Part 2 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Munic.i.p.al Theatre, Rio de Janeiro.]

The State extends roughly in a parallelogram from the ocean, south-east, to the Parana River, north-west; between the Rio Grande, to the north, and the Rio Paranapanema, to the south, the latter being two tributaries of the Parana River. The State can be divided into two distinct zones, one comprising the low-lying lands of the littoral, the second the tablelands of the interior north-west of the Serra Cadias, Serra do Paranapiacaba and Serra do Mar--along or near the sea-coasts. The first zone by the sea is extremely hot and damp, with swampy and sandy soil often broken up by spurs from the neighbouring hill ranges. It is well suited for the cultivation of rice. The second zone, which covers practically all the elevated country between the coast ranges and the Parana River, is extraordinarily fertile, with a fairly mild climate and abundant rains during the summer months. During the winter the days are generally clear and dry.

It is in that second zone that immense coffee plantations are to be found, the red soil typical of that tableland being particularly suitable for the cultivation of the coffee trees.

It is hardly necessary here to go into detailed statistics, but it may be sufficient to state, on the authority of the Directoria de Estatistica Commercial of Rio de Janeiro, that during the first eleven months of the year 1912, 10,465,435 sacks of coffee were exported from Brazil--mostly from So Paulo--showing an increase of 548,854 sacks on eleven months of the previous year. That means a sum of 40,516,006 sterling, or 5,218,564 more than the previous year; the average value of the coffee being, in 1912, 58,071 milreis, or, taking the pound sterling at 15 milreis, 3 17_s._ 5_d._ a sack--an increase in price of 4,628 reis = 6_s._ 2_d._ per sack, on the sales of 1911.

The other exports from the State of So Paulo are flour, mandioca, ca.s.sava, bran, tanned hides, horns, fruit (pineapples, bananas, cocoanuts, abacates (alligator pears), oranges, tangerines, etc.), wax, timber (chiefly jacaranda or rosewood), a yearly decreasing quant.i.ty of cotton, steel and iron, mica, goldsmith's dust, dried and preserved fish, sc.r.a.p sole leather, salted and dry hides, wool, castor seed or bean, crystal, _mate_, rice, sugar, rum (_aguardente_) and other articles of minor importance.

The area of the State of So Paulo has been put down at 290,876 sq. kil.

Its population in 1908 was calculated at 3,397,000, and it had then more inhabitants to the square kilometre than any other part of Brazil. It is useless to give actual figures of the population, for none are reliable.

Although this State is the most civilized in Brazil, yet a good portion of its western territory is still practically a _terra incognita_, so that even the best official figures are mere guess-work.

Owing to the wonderful foresight of that great man, Antonio Prado--to my mind the greatest man in Brazil--a new industry has been started in the State of So Paulo which promises to be as lucrative and perhaps more so than the cultivation of coffee. It is the breeding of cattle on a gigantic scale, the magnificent prairies near Barretos, in the northern part of the State, being employed for the purpose. Slaughter-houses and refrigerating plants of the most modern type are to be established there, and with such a practical man as Antonio Prado at the head of the enterprise, the scheme is bound, I should think, to be a success. With the population of the Republic gradually increasing--it could be centupled and there would still be plenty of room for as many people again--the So Paulo State will one day supply most of the meat for the princ.i.p.al markets of Brazil. A good deal of the cattle which will eventually be raised on the marvellous campos of Matto Grosso and Goyaz, and destined to Southern Brazilian markets, will find its way to the coast via So Paulo. The rest will travel perhaps via Minas Geraes.

For some years cattle breeding has been carried on successfully enough, but on a comparatively small scale, in this State. Experiments have been made in crossing the best local breeds, princ.i.p.ally the Caracu, with good foreign breeds, such as the Jersey, Durham and Dutch stocks. Pigs of the Berks.h.i.+re, Yorks.h.i.+re, Canasters and Tatus type are the favourites in So Paulo, and seem to flourish in that climate.

Sheep-breeding is also successful, and would be even more so if proper care were taken of the animals. Of the wool-producing kinds, those preferred are the Leicester, Merino, Oxford and Lincoln, the Oxford having already produced quite excellent results.

The Government of the State, I understand, is at present giving great attention to the matter, and is using discrimination in the selection of suitable breeds from foreign countries in order to procure the best animals of various kinds for the production of meat, b.u.t.ter, and hides. I also believe that an endeavour is being made to produce in the State a good breed of horses for military and other purposes.

The elevation of So Paulo city is 2,450 ft. above the sea level.

Thanks to the kindness of the President of the Paulista Railway, a special saloon carriage was placed at my disposal when I left So Paulo, and a railway inspector sent to escort me and furnish me with any information I required. I preferred travelling seated in front of the engine, where I could obtain the full view of the interesting scenery through which we were to pa.s.s.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Baron de Rio Branco.]

The Paulista Railway was interesting, as it was the first line in Brazil constructed entirely with Brazilian capital. The line was begun in 1870, but since that date several extensions have been successfully laid out.

Up to 1909 the lines owned and worked by the Paulista Railway were the 160-metre-gauge trunk line from Jundiahy to Descalvado (north of S.

Paulo), and the two branch lines of the same gauge from Cordeiro to Rio Claro; Laranja Azeda to S. Veridiana; the two branch lines of 060 m.

gauge from Descalvado to Aurora and from Porto Ferreira to S. Rita do Pa.s.so Quatro. Then they possessed the one-metre trunk line from Rio Claro to Araraquara, with the following branch and extension lines: Visconde de Rio Claro to Jahu; Araraquara to Jaboticabal; Bebedouro to Barretos; Mogy Gua.s.so Rinco to Pontal; S. Carlos to S. Euxodia and Rib. Bonita; Agudos to Dois Corregos and Piratininga; and the loop line through Brotas. Of the total charters for 1,114 kil. 261 have been granted by the Federal Government and are under their supervision, whereas 583 kil. are under charter granted by the State of So Paulo.

The following statistics taken from the last Brazilian Year Book show the wonderful development of the pa.s.senger and goods traffic on the Paulista Railway:--

-----+-----------+-----------+--------------+------------+------------

Goods carried,

Pa.s.sengers

including

Transport of

Baggage and

Line open.

carried.

Coffee.

Animals.

Parcels.

-----+-----------+-----------+--------------+------------+------------

Kilometres.

Tons.

Tons.

1872

38

33,531

26,150

4,919

-- 1890