The Realm of Alfalfa. 327 



portion of which was the property of the State— always a suspicious 

 feature in a new country. In 1901 there was in existence 11,000 

 miles, all owned by private companies. The imports advanced from 

 ;^i 1,000,000 in 1878 to ^^20,607,850 in 1902 ; and the exports from 

 ^11,580,000 to ^35,897,345 during the same period. 



When trade advanced the shipping industry could not lag behind. 

 In 1902 a grand total of 2,196 ocean-going vessels, with a tonnage 

 of 3,973,782, left Argentine ports; while the local trade was repre- 

 sented by 46,735 coasters, with a tonnage of 8,954,650. 



As regards cultivation, in 1872 the area under crops was 

 1,430,000 acres, and the country was dependent on extraneous 

 sources for its bread supplies. Alfalfa first appears as a separate 

 item in 1883 with 351,975 acres. In 1890 and 1901 the number of 

 acres under tillage and permanent pasture was as follows : — 



In January of this year a helpful little brochure issued by the 

 Minister for Agriculture, gives the areas under alfalfa in 1903 at 

 4,829,521 acres, and in 1905 at 5,437,981 ; to which a foot-note is 

 added explaining that the latter figures represent the area at the 

 commencement of the year, and 6,422,000 acres can safely be taken 

 as the acreage at the present time. The following table gives the 

 amount of wealth invested in live stock since 1878 : — 



1878. 1888. 1901. 



Cattle 12,000,000 21,961,657 30,000,000 



Sheep 65,000,000 66,706,099 120,000,000 



Horses, Mules, Asses 4,000,000 4,651,526 6,100,000 



Goats 1,894,386 3,100,000 



The magnificent item of ;£35,897,345, representing the export 

 trade in 1902, rests wholly upon an agricultural basis, as the follow- 

 ing table shows : — 



Pastoral trade ^^20, 907, 826 



Game 143,690 



Agricultural products 13,634,266 



Timber and mining 1,211,563 



These figures are more expressive than the most glowing rhetoric 

 in illustrating the progress of Argentina which has taken place in a 

 little less than a single generation. 



