20 The Tariff and the Farmer. 



of great loss of stock through lack of water, and shrink- 

 age by so mnch unnecessary traveling of stock to water. 

 ''They cannot grow fairly, much less fatten, and over 

 one-half the annual increase die of exhaustion, while the 

 value of stock lost in one year would supply permanent 

 water at convenient distances, and prevent three-fourths 

 of the loss and shrinkage novv^ sustained." "Mexico is 

 now suffering from an annual decrease in rainfall, owing 

 to the continual decrease in the timber-bearing area, the 

 rainfall being more and more unequal every year during 

 the past twenty years, but the winters are becoming more 

 and more severe, and the frosts are reaching farther and 

 farther south each year." "Many large cities through- 

 out the republic are without any certain water supply, 

 and many that have a sufficient supply show by their 

 death-rates that the supply is bad, and during the greater 

 part of the year is the cause of widespread disease." 



He says that Indian corn, wheat, oats, barley, all grow 

 very well in the proper regions of Mexico. 



The fauna includes three species of large felidse, the 

 puma or American lion, jaguar and ocelot; among the 

 smaller is the wildcat. Wolves are common in the north- 

 ern states, and also the covote: besides which there are 

 bears, wild boars and bisons." "The ophidians are rep- 

 resented by a few boas in the southern forests, and sev- 

 eral species of snakes, some extremely venomous, as the 

 rattle and coral snakes. Noxious insects infest the hot 

 regions in myriads ; alacianes, or scorpions, in two differ- 

 ent varieties are everywhere feared, and many children 

 were every year killed by their stings in the city of 

 Durango before a proper antidote was found and used. 

 Scolopendras, gigantic spiders, tarantulas and mosqui- 

 toes abound." 



