THE LAND QTJESTION AND COI/DNISATION 



115 



There are no precise data regarding the laud devoted to agriculture; 

 according to some authorities, it is from 13,000,000 to 15,000,000 hec- 

 tares (i); according to others the agricultural area is 38,000,000 hectares (2). 

 The forests occupy, some think, about 9,000,000 hectares; according to 

 others, they extend over fully 18,000,000 hectares. 



The cultivated area, according to data recently supplied to us, does not 

 on an average, exceed 1,100,000 ha. The following table shows the dis- 

 tribution of the land according to the various crops, and the corresponding 

 yield, in the two years 1907-8 and 1911-12, together with the average for 

 the five years (3) : 



1 907- 1 908 



1911-1912 



Crop 



Area 

 Cultivated 



Yield 



5 years 

 1909-1912 (averages) 



Area 

 Cultivated 



Yield 



Area 

 I Cultivated 



Yield 



Wheat 



Barley 



Oats. 



Maize 



Beans and peas 



Vetches, lentils, tobac- 

 co, etc 



Potatoes 



Alfalfa 



Clover 



Fruit trees 



Vini.s 



462,470 

 55.576 

 36,285 

 25.526 

 52,077 



7.899 



31,200 



140,500 



210,211 



22,389 



59,066 



5,162,035 

 816,604 



341,310 

 531.463 



* 34.804 

 2,194,414 



44,925 

 hectolitres 



1,905,209 



448,870 

 41,878 

 27,972 

 22,766 

 45,742 



3,632 

 26,672 



10,471 



56,781 



6,150,231 

 707,862 



387,774 

 581,218 



* 16,649 

 2,627,954 



65.823 

 hectolitres 



1,982,013 



417,766 

 43.559 

 27,071 

 22,570 

 43,877 



5,895 



27,454 



168,302 



268,459 



16,310 



58,639 



5,294,917 

 782,712 



337.696 



586,777 



* 22,705 

 2,145,947 



52,060 

 hectolitres 

 1,877,292 



* The figures with asterisks refer only to vetches and lentils; those for the cultivated area in- 

 clude also the area under tobacco, hemp and flax . 



In calculating the total area of agricultural land, accoimt must be taken 

 of fallow land and natural grass land, which, on account of the extensive 

 character of Chilian agriculture, occupy a vast area. On this point also ac- 

 curate statistics are wanting ; some authors calculate the total area of agri- 

 cultural land at 6,000,000 ha. (4). Of the cultivated area, about one 

 niilHon hectares are irrigated. 



(i) Sec Anmiaire International Statistique As,ricole pour 1910. International Institute of 

 Agriculture. Rome, 1912 and Schneider above mentioned. 



(2) Report of the Consul General of Chile in Italy, " Statistics of the Republic of Chili. " 



(3) According to private authorities, the figures relating to cultivated land, and jneld 

 ought to be higher; wheat alone, for instance, is said to be grown on 1,000,000 hectares and yield 

 annually about 10,000,000 hectolitres. The difference is due to the incompleteness of the 

 official returns. 



(4) Schneider, above mentioned. 



