NEBRASKA being located in the central part of the United States might be geographically called the hub of the nation.

NEBRASKA is fifteenth state in size and has an area of 77,520 square miles, 208 miles wide and 465 miles long. It has an average elevation of about 2500 feet above sea level, the lowest point of elevation is 825 feet near Rulo, in Richardson County, and the highest point on the table land between Banner and Kimball counties near the Wyoming line.

NEBRASKA has an average annual precipitation of 23.67 inches, the average at Kearney, in Buffalo County in the south central part is 24.84. Kearney has one of the oldest precipitation records in the state, which is recorded on another page of this book. There are about one hundred and forty government stations in the state where observations are taken. Loess, the most fertile soil in the world, covers most of the eastern half of Nebraska and much of the southwestern portion.

NEBRASKA has more rivers than any other state. The principal ones are the Platte, Blue, Republican, Niobrara, Loup, Elkhorn, White, Dismal and Cedar.

NEBRASKA has 1,200 natural lakes.

NEBRASKA has 80,000 miles of graded roads, 4600 of which are graveled and paved state highways, and are free from debt.

NEBRASKA has 6,243 miles of railway and is seventeenth state in steam railroad mileage.

NEBRASKA has no bonded indebtedness.

NEBRASKA has more telephones than are in Great Britain, and a greater area than all of Austria, Albania, Belgium and Denmark combined.

NEBRASKA has one hundred and sixteen creameries, twenty one cheese factories, the two largest butter factories in the world, and the largest co-operative creamery in the world.

NEBRASKA is one of the leading agricultural states, its principal crops being corn, wheat, alfalfa, wild hay, oats, barley, potatoes and sugar beets.

NEBRASKA ranks:

First in wild hay. Some 200 species of grasses grow in Nebraska. A greater variety of native forage species are grown than in any other state.

First in acreage of alfalfa, second in production, producing three million tons annually.

First in value of farm crops per capita.

Second in winter wheat, sugar beets, alfalfa, hogs and sheep feeding.

Third in corn, rye, all hay and cattle.

Third in live stock production, Omaha being the second largest live stock market in the world on the basis of total head received. The annual production of beef, pork and mutton being about ten times the consumption of the state.

Fourth in all wheat and livestock.

Fifth in total value of farm crops.

Fifth in total value of farm property.