DISTBIBUTTON OP INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES. 67 



of Stable, and which has, connorjuently, been omitted in all that has previously been said. AJ 

 LfeqnenOB, then- must have IK-CM famine in the province without introducing all tin-He arti- 

 cles of universal I'm id to amounts equal to twice the product of the soil. Hut the commissioners 

 \\ell knew that they were deceived ; for large quantities of each were actually sent beyond the 

 province for sale, and the mean price of wheat remained at 43 cents per bushel. At the same 

 period a fat ox was worth only $18, and a sheep could be bought for five eighths of a dollar. 

 Here the vine thrives well without artificial irrigation, and, as it will grow with less attention 

 or tare than almost anything else, it is a favorite crop. The estimated number of plants waf 

 ahout 8,000,000, of which cadi hundred afforded 30 Ballon.- of ^rape-juice. Partis made into 

 a red \\inecalled "mosto," part boiled to make "chicha," and the remainder is distilled for 

 aguardiente. Olives and oranges are also grown to some extent; and from the department 

 of Cauquenes, bordering the Maule, large quantities of valuable forest-timber are sent annually 

 to market. The exportation of this last native product will, with time, become more valuable. 



The abundance and excellence of its natural pasturages perhaps renders this more suitable 

 for rearing and grazing cattle than either of the other provinces. By the census of 18-lL' it 

 possessed 108,361 neat cattle, 46,336 horses and mules, 410,306 sheep and goats, and 7,167 

 swine. 20,939 of the first were sold out of the province, in the same year. Notwithstanding 

 the great mortality that frequently occurs among them during winter, it is known that the 

 numbers of all are rapidly increasing; and it is probable there were quite twice as many at the 

 close of 1852 as at the census ten years previously. In November, 1850, the Intendente reported 

 to the Minister of the Interior that the unavoidable mortality during the winter just terminated 

 had amounted to 10,043 neat cattle, 4,815 horses and mules, 139,535 sheep and goats, and 

 317 hogs, most of which great loss was attributed to diseases originating from excessive rains. 

 The destruction by Pumas, Condors, and Eagles is about one quarter of one per centum 

 among the larger, and two per centum among lesser animals. 



Its mineral resources have not obtained for it great fame. "Lavaderos" and mines of gold, 

 the richest of which are in the literal departments, are the only ones known to be in operation. 

 A silver mine, within the Andes, was denounced some fifty years ago, and two others within 

 fifteen years ; but they were soon abandoned. Copper has never been offered in market, though 

 there can be no doubt of its abundant existence in and near the coast range. The total ascer- 

 tained product of the mines and lavaderos is less than $10,000 per annum, unless the one 

 discovered in 1851 prove more valuable. Very glowing accounts were sent from it to the Inten- 

 dente, and two or three hundred people crowded to the spot immediately ; but it failed to create 

 interest beyond its own provincial precincts. 



The only established manufactories or mills are those 4br flour, built near streams along 

 the central line of travel of the plain, at Constitucion and at Curinape. One, sufficiently ex- 

 tensive to grind half the wheat grown in the province, has recently been erected on the Lonco- 

 111 ill, -i. about ten miles from its mouth. But on examining the goods exposed for sale, quite 

 large proportions of the ponchos, blankets, church carpets or rugs, and coarser cloths, are 

 found to be of domestic manufacture ; showing that the poorer classes of women are not idle 

 beside their spinning-wheels and hand-looms. Their ponchos and church mats are greatly 

 esteemed at the north, and numbers are sent to Santiago for sale. It is estimated that the 

 product of these and other wrought articles amounts to at least $230,000 annually. How stands 

 the balance of its trade account cannot be accurately ascertained from the published statistics, 

 because goods for the province of Talca also pass through the custom-house at Constitucion. 

 It was definitely ascertained, however, that the exportation of agricultural produce in 1842 

 amounted to $383,662, divided as follows : Cattle, $209,394 ; wheat, $64,375 ; sheep, $24,602 ; 

 cheese, $23,310 ; skins and hides, $10,982 ; aguardiente, $10,635 ; wool, $8,575 ; timber, $8,221 ; 

 wine, $6,572, &c., &c. No one in Chile doubts that Maule is rapidly accumulating wealth. 



NUBLE. Nuble was created a province in 1848 from a part of the territory of the old divisions 

 8 



