A history of the United States of America; its people and its institutions . as of late years been largely increased by irrigating thesoil in the rainless region of the West. The water of riversand mountain streams is conveyed by canals to the fertilelands, and there spread over the ground by numerous smallchannels. In this way millions of acres have been madevery productive, and millions more will be in the future. Fur Products.—The early colonists cjuickly found anothervaluable source of profit in the great number and varietyof fur-bearing animals that dwelt in the forests of this coun-try,
A history of the United States of America; its people and its institutions . as of late years been largely increased by irrigating thesoil in the rainless region of the West. The water of riversand mountain streams is conveyed by canals to the fertilelands, and there spread over the ground by numerous smallchannels. In this way millions of acres have been madevery productive, and millions more will be in the future. Fur Products.—The early colonists cjuickly found anothervaluable source of profit in the great number and varietyof fur-bearing animals that dwelt in the forests of this coun-try, and whose furs brought high prices in Europe. At firstthese were purchased from the Indians, and to this trafficthe Dutch settlers of New York particularly devoted them-selves. Then the whites began the business of hunting andtrapping. This was particularly the case with the Frenchof Canada, who penetrated the country deeply in all direc-tions in search of furs. British settlers in time vied with them in activity, and a>« 530 STAGES OF PROGRESS IN THE UNITED Harvesting and Binding Machine. early as 1670 the Hudson Bay Company was establishedfor the purpose of seeking fur animals in the wintry regionsof the far north. In time this company extended its field of labor to the Pacific,absorbing other compa-nies, and making a vig-orous effort, which hap-pily failed, to convertOregon into a Britishcolony. The quantityof furs obtained in theUnited States has nowgreatly decreased, and Alaska is the principal field remain-ing. There the fur seal, once of great value, is in danger ofbeing entirely destroyed by reckless adventurers. Forestry.—The vast forests of the United States haveproved another very valuable source of wealth. At firstused mainly for firewood or recklessly burned to clear thesoil, these forests have long supplied almost unlimited quan-tities of useful timber. The white pine of the Northernwoods has proved of the utmost value as a source of easilyworked
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