ARGENTINE REPUBLIC 27 



seldom rises above 95 degrees, but seems much higher because of the 

 excessive humidity of the atmosphere. 



The corn district of Argentine has an average annual rainfall of 

 31.52 to 39.40 inches, which is quite evenly divided between the two 

 seasons. 



The corn land, being owned by wealthy landlords, is farmed by 

 renters or "colonists" who have no serious ideas of home-building. 

 The different ranches are specialized in different crops. Alfalfa or 

 wheat may be grown entirely for a series of years. Rents range from 

 $1.25 to $4.50 per acre. Usually one-half of this must be paid in 

 advance. 



Corn planting begins August 15th and may continue as late as 

 January 15th. The safest time, however, is September 15th to De- 

 cember 31st. The early planted corn usually yields more heavily. The 

 rows range from 10 to 36 inches apart. During the last few years a 

 number of American corn planters are being introduced, but all of 

 them are used simply for drilling, no checking being done. When the 

 plants are two or three inches in height the land is harrowed. Nothing 

 more is done until the corn is 12 inches high, wh;n an implement with 

 a double mold-board like a lister is run through and the rows hilled up. 



No fear of frost presses the farmers in regard to selecting the seed 

 corn early, and the ears often remain on the stalk for two months 

 after matured. However, the farmers are very anxious to get the 

 corn gathered and shelled in order to reach the seaboard before the 

 wet season begins. Hence, some years a great deal of immature corn 

 is shipped out. In 1902 Argentina exported 55.75 per cent of the corn 

 produced. With development in the packing and slaughtering meth- 

 ods more corn will be fed at home. 



In Argentina corn culture has in recent years made great strides. 

 From three million acres in 1900, plantings have been rg.pidly ex- 

 tended, and a recent estimate of the Argentine Department of Agri- 

 culture puts the land seeded for the crop maturing in the spring of 

 1914 at 10,250,000 acres. A distinctive feature of corn growing in 

 Argentina is that the bulk of the crop is raised for export. Preemi- 

 nently a pastoral country, the vast fields of alfalfa, and a mild climate 

 that permits grazing in a great part of the pastoral zone practically the 

 year round, minimize the demand for corn as an animal food ; consid- 

 erably less than 100 million bushels meets the annual domestic re- 

 quirements for all purposes. As during the past two years the pro- 

 duction has amounted respectively, to 296 million and 197 million 



