Montana

Montana, one of the United States of America, was formed into a territory in 1864 out of Idaho and Dakota, and became a state in 1889. It has the British possessions on the N., and contains 116,000 square miles. Besides the white population, there are over 10,000 Indians on the reservations. It is generally mountainous, and is crossed by the Rocky Mountains. Its rivers are the Missouri, the Yellowstone, and a branch of the Columbia. The eastern part is a dry, sterile plateau, but the river valleys of the west are very fertile. Owing to the scanty rainfall, irrigation is necessary for agriculture, which is increasing, and the good grazing grounds support quantities of wild stock. Montana is very rich in gold and silver, and produces also lead, copper, iron, and coal. Among its animals are the grizzly bear, Rocky Mountain sheep, moose, and antelope; and there are fine forests of pine, fir, and cedar. The North Pacific Railway runs through the state from E. to W. The capital is Helena.