108 THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 



ashes left after burning being an excellent grip for the seed, 

 which is very light. November and December being both good 

 rain months, the grass made quick progress, and the land was 

 left unstocked until June of the following year, when the grasses 

 seeded very profusely, and then the land was stocked heavily. 

 After some time, all the seed would be well tramped into the 

 soil, leaving, of course, quite a lot of decayed vegetation, which 

 was burnt off on the first favourable day, after a shower of 

 rain, and when the old grass was dry. As soon as the fresh 

 sprout came away, the land Avas again stocked, and the grass 

 never allowed to become rank. This may seem to be a very 

 haphazard way of doing things, but as time was no object, and 

 land was cheap, the results were satisfactory. Some beautiful 

 fattening lands may be seen which have been formed in the 

 manner described, and as grazing lands are hard to beat, 

 carrying during the summer months as many as two head of 

 cattle to the acre, and averaging one beast to the acre all the 

 year round. During the winter months, the grass goes off to a 

 certain extent, but makes quick headway ^\'ith the arrival of 

 spring. These lands are all naturally watered, it being a rare 

 thing to see a well or dam constructed in any part of the country, 

 and being close to the federal capital, have increased in value 

 very quickly. For the newcomer, the prices are a little high ; 

 but many opportunities occur when land can be bought at a 

 reasonable rate. 



"Next in importance to ^linas, from a pastoral point of view, 

 come the States of Goyaz, , IMatto-Grosso and Parana, and in 

 any one of them the newcomer can find excellent opportunities 

 for investment. 



"Being further inland, land is much cheaper, and looking at 

 matters from a practical point of view, these are the best States 

 to invest in. Large tracts of open rolling downs, well watered 

 by running streams, can be purchased at next to nothing: but 

 although the soil is of excellent quality, the grasses are, generally 

 speaking, very poor, owing to the fact that the land has been 

 burned for centuries, and the more tender grasses exterminated. 

 Land can be bought at from 2/- to 5/- per acre, according to the 

 distance from the railways, and, economically worked, can be 

 improved at about 4/- per acre. As in the State of jMinas, 

 burning the grass off when thickly covered, and then sowing the 

 grass seed, has been until now the most popular way, but 

 this is not to be recommended. The best way is to run the 

 plough lightly over the land, say to a depth of four inches, 



