FLORA AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES. The sharp differences in climate produce rapid transi tions in forms of vegetation; in a few hours' travel not only great differences in the kinds of plants, hut also in the stages of growth of the sante plant, are observed. The Mexican Southern Railroad from Puebla to Oaxaca descends by fer tile terraces from 7000 feet to 1750 feet above the sea. In March the green wheat is just peer ing above the ground in Puebla. while lower down along this railroad fields of wheat are ripe for harvest and still lower the grain is being threshed. The varied conditions of temperature and moisture result in the greatest contrasts, desert areas lying contiguous to grassy steppes. which are succeeded by cultivated fields, and in the lowlands by forests with an inextricable tangle of tropical undergrowths. Gray, thorny plants characterize the northern region. where rain seldom falls. though even this region is brightened in the spring by many flowers. Owing to the undeveloped state of coal-mining and the great need of fuel and timber for the mines. the forests that once covered the mountains have been largely destroyed, and thus the conditions of rainfall have been considerably modified. But many varieties of oak and also and firs are found on the mountain ,lopes: and the hot lands have about 100 varieties of building and cabinet woods, including mahogany and rosewood. be ,ides gum tree., the fig and oil-bearing trees and plants. such as the olive, cocoa palm, sesame. and almond. Fifty-nine species Of me dicinal plants have been classified.
Few countries equal :Mexico in the variety of its economic vegetable products. Many localities are well suited for the raising of eottee. an export crop which about 60,000.000 pounds are pro duced every year, most of it in the temperate of Vera Cruz. Oaxaca. Tabasco, and :Michoacan. Cotton is grown chiefly in the Pacific States and also in Vera Cruz and Coa huila. it is not so cheaply produced as in the United States. is wholly consumed by the local mills, and the endeavor, to promote its cultivation, and to improve the facilities for transportation to the spinneries so that the de pendence upon foreign of cotton cloth may be decreased. Sugar cane is cultivated in the lowland, of the southern State-. though they as yet produce enough sugar for home Tobacco grown on the warm lands south of Tampico and San Bla, almost equal to Cuban leaf in aronia. Its impriwed cultiva tion was introduced by Cuban planters about forty years ago. Maize, the chief crop through out the temperate region. thrives best south
of Durango. Another great food staple the fri jole or brown beam cultivated with peas and len sun) daily eaten by most The wheat crop in the cold zone worth only about one-fourth as much as the maize crop.
A great variety of tropical fruits are raised in the hot including (up to 2500 feet). lemons, bananas (up to 5000 feet). easy to cultivate and affording a large profit. pine (from sea-level to 3000 feet). and cocoa nuts :doing the hot coasts. Many species of the agave grow on the central plateau. some of them yielding, part in the en at ern part of the large quantities of a white juice which, when fermented. is intoxicating. and is the na tional beverage. pulque holding the same place in the dietary Mexico that wine occupies in France. Other species of the agave yield lo.ne quen or sisal hemp, whose cultivation and prepa ration for market is by far the most important of the fibre industries and has made the prosperity of the State of Yucatan. in the northern part of which it is produced. Enormous quantities are exported to the United for sacking, cord age, and binder'- twine. Tlic rastillext .metier is the predominant of rubber tree. and though rubber-collo-tin?, is as yet little 1 1 it is destined to be very profitable. The cacao tree thrives ehielly in Chiapas and Tabasco. but not enough cocoa produced for home consump tion. The vanilla bean grow'. luxnri:uR1v on the Gulf (`nn-t and brings a high price on account of its excellent quality. Bice on the coasts is usual ly grown without irrigation, depending entirely upon the rainfall. The of 'Mexico excepting in the sandy north and some area. of sand along the coasts are excellent. The agricultural re sources are capable of far larger development as soon as irri;zat ion is applied to the naturally pro ductive lands. Much of the plateau is -emi-nrid, but the neighboring mountains have inexhaustible supplies of water. which by the construction of reservoirs and other modern appliances may be conserved for agricultural uses. Fanning meth ods are crude and modern machinery has been in trpduced only on the large plantations. The chief agricultural products of 1899 were, in kilograms a kilogram = 2.2 pounds) : nice 23.100,000 Cotton Wlwat Logwood 45,400.1111) sugar 63.600,000 Cacao . 1,0)0.000 Panocha 5'1,100,000 Coffer 37,64i0 11410 olass.A 62,000,00a Tobacco 7,s00.000 Ilenequen 116.800,000 There were produced also 93,370,000 bushels of maize, '29.059,000 gallons of spirits. and 171,710. 000 gallons of fermented liquors.