Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-20
NOT TO BE WlPEDOUT
cIvlllzAr,oN ON THIS CONTINENT
hAsAoloRlousFuTuRE.
3fsjer Powell con,roverts tho Statements
Recently Published that America Can.
not support Civilization.

rcsources,' said Major Powell. director OF
The geological survey. TO a writer for the
Washington Slar
The great western continent as the
home Of man Is "a vet largely undeveloped.
But very small portion Of North America
and still smaller portion OF South
America has been brought under cultiva-
tion. About $4,000 square miles OF the
United States have been subdued by the
pillow; that Il. ono eighth OF the entire
fact that certain regions are not available
for agricultural purposes. the productive
area can be increased five or skiold.
"But this enormous rospectiyesncrease
IA the capacity Of the country for sustain
ing human life is not represented by the
rm0unt of uncultivsted hut available
land. II viii come chiefly from the edop-
zion of more thorough methods OF cultiya-
tlon. Again. large part OF the unculti-
waited lands are the best lands. For ex-
ample, there are more than 10000 square
miles OF marsh and swamp vet uu-
redeemed. When these regions are
sc,leemed they will be OF the high
est fertility. Furthermore, vast areas
OF arid land are 10 be redeemed by irriga;
ton aad they are destined 10 be rendered
IA this manner enormously productive, as
abundant experience demonstrates. bus 9
irrigation is not only advantageous 70 ard
lands; II will ultimately be practiced
throughout most Of the United States as q
source of perennial fert.liZing OF the soil.
The intensive methods of horticulture are
Just beginning 10 be developed, by which
vast store OF vegetable food will be intro
duced for man.
BEASTS SMALL AND GREAT.
" America il also well adaped 10 oil do
nestle animals of value. The continent
has been the home Of giant animals IN
past geologic epochs, but IN the process OF
evolution these monsters, such as the mas
todon and the elephant, have vanished,
the buffalo, the deer. the antelope, the
bear, the mountain hon, the wolf, ana
other smaller creatures being substituted
for them. The history of animals life
on The globe demonstrates that beasts
of gigantic size do not pre-
serve their existence as species for long
period, comparatively speaking, When
ever they have been developed IN geologic
ages they have been speedily wiped out
During the last year there has been dis
covered in the Rocky Mountains .aieptile
bigger than an elephant, which is closely
allied TO the horned toad of the present
day. Like facts are found on every hand
TO illustrate how monster species become
rapidly extinct. while those OF smaller size
but civilized society has no use for
monstrous animals. In fact, II prefers 70
destroy wild beasts and replace them with
domesticsted species of utility to man.
And there is no part of the world where
the OK, the horse, aud the sheep flourish
more than in the United States. The
breeding Of all domestic animals Is carried
on in this country with success not ex-
celled elsewhere in the world. In fact
North and South America are admirably
adapted 10 the support and propagation OF
useful beasts-both those for food and those
for burden. All of them can DO raised TO
any extent desired.
FOOD IN THE WATER.
"Science, however, teaches that the
land is not 10 be the only source OF animal
food. In the future the waters are to sup
ply il also. An acre Of inland water or
Iand-locked inlet will produce more food
for man than ten acres of dry land. Such
Is the conclusion reached by those who
have studied the subject with greatest
care-scIentifc men both here and abroad.
Upon this basis of knowledge the Fish
Commission Of the United States has been
ORGANIZED by act of Congress on the
strength of representations made by one
of the greatest scholars OF the world-the
late Professor Baird. Also, the idea is
fish commissions and methods are being
progressively developed for stocking the
waters with the fishes best adapted for
human food.
SIN general way tmay he asserted that
North America has possibilities for the sus-
tentation Of q population beyond the
dreams of the widest statistician. When
a virgin country isredeemed to agriculture
the first half-dozen years of tillage give re-
suits never reached again without higher
cultivation, which becomes necessary after
these virgin crops have been reaped, espe-
cially for some Of the cereals, such as wheat.
But thereafter the permanent product ofthe
soil is not destroyed by cropping. On the
contrary, by careful husbandry il can
be made TO produce, food for man at an IN
creaslng rate by the steadily-improving
methods OF cultivation. The vineyards of
California are far more productive than
those OF Europe. |, myself. have seen date
palms on the Colorado river producing
fruit never equalled by the date palms of
the valley of the Nile. In like manner all
The important agricultural products on
which human life depends can be raised IN
America with success; oil the animals OF
value 10 man can be produced in profusion,
while the inland and coastal waters-even
the deep seas on either hand-teem with
life ready for our use.
MINES AND MINERALS.
1.-THE resources of this country OF other
kinds are abundant Never has there been
a civilization or a population on the globe
SO great that il could exhaust our mines.
The discoveries Of coal from decade to de-
cade are so numerous that the current con-
sumption bears to them no appreciable
comparison. Ores of iron abound in all
our mountains and the hills are filled with
other valuable metals. Gold, silver
copper, lead, zinc, and other min
erals are so plentiful as to be-
50 far as we yet know, inexhausti.
bic. But the mineral wealth Of the coun.
try Is even exceeded by the wealth OF
powers. From every mountain range and
IRON every group OF hills streams How
which furnish the forcesrequired for manu-.
featuring and all other industrial opera.
tions. In the early history of civilization
rivers were important as affording means Of
communication among people, and they
speedily became channels OF commerce
but through the agencies OF modern IN
yention railways have superseded, rivers
for such purposes, and we have all the GOA
and iron we need for their construction
and maintenance.
THE three greatest valleys in the world
acriculturally speaking, are the Amazon II
South America, the Mississippi, in North
America, and the Congo in Africa. The
Amazon Valley has over o,3OO,UOU square
miles Of land all of which will yield e
the highest civilization an enormous agri.
cultural product. The Mississippi Valley
has about i,225.000 square miles and Is al
ready yielding a great product. though Il:
development as yet is hardly begun. The
Congo Valley remains to be redeemed by
civilization; il probably contains more
than acct, 900 square miles.
POOR LANDS SETTLED FIRST.
"In the process OF civilization ona grand
scale the poorer countries are used first
The luxuriant natural vegetation OF ricl
soil and productive climate is an obstacle
to low civilization. Man, in an unde
yeloped condition of civilization. cannot
compete with nature. He cannot destroy
the native vegetation, which grows toe
vigorously for his powers of eradication
and therefore he cannot secure permanent
footing aud protection for cultivated
plants. But, as civilization advances and
agricultural implements OF superior eff
cacy are developed, he is enabled at last x
destroy the giant forests. the rank weeds
and the choking vines. and 10 replace them
with orchards. vineyards. fields OF grain
and vegetable gardens.
1.-THE eariy civilization In the Old WorlC