in THE WORLDS MEAT FUTURE 



Some few years ago the Government of this State made a 

 contract with an English firm in Rio to deliver a thousand 

 hulls, meant tor distribution amongst the breeders at cost 

 price— £100 sterling each. Of the total, 000 were Zebus im- 

 ported from India, and the balance was made up of Swiss, 

 Dutch, and a few English cattle. It is not an uncommon thing 

 for some Zebu fanatic in Minas to pay as much as £1500 

 sterling for a bull he fancies. 



Unlike Rio Grande, which State has excellent native grasses, 

 Minas does not possess native, or, rather, natural camp of any 

 great value. The country has had to be improved in order to 

 carry cattle profitably, and this has been done in a way which 

 one is forced to admire, against one's will. Most of the land 

 under jaragua or gordura. which are the best grasses, were at 

 one time useless half scrub and half open forest country, and 

 were improved in the following manner : Xarrow tracks about 

 ten feet wide were cleared at different distances, according to 

 the density of the scrub, and the brush piled in rows, which, 

 after having been allowed to become thoroughly dry, were set 

 fire to during a very hot day, generally in the month of 

 November, and when there was a fairly good breeze blowing. 

 Xa1 ui-ally. the dry leaves and grass were completely burnt off, 

 together with the many smaller shrubs, after which the seeds 

 of the grasses mentioned were scattered about, generally by 

 men on horseback, with the result that after the first rain the 

 grass came away quickly and smothered any new growth of 

 shrubs, the 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 

 tation, which was burnt off on the first favourable day, 

 after a shower of rain, and when the old grass was dry. As 

 soon as 1 he fresh sprout came away, the land was again stocked 

 and the grass never allowed to become rank. This may seem 

 to he a very haphazard way of doing things, but as time was 

 no object, and land was cheap, the results were satisfactory. 



