CLIMATE AND FLORA OF PARAGUAY. 303 



Like the temperature, the winds, which generally follow the course of the 

 river either from north to south, or from south to north, are also subject to abrupt 

 changes, which are much felt, especially by immigrants. The most dominant 

 wind is a kind of sirocco from Matto Grosso, which in summer makes the atmo- 

 sphere almost stifling, even at night. On the other hand the southern wind at 

 times confounded with the pampero, causes lung complaints, arrests the vege- 

 tation, and occasionally even destroys the crops. The pleasant easterly breezes, 

 which temper both the hot and cold weather, are unfortunately of rare occurrence. 

 The rains, far more copious in the east than on the western plains, full usually 

 at the equinoxes, and are frequently accompanied by thunderstorms and gales, 

 called rentarrones. On the whole the country suffers more from drought than 

 from excessive moisture.* 



Dr. Bourgade, who made a special study of the climatic conditions, considers 

 Paraguay to be a perfectly salubrious region, and well suited for European settle- 

 ment. A perpetual spring prevails for nine months in the year, and although the 

 other three months are undeniably hot, the heat is less scorching than it is in 

 Matto Grosso, Venezuela, and many other parts of South America. Even in the 

 hot season scarcely a week passes without heavy rains, which have the effect of 

 refreshing the atmosphere and lowei'ing the temperature. 



Except small-pox, on the decrease since the introduction of vaccination, there 

 are no epidemics, and very little malaria beyond the thinly peopled eastern dis- 

 tricts, which are subject to an intermittent fever locally called chucho. Endemics 

 also are rare, but rheumatic affections, anaemia, and other disorders of the blood, due 

 to defective sanitary arrangements, are common enough. In a word, this authority 

 holds that " Paraguay offers a promising held for immigration, the climate being 

 both temperate and healthy, a combination that is not always found." f 



Flora — Fauna. 



Paraguay belongs rather to the Brazilian than to the Argentine botanical 

 zone, and its rivers are bordered by leafy forests resembling the matias of Brazil. 

 The trees, which present a great variety of forms, have for the most part an 

 extremely close texture ; hence they do not naturally float, and to form rafts 

 they have to be made buoyant by means of reeds and wood with thick sap. They 

 are also hard to burn, but yield an excellent charcoal. In an industrial region 

 they would supply admirable building material, cabinet and dyewoods. The 

 caraguata, a species of bromeliacea, yields a far finer and stronger thread than 

 that of hemp. The caranday and other palms intermingle with the araucaria, 



* Meteorological conditious of Asuncion : — 



Temperature. 



