Part 27 (1/2)

=Argentina and the Plate River Countries.=--These states are situated in a lat.i.tude corresponding to that of the United States. The entire area from the coast to the slopes of the Andes is a vast prairie-region. As a result of position, climate, and surface the agricultural industries are the same as in the United States--grazing and wheat-growing.

Cattle-growing is the chief employment, and the cost per head of rearing stock is practically nothing. For want of better means of transportation the s.h.i.+pments of live beef are not very heavy; the quality of the beef is poor, and until recently there have been no adequate facilities for getting it to market.[66] A small amount of refrigerator beef and a large amount of jerked beef are exported, however. Near the markets, there are large plants in which the hides, horns, tallow, and meat are utilized--the last being converted to the famous ”beef extract,” which finds a market all over the world.

The sheep industry is on a much better business basis. Both the wool and the mutton have been improved by cross-breeding with good stock. As a result the trade in mutton and wool has increased by leaps and bounds; and nearly three million sheep carca.s.ses are landed at the other ports of Brazil, at Cuba, and at various European states. The wool is bought mainly by Germany and France, but the United States is a heavy purchaser. The quality of the fibre, formerly very poor, year by year is improving.

Wheat, the staple product, is grown mainly within a radius of four hundred miles around the mouth of Plate River. The area of cultivation is increasing as the facilities for transportation are extended and, little by little, is encroaching on the grazing lands. The wheat industry is carried on very largely by German and Italian colonists.

Flax, grown for the seed, is a very large export crop. Maize, partly for export and partly for home consumption, is also grown.

The timber resources, chiefly in Paraguay and the Gran Chaco, are very great, but for want of means of transportation the timber-trade cannot successfully compete with that of Central America and Mexico. Workable gold and silver ores are abundant along the Andean cordillera; gold, silver, and copper are exported to Europe. A poor quality of lignite occurs in several provinces, but there are no available mines yielding coal suitable for making steam. There are petroleum wells near Mendoza.

Most of the manufactures pertain to the preparation of cattle products, although a considerable amount of coa.r.s.e textiles are made in the larger cities from the native cotton and wool. Hats, paper (made from gra.s.s), and leather goods are also made. In general, all manufactures are hampered by the difficulties of getting good fuel at a low price.

Transportation is carried on along Plate River and the lower parts of its tributaries. The railway has become the chief factor in the carriage of commodities, however, and the railways of Argentina have been developed on the plans of North American roads. About twelve thousand miles are in actual operation, one of which is a transcontinental line, about completed between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso. Electric railways have become very popular, and the mileage is rapidly increasing.

The import trade, consisting of textile goods, machinery, steel, and petroleum, is carried on with Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium (mainly transit trade), the United States, and Italy. The compet.i.tion between the European states for this trade is very strong, and not a little has been acquired at the expense of the United States, whose trade has not materially increased.

[Ill.u.s.tration: AREA OF THE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF MATe]

_Buenos Aires_ is the financial centre of this part of South America.

Among its industries is the largest meat-refrigerating plant in the world. The harbor at _La Plata_ is excellent and has drawn a considerable part of the foreign trade from Buenos Aires. _Rosario_, _Cordoba_, _Santa Fe_, and _Parana_ are the markets of extensive farming regions. _Mendoza_ is the focal point of the mining interests.

=Paraguay= has a large forest area, but for want of means of transportation it is without value. Even the railway companies find it cheaper to buy their ties in the United States and Australia, rather than to procure them in Paraguay. In spite of the extent of good land, the wheat and much of the bread-stuffs are purchased from Argentina.

Tobacco and mate are the only export crops, and they have but little value. The Parana and Paraguay Rivers are the only commercial outlet of the state.

=Uruguay.=--Owing to its foreign population Uruguay is becoming a rich country. The native cattle have been improved by cross-breeding with European stock, and the state has become one of the foremost cattle and sheep ranges of the world. The value of animal products is not far from forty million dollars yearly. These go mainly to Europe, and so also does the wheat-crop.

France and Argentina purchase most of the exports and Great Britain supplies most of the textiles and machinery imported. The trade of the United States is about one-fourth that of Great Britain. _Montevideo_ is the chief market and port. At _Fray Bentos_ is one of the largest plants in the world for the manufacture of cattle products.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

What kind of commerce has led to the establishment of the various ports along the Spanish Main?

What advantages has the American fruit-s.h.i.+pper, trading at South American ports, over his European compet.i.tor?

What is meant by ”horse lat.i.tudes,” and what was the origin of the name?

In what way may the opening of an interoceanic ca.n.a.l affect the coffee-trade of Brazil?--the nitrate trade of Chile?

FOR COLLATERAL READING AND REFERENCE

From the Abstract of Statistics find the exports of the United States to each of these countries.

From the Statesman's Year-Book compare the trade of the United States in each of these countries with that of Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.

If possible, obtain specimens of the following: Crude rubber, pampas gra.s.s, Brazil nuts (in pod), and raw coffee of several grades for comparison with Java and Mocha coffees.

CHAPTER XXV