AGRICULTURE. The United States produces a larger value of agricultural products than any other country. Until the last quarter of the nine teenth century agriculture strongly predominated in the industrial life of the nation. It still em ploys a much greater number of individuals than any other industry. Owing to the vast area and great variety of physical and climatic conditions, most of the staple products known to the world can be raised. The agricultural development of the United States has had an immense influence on the progress of the world—not only by revo lutionizing the system of farm machinery, but by adding to the European food supply and making possible a more rapid growth of population. With respect to the country's adaptability to agricul ture, the most prominent features are: First, the preeminence of the Mississippi Valley for ag ricultural purposes; and, second, the vast waste areas to the west which are but little suited to tillage. If to the arable portion of the Mis sissippi drainage basin be added the area drained into the Gulf of Mexico by other streams, it would include about one-third of the total area of the United States. In this division, almost
unbroken by mountain or swamp area, the soil is generally of great fertility. and probably over four-fifths of the value of the agricultural products may be accredited to this region. The climate of the Gulf States, particularly Florida. But there is no protection in this region against the cold winds from the north which occasionally sweep southward and bring frosts even to that State. Although inuelt fart her south than Southern Europe, the Gulf region is less adapt ed to the growing of tropical products. The Ap palachian Mountains and the AtItintie to gether have a somewhat moderating effect upon the Carolina-Virginia region and the region far ther north; hence this area has an advantage in the raising of some products, especially fruit, over the region west of the Appalachians. In the north the lakes have a moderating influence, making that territory also favorable for fruit-growing. On the Pacific Coast the ocean breezes and the mountains together afford the most highly pro tected portion of the United States, and make it unequalled as a fruit region.