PERXAMBUCO 131 



The Federal Government has been constructing some excellent 

 motor roads in the interior of this country, with the primary intention 

 of being able to convey foodstuffs to the inhabitants during the periods 

 of drought. 



The whole of the north-eastern portion of Brazil is subject to 

 periodical droughts which cause famine and widespread distress, but 

 more will be said under this heading in the description of Rio Grande 

 do Norte and Parahyba. which suffer more from them than the State 

 ■of Pernambuco. 



New Motor Roads of this kind are being constructed throughout the 

 North-eastern States. This photograph was taken near Patos 



The construction of these roads costs five contos per kilometre and 

 whilst formerly all the cotton business was done at the coast, through 

 the opening of these excellent means of communication the business, as 

 we have seen in the case of Trajano de Medeiros & Co., and " Sociedade 

 Algodoeira do Nordeste Brazileiro," is being taken into the interior. 



Besides the construction of these roads for the purpose of reducing 

 the want of the people, the Federal Government has constructed 

 large reservoirs of water in several parts and it is in the neighbourhood 

 of these that cotton is frecj^uently cultivated. 



