312 THE BOOK OP WHEAT 



too, there are vast arable plains of great fertility, a fertility of 

 which little is known to the world on account of poor methods 

 of farming and on account of the fact that much of the land 

 has not been under cultivation. The cattle industry was first 

 developed in Argentina, and for many years it completely over- 

 shadowed agriculture. Thousands and even hundreds of thou- 

 sands of acres were owned by the great cattle kings who had 

 no desire to have their land broken up, because they knew 

 nothing of its agricultural value. Another controlling factor 

 is the dependence of agricultural work upon immigrants and 

 their descendants. These immigrants differ greatly in char- 

 acter from those found upon the new lands of the United 

 States and Canada. The great number of illiterate peddlers, 

 laborers, cobblers, and what-not of Italy, Spain and Russia do 

 not become intelligent farmers. They do not endeavor to 

 become permanent additions to the population by securing own- 

 ership of the land which they cultivate. They are chiefly Ital- 

 ians having a very low standard of living and little efficiency 

 as laborers. Many of them return to Italy within a year after 

 their coming. According to the census of 1900, not one farmer 

 in three is a renter in the United States, but in Argentina two 

 out of every three do not own the land which they till. Two 

 systems of renting are in vogue in the latter country, the 

 "medianero," or share system, and the "arrendatario," or 

 cash system. The government encourages immigration by 

 offering free transportation from Europe and by making easy 

 the acquisition of land. There are Jewish, Russian, Swiss, Ger- 

 man, Austrian, Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian settlements. 

 The number of immigrants averages about 100,000 per annum, 

 and the number of emigrants at least half this number. Gen- 

 erally speaking, the Argentine wheat farmer will submit to life 

 conditions that would not be endured in North America, for he 

 has been accustomed to hardships in Europe. He is slow in 

 understanding what a republic means. Class distinctions be- 

 tween rich and poor are sharply drawn. 



Agricultural methods and conditions are improving, however, 

 and Argentina is certain to assume a higher rank as a producer 

 of wheat and other cereals. Twenty-five years ago not enough 

 wheat was produced for domestic consumption. During the 



