BRAZIL 141 



sidered, production having been confined chiefly to coffee and 

 rubber. Now. however, the suitability of Brazil for cattle- 

 raising is being recognised, and the country is going ahead by 

 leaps and bounds. The Government is aiding this progressive 

 movement in a most practical manner. A bonus of from £27 

 to £34 is given for every stud cow or bull imported into the 

 country. All implements, fencing material, and other things 

 required by settlers are admitted duty free, and in each 

 of the twenty-one States of Brazil there is a Government stud 

 farm where stud bulls and stallions are kept for the free use of 

 farmers. 



Every facility is given to encourage occupation of the land. 

 The freehold title is made as easy as possible to obtain. Any- 

 one wishing to secure land makes application for Crown lands 

 available, and the matter is put through with as little delay 

 as possible. Land values range from 1/6 per acre on the high 

 country to £3 per acre on the deltas of the Alto Paraguay, 

 which is excellent land free of disease. 



Mr. Black states that the natural grasses of Brazil are not 

 very good on account of the periodical burning-off they have 

 been subjected to, but it is an easy matter to improve the 

 pasture. The climate and soil, on the whole, are not suitable 

 for alfalfa (lucerne), but a good substitute is found in the native 

 grass jaragua. This grass, apparently, is a great drought 

 resister, and is wonderfully prolific, easily carrying a beast to 

 the acre. To establish jaragua it is only necessary to burn 

 off the rank grass during the rainy season, and then scatter 

 the seed, which is very light and easily obtained. The seed 

 germinates immediately after rain, and the young plants are 

 very fast growing. The first growth of jaragua is left until it 

 seeds, which it does very plentifully. When the seed has been 

 shed, the grass is heavily stocked with cattle, and is well 

 tramped down. The stock are then taken off and the grass is 

 burned off. The young grass comes away again very quickly, 

 and when about 9 inches high is again stocked heavily, and 

 from then on is never allowed to grow higher than eight or 

 nine inches. After about two years of stocking, this jaragua 

 grass undergoes a change, stooling out instead of growing 

 straight up. It also becomes finer, and can be cut for hay, 



