Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-24
CAPABILITIES AND RESOURCES OF SO.
KnRA

The province of Sonora Is bounded on
the north by the river ella; on the south
by the river Majo; on the cast by the
province Of Chihuahua, and on the west
by the Gulf of California; its length being
about seven hundred miles north and
south, and in breadth about two hun.
dred miles. 1t is coursed by six streams.
which are the principal ones only-all
others being but mere arroyos. and losing
themselves in the more arid districts, or
entirely drying up during the summer
season. A large portion of the coast
lands are dry, barren and rocky, with
districts of several miles extent, entirely
covered by sand or dry gravel. Farther
in the interior, the soil becomes more ara
BILE; but land suitable for cultivation will
not be found to any extent until some
sixty to ninety miles from the coast; in
the northern portion of the State, and
commencing near the thirtieth parallel of
north latitude, there is scarcely on acre
ofground suited to agricultural purposes,
except in some few isolated sections.
After leaving Altar, travelling north,
water becomes exceedingly scarce, and at
the distance of one hundred miles north
of that place, it is scarcely met with in
days travel.
South Of thirty degrees north latitude,
and sixty or eighty miles from the coast,
the land that is least favored with water
is extremely fertile, and the plains and
rolling grounds have an excellent supply
of timber, the most of which is oak, with
some varieties of the palm tribe inter-
mingled, while the trees that skirt the
streams are for the most part the cotton.
wood and willow. The oak predominant.
mostly upon the more elevated regions
towards the mountains; and among them
a variety occurs, the fruit of which is
pleasant and agreeable, having much the
flavor of the chestnut when ripe, and is
often found for sale in the markets on
both sides of the mountains. The Yanaui
valley Is by far the most valuable portion
of Sonora, in an agricultural point of
view, and is capable of producing all the
varieties of fruits and grains that are
grown in any part of the world.
This valley is about 100 miles in
length, and with the lower hills at the
base of the mountains is near seventy
miles in breadth, but is used for scarcely
any other purpose than that of grazing.
The inhabitants generally cultivate but
little more than is necessary for their i'm.
mediate wants, and consequently have
very little for sale: this consisting mostly
of small quantity of barley and corn,
and, occasionally, wheat. In some Of
the gardens, the pear, olive, fig, and some
few dates and tamarinds are cultivated.
Notwithstanding the natural capabilities
of the Indigenous trees of the country in
producing faults, but little attention is
paid to their cultivation.
are, perhaps, unequalled by any other
part of Mexico; it contained the central,
western and northern portions of that
extensive series of metallic veins for
which the republic of Mexico has been 50
truthfully noted in the history of the
world: the product from these mines of
silver alone amounting to about sixteen
million dollars.
The extent Of this mineral district will
be better understood when it is stated
that its length is not far from eight hun
dred miles, and about ninety-five in
breadth; and follows the mountainous
districts to their base, and in some In
stances into the plains. A line drawn
through Plomosa, Villa Puerta and ex-
tended to Culiacan on the south, and
though Nacori, to Tucson on the north,
will very nearly include the sections in
which silver and gold is found. On the
coast line of hills, large quantities of the
ores of copper are known to abound, and
many localities produce the native copper.
The population of the province comprises
about $4,000 persons.