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 266 NEVADA returns. The bullion product of the state since the opening of the mines, according to E. "W. Baymond, United States commissioner of mining statistics, has been as follows: YEARS. ENTIRE PRODUCT OF THE STATE. Separate product of the Comstock lode. Gold. Silver. Total. 1861 . $600,000 $1,400,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 1802 . 2,500,000 4,500,000 7,000,000 6,000,000 1863 . 4,000,000 8,500,000 12,500,000 12,000,000 1S64 . 5,000,000 11,000,000 16,000,000 14,500,000 1865 . 4,750,000 11,250,000 16,000,000 14,500,000 1866 . 4,000,000 9,000,000 13,000,000 12,000,000 186T. 4,500,000 11,500,000 16,000,000 13,600,000 1868 . 2,800,000 10,500,000 18,300,000 8,500,000 1869. 2,500,000 11,500,000 14,000,000 7,550,000 1870. 2,800,000 13,200,000 16,000,000 8,500,000 1871 . 3,780,000 18,700,000 22,480,000 11,350,000 1872 . 6,000,000 19,550,000 25,550,000 14,000,000 1873 . 10,000,000 25,250,000 85,250,000 22,000,000 1874. A ren^ft 10,000,000 25,500,000 85,500,000 23,000,000 Aggre- gate. $63,280,000 $181,350,000 $244,580,000 $169,000,000 The valus of the bullion product of Nevada since 1871 has exceeded that of California. The United States census of 1870 (admitted to be incomplete) returns 139 mines, having 44 steam engines of 2,780 horse power and 2 water wheels of 50 horse power ; hands em- ployed, 2,866 (809 above and 2,057 below ground) ; capital invested, $32,253,400 ; wages paid during the year, $2,900,872; value of materials used, $1,636,865 ; of products, $11,- 166,452. Of the mines, 91 were quartz mines of silver, 46 quartz mines of gold and silver, 1 copper, and 1 lead. The number of quartz- crushing mills in 1872, according to the report of the state mineralogist, was 162 ; number of smelting furnaces, 16; number of stamps, 1,904; daily capacity in tons, 5,183. These numbers include those idle as well as those in operation. (See SILVEE.) The amount of bullion from Nevada deposited at the United States mints and assay offices to June 30, 1874, was $17,044,166 42, of which $13,492,414 79 was silver and $3,551,751 63 gold. A mint was established at Carson City in 1870, at which the deposits of gold from all sources to Dec. 31, 1874, amounted to $14,093,487 86; of silver, to $14,109,017 19; total, $28,202,505 05. The climate is in general comparatively mild, the summers not warmer than E. of the Rocky mountains, and the winters less severe than in New England, little snow falling except on the mountains. In the north and interior the aver- age summer temperature at noon is 90, fall- ing to 70 at night. In the severest weather in winter the thermometer ranges from to 15 or 20. In the southeast the winters are milder, frosts being rare in the valleys, and the summers hotter ; the thermometer in May and June ranges from 95 to 115. Little rain falls, artificial irrigation being necessary to ag- riculture, and thunder and lightning, though more frequent than in California, are rare. In the north and west the wet season lasts from January to May, when there are slight, rain- falls, while occasional showers occur in the south and east during the summer months. Cloud bursts, which precipitate large quantities of water, and often do much damage, are not infrequent ; and sand storms and sand clouds or pillars, the latter formed after the manner of water spouts, are common on the plains, where also mirage is of frequent occurrence. The air is generally pure and invigorating. The gen- eral appearance of Nevada is arid and barren. The E. slopes of the Sierra Nevada within the state are heavily timbered with pine, spruce, and fir. These forests constitute the only lum- ber region of the state, and are fast disappear- ing. The other mountain ranges are bare or thinly wooded with dwarf trees, principally cedar and piflon or nut pine, with mountain mahogany, fir, and juniper in some localities. The White Pine mountains, in the county of the same name in the E. part of the state, con- tain some good-sized white pine and white fir, and the yellow pine on the E. slope of the Spring mountains in the Colorado basin attains a considerable size. The open plains and nar- row valleys are destitute of wood, except where traversed by considerable streams, along which occur scattered cottonwoods, copses of willows, birch, wild cherry, &c., mostly of small size and little value. With these are often found rose, currant, gooseberry, and other bushes, and varieties of wild vines. The plains gen- erally produce only sand grass and sage (arte- misia), while the watered valleys contain mead- ow land, and most of the mountain ranges are more or less clothed with bunch grass. But in some sections valleys, plains, and mountains are equally destitute of wood, and but scantily supplied with grass and water, the latter where it occurs being often so impregnated with min- eral substances as to be unwholesome, or so warm as to be unfit for immediate use. Some of the more extended plains are so barren as to receive the popular designation of " deserts," among which may be mentioned those adjacent to the sinks of the Humboldt and Carson, the vicinity of the mud lakes in the northwest, and the region stretching from the Great Salt val- ley of Churchill co. through the centre of the state, and spreading out into the sandy wastes that surround Death valley in California. Most of the Colorado basin is a sandy desert yield- ing only sage brush, greasewood, and cacti. The mezquite bush is also found in this part of the state. Large portions of Nevada are well adapted to grazing, stock in most parts of the state requiring neither prepared food nor shel- ter in winter. The bunch grass of the moun- tains furnishes food in summer, and in winter the herds descend to the plains and fatten on the sand grass and white sage. The sand grass grows in bunches to the height of a foot, and bears an abundance of small black seeds that are very nutritious; the white sage is eagerly sought for after it has been touched by the frost. Much of the most barren land of the state possesses the elements of fertility, and with irrigation would be productive. The