Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/890

 probably not far from 2000 feet, and the greatest (shown where the Columbia, Des Chutes, Snake, Salmon, and other rivers cut through it) about 4000 feet. To produce this many successive flows took place, and a very long period of time must have elapsed during which the volcanic actions were going on. During the period of these Cascade eruptions the Coast range was being slowly elevated, and became in its turn the scene of local volcanic action, which was, however, not very severe. At last the great fissure eruptions in the Cascades drew to a close by the fissures becoming blocked up; the volcanic action was concentrated in a few localities, and the period of crater-eruptions followed. These eruptions continued for a long time, almost to our own day, and to them the upbuilding of the snow-clad peaks is due. By the formation of the Cascade range there came into existence a grand interior basin, the waters of which collected into secondary reservoirs, some of very large extent, and were carried off by the rivers which have cut their way from the interior to the sea. The Columbia and its tributaries drained the northern part of this immense basin, and it was at this period, doubtless, that the Great Salt Lake of Utah assumed its once colossal proportions and found its outlet to the sea by the Snake and Columbia rivers. Then came the lava-floods, since denuded in places, exposing the Tertiary and Cretaceous beds, and furnishing evidence of the former condition of the region by the fossils found therein. At the end of the Miocene the Coast range was upheaved, and the lava-flows from the Cascade fissures commenced, but it was long before these reached the entire extent of the basins of Oregon, which continued to exist and to be endowed with life well into the Pliocene. The principal fossil beds of the State are those of the John Day, Des Chutes, and Grande Ronde countries, and near Christmas Lake in southern Oregon. The Glacial, Champlain, and Terrace epochs are very well illustrated in several places, and have left marked evidences of their existence.

Fauna and Flora. &mdash; Since the occupation of the State by civilized men the grizzly, black, and cinnamon bears, grey wolf, coyote, panther, catamount, wild cat and polecat, deer, antelope, elk, and mountain sheep have slowly retreated from the settlements to the recesses of the hills. Fur-bearing animals have increased since the Hudson's Bay Company withdrew from the country. Silver foxes, martens, hares, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, porcupines, beaver, otter, musk-rats, and seals are found in greater or less abundance within the State. Salmon, sturgeon, trout, holibut, smelt, and other fish in countless numbers exist in the Columbia and its branches and in the bays and coast rivers, and oysters, shrimps, crabs, and clams along the shores. Eagles, hawks, cormorants, pelicans, gulls, cranes, albatross, vultures, buzzards, ravens, crows, jays, robins, swallows, sparrows, rice-birds, yellow-birds, hummingbirds, swans, geese, ducks, pigeons, and many other varieties of birds are found. Reptiles and insects are numerous.

The trees of Oregon include Rhamnus Purshiana (bearberry), Acer circinatum (vine maple), A. macrophyllum (large-leaved maple), Prunus (Cerasus) emarginata, var. mollis (wild cherry), P. (C.) demissa (choke-cherry), Nuttallia ccrasiformis (seam-berry, or squaw-berry), Cercocarpus ledifolius (mountain mahogany), Pyrus rivularis (Oregon crab-apple), P. sambucifolia (mountain ash), Cratægus Douglasii (black haw), C. rivularis, Amelanchier canadensis (service-berry), Cornus Nuttallii (dog-wood), Sambucus glauca (elder), Arbutus Menziesii (laurel, madroño), Arctostaphylos pungens (manzanita), Fraxinus oregana (Oregon ash), Umbellularia (Orcodaphne) californica (myrtle), Myrica californica, Quercus chrysolepis (live oak), Q. densiflora, Q. Garryana (white oak), Q. Kelloggii (black oak), Castanopsis chrysophylla (chinquapin), Betula occidentalis (birch), Alnus rhombifolia (alder), Salix lasiandra (willow), Populus tremuloides (quaking asp), P. trichocarpa, Taxus brevifolia (yew), Juniperus occidentalis (juniper), Cupressus (Chamæcyparis) Lawsoniana (Port Orford cedar), C. (Chamæcyparis) Nutkaensis (Sitka cedar), Thuya gigantea, Libocedrus decurrens (thick-barked cedar), Sequoia sempervirens (redwood), Abies concolor, A. grandis (white fir), A. nobilis, A. amabilis, A. subalpina, A. (Pseudotsuga) Douglasii, A. (Tsuga) Mertensiana (hemlock), A. (Tsuga) Pattoniana (mountain hemlock), A. (Picea) Engelmanni, A. (P.) Sitchensis, Larix Lyallii (larch), L. occidentalis (larch, or tamarack), Pinus contorta (black pine, or jack pine), P. albicaulis, P. Lambertiana (sugar pine), P. monticola (silver pine), P. ponderosa, P. tuberculata''.

Agriculture, Manufactures, Commerce. &mdash; Wheat is the chief crop for home use and for export. All the smaller cereals are grown and produce largely. Flax is indigenous in southern and eastern Oregon; it is cultivated both for seed and for lint. Maize gives a fair harvest, though the nights are too cool for the best results. Vegetables of all kinds common to the temperate zone flourish, and orchard and garden fruits are sure. One species of clover is indigenous, but all varieties grow and spread rapidly over fields, pastures, and burnt forest lands.

Subjoined are the agricultural statistics for the years specified.