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COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES. 27

STOCK RAISING AND FARMING,
is limited by the scant supply of water. Rain is light, and farming is to
a great degree dependent on irrigation. The exports are now compar-
atively nothing in this line, although the promises of the last few years are
favorable to it in the future. In the northern part within the valley of
the Rio Grande, the soil's nature is different ; indeed it is so in the near
region of all the streams, but agriculture has found most notice in the
valleys of the former. The people, who for the greater part are ignorant
of the meaning of railroad, have little ambition, however, to produce more
than they need for home consumption.
The principal grazing region of Chihuahua is on the table lands which
begin at the base of Siera Madre mountains, and extending for miles east-
ward. They consist of undulating prairies, and are interspersed with
numerous small streams which either empty into the rivers, or lose them-
selves in the sandy districts to the west and south. There has been no
census of stock taken in the state, but American figures give an estimate
of nearly 1,000,000 head of sheep, horses and cattle. Foreign capital has
recently been invested in cattle ranches, though the greater part of the
stock is owned by the natives, and in small numbers, so the exports thus
far have amounted to nothing. One ranch on an extensive scale is owned
by Don Encenallos, near the city of Chihuahua ; having one-third the
cattle of the entire state, though the district is not near the most favor-
able. The table lands are held at small value, and capitalists are begin-
ning to appreciate their utility.
THE MEXICAN CENTRAL RAILWAY
leads directly through the state, from El Paso on the Rio Grande to the
City of Mexico. The projected road of General Grant, is to intersect the
state also, and will, on completion, afford an opening almost direct to the
Gulf of California. The
PRINCIPAL CITIES
of Chihuahua are Paso Del Norte, Jimenez and Chihuahua, the latter
being the capitol. It contains about 13,000 inhabitants. Since the rail-
road entered it, trade is increasing, and assuming considerable importance.
Its cathedral, an edifice of magnificence, was built at a cost of $900,000,
the amount being raised from a special tax levied upon the mining in-
terests.
STATE OF COAHUELA,
though not half so large as Chihuahua, is perhaps the best adapted to a
farming and stock-raising district of the two. The soil is more fertile, and
all the natural conditions otherwise are more favorable for agricultural
pursuits. This statement may be contrary to former opinions advanced,
but since the advent of railroads a much more thorough knowledge of its
physical conditions has been aquired. It is east from Chihuahua and Du-
rango, south from Texas, west from Nuevo Leon, and north from Zacate-