676 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



confeqiiently the winter in Spain is their fummer, and the autumn of the former, the 

 fpring of the latter. In faying that this country produces the fame corn and fruits 

 as Spain, I do not mean thofe of the moft fouthern parts ; for neither fugar-canes, 

 oranges, nor lemons thrive here., Nor is it well adapted to olive-yards, though fome 

 olives are produced here. But the fruits cultivated in the centre of Spain are the 

 fame viith thofe produced here in a moll aftonilhing plenty, wheat and other gi:ain 

 generally producing an hundred fold. I fhall here relate an inllance I myfelf faw and 

 examined at Talcaguano, in a garden near the fea-fide, at a place called the Morro, 

 very little more than a quarter of a league from the harbour. Among feveral ftaiks 

 of wheat that had grown there without culture, I faw one whofe Item was not more 

 than a foot from the ground, but from its knots there afterwards fprung fo many 

 ftaiks, as produced thirty-four ears *, the largeft of which were near three inches in 

 length, and the leaft not lefs than two. The mafler of the houfe obferving that I 

 viewed this production of nature with aftonifhment, told me that it was nothing extra- 

 ordinary, for though the grain in the ground commonly fown, did not often attain 

 fuch a luxuriancy, it was common for each flalk to produce five or fix ears. This 

 information raifed my curiofity ; and I met with fo many inftances afterwards, that my 

 furprife at feeing the ftalk jufl mentioned was greatly abated ; as from the moifture, 

 advantageous expofure, and richnefs of the foil, a much greater produce might natu- 

 tally be expected than in the ground conftantly fown. 



The great plenty of wheat here is fufficiently indicated by its price ; a meafure 

 weighing fix arobas and fix pounds, being ufually fold for eight or ten rials. Yet for 

 want of a market, though at fo low a price, no more is fown than is neceflary for home 

 confumption ; and thence a great part of the country lies fallow. 



Here are vines of feveral kinds, and which vie with the wheat in exuberance. They 

 are alfo, both with regard to the richnefs and flavour of their grapes, efleemed beyond 

 any produced in Peru. Mofl of them are red. A fort of Mufcadel is alfo made here, 

 whofe flavour far exceeds any of the kind made in Spain. The grapes grow mofl:ly in 

 efpaliers, and not on detached vines. In this refped alfo, as in the wheat, large trafts 

 of ground are totally neglected. For though its produce is fo confiderable, the buyers 

 are fo few, that the vineyards do not anfwer even the expence of cultivation. 



The chief ufe made of thefe rich lands by the owners is, the fattening of oxen, goats 

 and fheep. And this is the principal employment of greateft part of the inhabitants of 

 the country of all ranks, and univerfally of the lower clafs. As foon as the horned cat- 

 tle are fattened in thefe luxuriant pafl:ures, and the proper feafon arrived, four or five 

 hundred, and even more, according to the largenefs of the farm, are flaughtered. They 

 take out the fat, melt it into a kind of lard, there called Grafla ; and buccaneer or dry 

 the flefli in fmoke ; but the greateft profit arifes from the hide, the tallow, and the 

 grafla, a fufiicient proof of their prodigious fatnefs when killed. But an idea of the fer- 

 tility of this country may be beft formed from the value of a live beaft, which, when fit 

 to be killed, may be purchafed for four dollars ; a price vaftly beneath that in any 

 other part of India ; and may be fufiicient to remove the unjuft reproach of the 

 poverty of this province. For were the induftry of the people equal to the fertility of 

 the foil, this kingdom would be the moft opulent of any in America. 



The manner of flaughtering the beafts renders it a favourable diverfion to the perfons 



employed in performing it, and it muft be owned that their dexterity is really furprifing. 



^J,^^f^ The cattle intended to be killed are drove into an inclofure. At the gate are the Guafos 



* This fpecies of wheat is called Tr'iticum /pica muUiplid, and is cultivated in Italy and Sicily. 



8 on 



