6,000 square miles in northern Georgia has an elevation of 1,000 feet or more. The lands bordering directly on the coast are flat and but slightly raised above the sea-level. The Okefenoke swamp in the southern part of the state is 45 miles long and 30 wide. The state is well-drained by rivers of moderate size. Among the larger of these are the Savannah River on the eastern boundary; the Oconee and the Ocmulgee, which form the Altamaha, in the central part of the state; and in the western section the Flint and the Chattahoochee, whose confluence forms the Appalachicola. The coast-line is indented by many deep inlets, some of which form excellent harbors. Separated from the mainland by a navigable channel is a chain of islands, some of them quite large, extending along the entire coast.
Climate. Of nine climatic belts found in the United States, eight are represented in Georgia. The lowest, found on the highest mountain peaks, has a mean annual temperature of less than 40°. Nearly all middle Georgia is in a climate-zone of between 60° and 65°, while that of the southern portion of the state ranges from 65° to 70°. The rainfall is greatest in the extreme north and smallest in the eastern part, averaging about 50 inches for the entire state.
Natural Resources. The forest-timbers of Georgia are many and valuable. An area of 16,000 square miles, chiefly in southern Georgia, is covered with forests of the long-leaf pine, while in the central and northern sections are immense forests of hardwoods, oak, hickory, maple and other varieties. From the pine-forests, besides the valuable timber, are produced large quantities of turpentine and rosin, almost equal in value to the timber-products. The state is divided into three main geological areas: the Paleozoic region in the northwest; the region of Crystalline rocks comprising the remainder of northern Georgia and continuing through the center of the state; and the coastal-plain region. In the Paleozoic area are found valuable deposits of coal, iron, manganese, roofing-slate and aluminum, while the rocks are mostly sandstones, limestones and shales. In the Crystalline area are found granites, gneisses and schists, while on the border of these two regions are found the marbles for which Georgia is famous in every section of the Union. Many magnificent buildings in every section of the United States are constructed of Georgia marble. Extensive and valuable clay-deposits exist in many parts of the state. These are used in the manufacture of bricks, terra-cotta, tiles, etc., while the finer clays are used for crockery and fine china. Gold, it is claimed, was first discovered in Georgia in Lumpkin County in 1828. The town of Dahlonega, in this county, is still the gold-mining center of the state. The other gold-producing counties are White, Dawson, Cherokee, Carroll, Hall, Gwinnett, Columbia and McDuffie. Other mineral products of the state are coal, iron, silver, copper, pyrite, asbestos, talc, mica, barite and marl. Extensive deposits of yellow ochre, used in the manufacture of paints, are foand near Cartersville, in Bartow County. There are a number of fine mineral springs in the state, among them Indian Spring, a sulphur spring in Butts County, and Bowden Lithia Springs in Douglas County. Throughout southern Georgia there are many artesian wells.
Agriculture. Agriculture is the leading industry. Owing to the variety of the climate and soil and the varying altitudes of the different sections, the state produces the greatest variety of crops of any state in the Union. In order of precedence the products of Georgia are cotton, corn, hay and grain, truck, horticulture, dairying and live-stock. In the swampy regions of southern Georgia and in the heavily timbered northern section there is much uncultivated land. Between the two sections lies the cotton-belt.
Georgia is the largest producer of sea-island cotton, although this variety covers less than five per cent. of its cotton-growing area. This cotton varies in price from 25 cents to 35 cents per pound. Georgia ranks second only to Texas in the production of cotton, the annual value of the crop being more than $100,000,000. Georgia's corn-crop in 1909 was valued at $52,598,000. Rice is an important crop in the coast-counties, about 8,000,000 bushels being produced annually. Sugar-cane is grown over the middle and southern section, the larger part of the crop being used in the manufacture of syrup. The state ranks first in the production of peaches and watermelons and second in peanuts and sweet-potatoes. Georgia has in its commercial orchards over 16,000,000 peach-trees, whose annual production is valued at over $5,000,000. The famous Elberta peach was originated by Mr. S. H. Rumph at Marshallville, Ga. Pecans are grown successfully in many sections. Tobacco is largely grown in the southern section of the state. Here is the largest tobacco-farm in the world, embracing 25,000 acres and employing 3,500 persons.
Manufactures. Georgia, because of her industrial importance, has long been known as the Empire State of the South. A number of conditions favor the growth of manufacturing interests, one of which is the great output of raw material and another the wide distribution of water-power. In the manufacture of bleached cotton-goods Georgia stands fourth in the Union. In 1909 there were 116 cotton-mills, and the value
