no CHUE - MISCELI^ANEOUS 



(i) The northern zone, extending from the confines of Peru to Coqviimbo 

 (lat. 30°), is almost exclusively a mineral region. It yields in abundance many 

 valuable products, such as guano, nitrates, borax, iodine, silver, copper, 

 iron etc. 



It is from here that Chih supplies the farmers of the whole world with 

 nitrates, the production of which increases year by year, and the export 

 duty on whi> h furnishes a considerable part of the country's financial 

 resources. 



Here the climate is warm and dry all the year and rain seldom falls. 

 In the interior the temperature is very high, but on the coast, owing to the 

 cold Hvimboldt's current, it is moderate, ranging from a maximum of 30 

 to a minimum of Z'. The difference of temperature betv/een day and 

 night is very great. 



As there is almost no rainfall, agiiculture can only prosper in the 

 vicinity of the few streams. Yet the fertility of the land is great, and where 

 it is cultivated and irrigated its produce is of the best quahty. Future suc- 

 cess in this zone must depend on irrigation. 



{2) The middle zone extends to the province of Concepcion (lat. 37°). 

 It has a temperate and veiy healthy chmate. The maximum temperature 

 si 35°, the minimum ■ — 2°. The seasons are clearly marked. Rain falls 

 only in winter, increasing in quantity towards the south, with a yearly 

 average fall of 170 milHmetres at Coquimbo, 500 mn;. at Santiago, and 

 1,000 mm. at Concepci6n. We must observe, however, that some years 

 are exceptionally dry, others equally rainy, and these average figures are 

 therefore inappHcable to either. 



This zone, although the soil contains copper, coal and iron, and it has 

 many industries, is above all agricultural. The ground is very fertile, 

 especially in the northern part, for the phosphorc acid and calcareous 

 deposits of the soil gradually diminish towards the south. The largest returns 

 are obtained fiom vines, fruit-trees, cereals, vegetables and cattle foods. 

 Particularly prosperous is the valle^'' lying bat ween the Andes of the interior 

 and the coast chain ; a branch of the Andes following the coast line and 

 gradually rising to the height of 1,000 and 2,500 metres. 



(3) The southern zone comprises the remainder of the Chilian territory, 

 that is from Concepcion to Cape Horn ; the climate is damp and cold. 

 The maximum temperature is 20" and the minimum — bP. Rains are 

 abundant, and fall during eight or nine months of the year, so that at 

 Valdivia (lat. 30^ 49S.) the average rainfall is 2.55 m ; and it is 3 m. and more 

 towards the Straits of Magellan. 



This zone, with the exception of a part entirely unproductive, is nearly 

 covered with woods and meadows, so that it lends itself chiefly to forest 

 exploitation and sheep improvement. 



But the subdivision of the country in this way must not be considered 

 as absolute, for in the northern zone we may find cultivated tracts, in 

 the middle zone, where these most abotmd, iron and copper are foimd, 

 while in the southern zone there are beds of coal. 



