high grade. West Vir ginia takes second rank in glass sand produc tion, with immense deposits of the finest qual ity. The main quantities are in Morgan County, near Berkeley Springs. Great quantities of a lower grade are mined also in Preston and Monongalia counties.
West Virginia abounds in mineral springs. sharing with old Virginia that celebrated plaza, known as the 'Spring Region.' Berkeley Springs, in Morgan County, also known as 'The Warm Springs' and 'Bath Springs.' has been known to civilization since 1747. It is famous for its unceasing supply of water at the rate of 2,000 gallons per minute, at a uni form temperature of 70. It is owned and controlled by the State to whom it was devised by Lord Fairfax. Of the remaining score or more of health resorts the most famous is Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, in Green trier County, 'the Saratoga of the South.' The springs of the State present a variety of chemical composition and therapeutic adapta tion. They comprise sulphur, chalybeate acidu lous or carbonated, saline, aluminated chair beate and thermal waters.
Oil and Gas.— The latest United States reports show a diminution in production of oil in West Virginia during the five-year period.
1912-16. with an increase of value. In 1912 12,128,962 barrels were marketed at an average price per barrel of $1.643, making a value of $19,927,721. In 1916 8,731.184 barrels were produced, selling at an average price per barrel of $231, a value of $21,914,080. Lack of dis covery of new is and the small capacity of new wells sunk has failed to offset the decline in production in the older districts.
Since 1906 West Virginia has ranked first among _all the States in the production of gas. The increase in production has been specially rapid of late years. In 1915 it was 244.004. 599.000 cubic feet, in 1916, 299,318,907,000 cubic feet, and in 1917. 305,264,935,000 cubic feet. with a value of ;54000,000. This is probably high tide in gas production, at least ior the present decade. War conditions, less drilling and nat ural decline in productive capacity have already diminished the supply. The year ending June 1918, shows 289.123,513,000 cubic feet. West Virginia contains 30 per cent of all the natural gas land acreage, and 21 per cent of all the productive gas wells in the United States. Forty per cent of all the natural gas produced in the United States is furnished by West Virginia.
The State consumes itself 13.5 per cent of all the natural gas consumed in the United States, 45 per cent of the population depending on gas for lighting, heating and cooking. It is con %eyed by pipe lines to the leading cities in the State, and to Cleveland, Ohio, Cincinnati. Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Baltimore, Md. The ap p;counsate investment in gas plants, service con nections and gas-using appliances is $137,000, 00Q In importance the gas business in the State is second only to that of coal.
Agriculture, Horticulture and Stock Rats Mg.— The total value of farm 1.roper • \ West Virginia in 1910 was $314,7 which amount land was represented by buildings by$57,315,195; implements and ma chinery by $7,011,513; and livestock by $43, 336,073. This total was an increase in 10 years of $110,831.191. The additional increase of the past eight years will place this value (1918) $4u0030,000 a farm prod ucts included cercals, $15,997,700; hay and for age. S17,492,747; potatoes, $2,278,43t+; sweet pots is 1170,086; tobacco dairy prod s', $5,000,136; puunry and eggs, $9,215289; ? PL39,555; honey and wax, $231,630; and ,tic animals sold and slaughtered, $18, 4 2. The total land area of the State is