SAO PAULO 



85 



The Mis 



riding over the Estate of the Biriguy Colonization Company 



The Company acquired first some 19,000 " alqueires " but as the 

 land was taken up by settlers, they bought an additional area with the 

 profits. So far, 32,000 " alqueires " (179,200 acres) have been sold 

 and these are under cultivation ; the Company has a similar area, in 

 forest land, practically all rich soil, on a high level. Land is sold in 

 lots of from 5 to 100 "alqueires" (1 " alqueire "=5-6 acres) the 

 average holding being 15 " alqueires " or 84 acres. 



At the time of our visit 1,763 lots had been sold, but as some 

 families have two and three lots one can say that about 1,700 families 

 have settled on the land since 1912 when the Company started 

 operations. So far, all profits have been used for extension purposes 

 and no dividend has been paid. 



The general rule is for the new-comer to pay 30 per cent, of the 

 purchase price of the land in cash and the remainder he pays out of 

 his profits. Practically all have been able to do this within three years. 



The land belongs to the settler from the day of the first payment. 

 The Company has no right to dictate as to what crops are to be grown 

 or to whom the produce has to be sold. The colonists are entirely 

 free agents. 



As everywhere in Sao Paulo, one meets here too a cosmopolitan 

 crowd ; the composition of the colonists as to nationality is as follows : 

 40 per cent. . . . . . . . . Italians. 



30 ,, ,, . . . . . . . . Japanese. 



25 ,, ,, . . . . . . . . Spaniards. 



The rest consists of Germans (3 families), Poles, Austrians, French, 

 American, Portuguese and one Brazilian. 



