354 To the River Plate and Back 



points to its introduction into Great Britain from 

 Mediterranean lands. 



The gifts of the fauna and flora of these lands to the 

 world in the last analysis have been more valuable 

 than the gifts of the mines, for which these countries 

 are famous. The value of the annual crop of maize 

 alone exceeds by far in its aggregate amount all the 

 treasure which is being annually extracted from the 

 mines of silver and gold which are found in Central 

 and South America. The amount which the poultry- 

 men of Christendom will receive next Thanksgiving 

 Day and Christmas for the turkeys sold from their 

 stalls will exceed in the total all that will be paid out 

 during this year of grace by those who purchase dia- 

 monds and pearls. As permanent sources of wealth 

 corn-fields and poultry-yards are to be preferred to 

 mines of the precious metals and of gems. They pay 

 better in the long run. 



The undeveloped agricultural resources of South 

 America are enormous. Not only has the continent 

 given much to the stock of those things which make 

 life possible and enjoyable, but, as a territory capable 

 of being subdued and made productive, it offers a wide 

 field for coming generations of men who shall be willing 

 to obey the primal command to till the soil and cause 

 it to yield its increase. Of the great fertility of the 

 plains of Argentina I have already said enough; but 

 there are other vast regions in South America which 

 are capable of being cultivated and made to minister 

 to the wants of humanity. 



The mineral resources are very great. There is an 

 abundance of iron and copper in various places. The 

 ores of the precious and certain of the rarer metals are 

 abundant in the cordilleran region. There is evidence 



