THE IvAND|QUESTION AND COI,ONISATION II9 



grown in large quantities, and form a considerable part of the food of 

 the people. The average yield, calculated at 700 pesos per hectare, 

 might be considerably increased, if the method of cultivation were less 

 rudimentary, carried on as it is by people without technical knowledge 

 who do not understand the use of manures. 



6. Other crops. — It is believed that sugar beet might be grown 

 successfully, especially in the south; the chief hindrances are a want of 

 technical knowledge, and the indolence of the farmers ; in fact some years 

 ago a sugar beet factory proved unsuccessful, because the farmers who 

 were to supply the raw material could not fulfil their engagements owing 

 to a want of competent labourers. 



Thus Chile has to import refined sugar from Germany(ii9,85o quintals 

 in 191 1) and raw sugar from Peru (658,949 quintals), which is refined in a 

 large factory near Valparaiso. 



Other crops of less importance are tobacco, hemp, and flax. 



The cultivation of flowers must not be forgotten, for the soil of the 

 central provinces is most favourable to their growth. This industry is 

 chiefly for home consumption in the cities, and the few persons occupied 

 in it are generally foreigners. It gives considerable profits. 



§ 4. Forests and their produce. 



The area covered by forests is calculated to extend over 9,000,000 

 hectares (i). This is only an approximate figure, for a great part of the 

 area is still unexplored. It Hes chiefly in the southern zone and the 

 southern part of the middle zone. 



Here we find oak, laurel, cypress, pine, larch etc. The most valuable 

 timber-tree is the oak, which makes excellent railway sleepers. 



Large areas are covered by the thickest virgin forests, almost tropical 

 in the great luxuriance of their vegetation. Here may be found the 

 copaiba, a tree which grows to a height of 30 or 40 metres with vivid red 

 flowers making it conspicuous against the background of green of the sur- 

 rounding woods. 



Private owners possess about 3,750,000 ha. of the forest land. The 

 rest belongs to the State. 



The forests nearer the lines of communication are slowly but surely 

 disappearing, for the woods are not carefully exploited according to the best 

 forestry rules. Besides a large part has been cleared by burning to give 

 space for the cultivation of cereals, and occasionally conflagrations are 

 caused by lightning. Such fires continue for days their work of 

 devastation, leaving here and there burned trunks as the last remains 

 of the forest. 



(i) The consular report gives 18,000,000 hectares. 



