In addition to their military role, the forts of the nineteenth century provided numerous

other benefits for the American West. The establishment of these posts opened new roads and provided for the protection of daring adventurers and expeditions as well as established settlers. Forts also served as bases where entrepreneurs could bring commerce to the West, providing supplies and refreshments to soldiers as well as to pioneers. Posts like Fort Laramie provided sup plies for wagon trains traveling the natural highways toward new frontiers. Some posts became stations for the pony express; still others, such as Fort Davies, were stagecoach stops for weary travelers. All of these functions, of course, suggest that the contributions of the form. to the civilization and development of the West extended beyond patrol duty.

Through the establishment of military posts, yet other contributions were made to the development of western culture. Many posts maintained libraries or reading rooms, and some had schools. Post chapels provided a setting for religious services and weddings. Throughout the wilderness, post hands provided entertainment and boosted morale. During the last part of the nineteenth century, to reduce expenses, gardening was encouraged at the forts, thus making experimental agriculture another activity of the military. The military stationed at the various forts also played a role in civilian life by assisting in maintaining order, and civilian officials often called on the army for protection.

Certainly, among other significant contributions the army made to the improvement of the conditions of life was the investigation of the relationships among health, climate, and architecture. From the earliest colonial times throughout the nineteenth century, disease ranked as the foremost problem in defense. It slowed construction of forts and inhibited their military function. Official documents from many regions contained innumerable reports of sickness that virtually incapacitated entire army. In response to the problems, detailed observations of architecture and climate and their relationships to the frequency of the occurrence of various diseases were recorded at various posts across the nation by military surgeons.

Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage？

A．By the nineteenth century, forts were no longer used by the military.

B．Surgeons at forts could not prevent outbreaks of disease.

C．Forts were important to the development of the American West.

D．Life in nineteenthcentury forts was very rough.