Chap. XVITI. WOOL AND SPECIE. 303 



being prepared for the gro^-th of cotton crops to a much 

 larger extent. These cotton-growing provinces of Lambaye- 

 que, Chiclayo, and Trnsillo are fertile and well watered ; 

 storms of rain are unknown, and they enjoy an equable 

 climate wath a mean temperature between 70^ and 84° Fahr. 

 It has been calculated that, after leaving a fifth of the 

 available land for crops to supply provisions for the inlialjit- 

 ants, as many as 1-^0,000 faner/adas^ might be brought under 

 cotton cultivation in these provinces alone. Allowing four 

 feet for each plant, and that each plant yields four pounds a 

 year, this extent of land would produce 580,000,000 lbs. of 

 cotton annually, worth twelve dollars the cwt. at the port of 

 shipment, or 69,600,000 dollars. Deducting 22,400,000 for 

 expenses, this would leave 47,200,000 dollars profit. But 

 these provinces only contain a small fraction of the fertile 

 coast valleys of Peru ; and it is clear that, if the speculations 

 of 1860 yield a reasonably profitable return, the cultivation 

 of cotton may, in all probability, be undertaken over a vast 

 area, and render Peru an important som-ce of supply for 

 Manchester." 



The lofty table-lands of the cordillera of the Andes produce 

 sufficient maize, wheat, and sugar for home consumption ; 

 but their chief exportable wealth is to be found in the vast 

 flocks of sheep and alpacas wliich find pasture on those 

 grassy uplands, and in the veins and wasliings of silver and 

 gold. About 400,000?. worth of wool is annually exported, 

 of which 5,017,100 lbs., valued at 287,339?., were embarked 

 from the port of Islay in 1859, and 4,214,000 lbs. in 1860. 

 The export of specie amounted to about 200,000?. in 1859, of 

 which 34,705?. were exported from Islay, and 32,000?. from 



* 1 fanegada = 41,472 square varas j littoral province of Payta ; and, if his 

 (yards), and 1 acre = 4840 varas. In ' project succeeds, it wail doubtless in- 

 Arequipa the square measure is called duce others to follow his example. — 

 a topu. 1 topu = 5000 square varaft. Cotton Supply Reporter, March 15th, 



9 Mr. Gerard Garland is about to 1862. 

 commence a cotton plantation in the 



