Nevada

(ne-vahdah,) a W. State of the Amer. Union, separated from California on the E. by the Sierra Nevada, and b. N. by Oregon and Idaho Ter., E. by Utah, and S.E. by Arizona, occupies the greater part of the great basin W. of the Rocky Mts., 483 m. in length, with a mean width of 323 m. Area, 112,900 sq. m., or 64,184,960 acres, of which 832,000 consist of water surface. N. presents a somewhat remarkable succe ion of mountain-ranges and valleys intersecting almost its entire extent in parallel lines; the first being rocky and almost divested of trees and vegetation, while the latter are little else than mere arid, sandy plains broken upon, here and there, by saline and alkali flats, intersected by broad, shallow streams. The bottoms of these rivers-chief among which are the Humboldt, Truckee, Walker, and Carson-supply the only tracts of fertile and well-timbered soil to be met with in the State. Besides the Sierra Nevada (q. v.), are the Mammoth, Humboldt, and August a mountain ranges. Pyramid, Walker, Tahoe, and Humboldt are the principal of its lakes. Agriculture in N. for ins entirely a secondary industry to mining: this State, in regard to mineral deposits, being perhaps the richest region on the N. American continent. The mineral lands,estimated at the lowest to be not le than5,699,840 acres, comprise rich deposits of silver-ore, gold, copper, iron, salt, sulphur, gypsum, manganese, plumbago, zinc, tin, galena, cobalt, arsenic, ., besides valuable clays, lime-and building-stone, granite, marble, . Silver was first discovered in 1859, at the Com stock Lode, which, from that time till/ 1870, has yielded bullion to the amount of $100,000,000. The State, infact, may be said to have dated its growth from the discovery of its argentiferous wealth, the latest discoveries of which have occurred in what is known as the White Pine District. Ma es of ore called horn silver are taken from the veins in large lam inæ, and yield, in many cases, from $10,000 to $14,000 per ton. Grazing land in N. amounted, in 1870, to 23,998,720 acres; lands suitable for stock-ranges, 21,521,280 acres; timbered tracts, 400,000 acres; and sandy soils, supposed irreclaimable, 2,151,680 acres. The State is politically divided into 17 cos., with Carson City for its cap. Other growing towns are Humboldt City, Virginia City, Aurora, and Lander City. The executive is vested in a governor a isted by subordinate State officers; and the legislature consists of a senate of 23members, and a house of representatives numbering 46. N. sends two senators and one representative to the Federal Congre . Education in N. is provided for by a National grant of 2,661,680 acres, the proceeds of which are designed to form a permanent school-fund. N. dates its organization as a Territory from March 2, 1861, and as a State from March 21, 1864. Pop. 42,491. [s. 639]