86 THE \V()RLD\^ MEAT FUTURE 



such a permaueut hold ou the grouiul. On the other hand, 

 Texas fever is even worse than in Santa Fe, on account of the 

 herds of cattle \vhich are constantly marching southwards 

 through the tick-infested marshes of Corrientes. The remedies 

 for the first consist, as elsewhere, in inoculation bj' Pasteur's 

 lymph; for the second, timely and frequent dippings, to which 

 should be added the burning of all dry, rush-grown bottoms at 

 their periods of maximum infestation by the tick. 



••The quality of the native-bred horses of Entre Rios is famous 

 throughout the Plate. In proof thereof, they have furnished 

 in former years most of the famous 'crioUo' polo ponies and 

 to-day give* one of the best foundations for crossing with a faster 

 strain. 



"Tracts of ground held by the large landowners ai'c being 

 broken up for agriculture in two ways. By the first the colonist 

 works the ground on shares mth the OAVTtier (who usually has to 

 advance the money for preliminary expenses), leaving the 

 ground when exhausted, and moving on to fresh. This system, 

 with its tendency to high expenditure and slovenly work, has 

 little to recommend it, yet it is largely practised. By the second 

 method the land is thrown open to purchase in instalments cover- 

 ing a period of four or more years, in order that the buyer may, 

 if possible, purchase his ground from the profits made out of it 

 after taking possession. The longer the term granted, the 

 higher the price. It follows that both the owner and 

 the purchaser therefore look with a very lenient eye on the 

 linseed gamble. Yet their ignorance of the best principles of 

 mixed farming can scarcely be blamed on the hard-working 

 Italians, who form the bulk of the agricultural class. Them- 

 selves but a step removed from the working peon, they are 

 naturally disinclined to venture out of a tried, though worn-out, 

 routine. In no part of Argentina is the want more keenly felt 

 of agricultural stations under systematic Government control. 

 I "It says much for a faith in the future of Entre Rios that the 

 Jewish Colonisation Society have sunk here one-third of the 

 millions of the late Baron Hirsch in colonies on which to estab- 

 lish their countrymen. The character of the Russian or Polish 

 Jew is not often a favourable one on which to build up a thriving 

 pastoral centre, but the colonists are rapidly adapting them- 

 selves to their new surroundings. Co-operative dairy-farming 

 has been started with marked success. This growing industry 

 has the cordial assistance of the railway local management, which 

 by liberal concessions has made every effort to encourage these 

 and other settlers in their plucky up-hill fight for prosperity. 



