MATERIAL CONDITION OF CHILI. 



469 



180. — Mines of Chili. 

 Scale 1 : 37,000,000. 



Amongst European colonists the Germans, mostly farmers, brewers, surveyors 

 and petty dealers, are the most numerous. Next in importance are the English, 

 mainly merchants and miners, the Italians and the French in the order named. 

 But if the present exodus from Italy continues, the Italians will soon outstrip 

 all others in point of numbers. Since 1875 the Chinese have also taken part in 

 the movement. But the general increase is mainly 

 due to the natural excess of births over the mor- Fij 



tality, although, owing to the defective registra- 

 tion, the ofiScial returns would seem to show the 

 reverse. 



The agricultural zone, which properly begins 

 with the province of Coquimbo, comprises all the 

 mainland thence southwards, with the rich and 

 well-watered island of Chiloe. This industry 

 already yields sufficient breadstuff s for a mean 

 annual export trade of about 5,500,000 bushels, 

 chiefly to Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, where the 

 Chilian cereals have already driven those of North 

 America from the market. They even compete 

 with those of California along the central American 

 seaboard. As in France, the chief crop is wheat, 

 estimated at 28,000,000 bushels in normal years, 

 all other cereals yielding about 8,000,000 bushels. 

 Viniculture, introduced at an early date, has 

 also acquired some development since the middle 

 of the present century in the region between the 

 Huasco valley and Valdivia. Here about 250,000 

 acres are under vineyards ; but the grape, chiefly 

 of French stock, appears to have a tendency to 

 approach the Spanish and Portuguese (sherry and 

 port) in flavour. About 110,000 gallons of wine 

 were exported in 1888, when imports were made 

 almost impossible by a prohibitive duty of £4 

 per hogshead. A kind of coarse cider [chicha) is 

 fabricated from the aj^ples of European stock 

 which are yielded in enormous quantities by the 

 orchards of the southern provinces, where the 

 plant now runs wild. Seri-culture has also 

 acquired some development in Chili, the only 



South American country where attention has been paid to this industry. In 

 1890 the crop of cocoons was estimated at over 11,000 pounds weight. 



Chili is too mountainous to find room for extensive cattle-runs, and has con- 

 sequently to import much stock from the Argentine plains. Formerly the Pampas 

 Indians made frequent incursions into Argentine territory, the Chilian cattle- 



a SUver. c Copper. s Salt. 



, 620 Miles. 



