Maack.] 422 [June 1, 



upon the future development of Patagon a. But this is not all. To 

 these natural advantages is to be added the easy and quick passage 

 over the Cordilleras at the source of the Rio Negro. This discovery 

 was first made in 1855, by Mr. Geise, a German engineer, who in 

 behalf of the government of Chile made an examination of that 

 country. Mr. Geise stated that it is possible even for a person to 

 travel on foot in three days, without difficulty, from Puerto Mants, in 

 Chile, to Patagonia. Finally, the natural formation of a large bay 

 on each side, namely the bay of St. Matias on the east, and the 

 bay of Chiloe on the west, will serve as good ports for commerce. 



Taking a general view of the present geographic, orographic and 

 hydrographic configuration of the Argentine Republic, it is evident 

 that Nature has enriched the country with unusual abundance and 

 plenty, and that only skillful and energetic hands are needed to give 

 to this Republic that cultivation, and commercial and industrial 

 importance which it should have reached a long time ago. In this 

 respect there is a very large sphere of activity for the President, Mr. 

 Sarmiento, as well as for the different provincial governments. 



A natural question rises concerning the origin and character of 

 these formations. Let us try to get a clear insight, considering first 

 the Alluvial. 



This formation, generally thin (not more than one to two feet thick) 

 except in the river channel, covers the land, especially in the western 

 part of the Republic, and consists generally of a very fine, brown or 

 ashy sand, which contains microscopic grains of quartz mixed with 

 finely comminuted clay and lime; the microscopic organisms, also, 

 found in this "Pampa sand" are mainly Diatoniaceae ; Foraminiferse 

 are never found, and hence we may conclude that this alluvium is a 

 fresh water formation. In the neighborhood of rivers, also, we often 

 find shells in this alluvial formation, as for instance, Ampullaria 

 australis D'Orbigny, Planorbis montanus D'Orb., Paludinella Per- 

 chappii D'Orb., all of which are at present living in these rivers. 

 The decomposition of these shells will of course afford a rich lime, 

 the quantity of which at some points is so great that this alluvial 

 formation has some practical value. This .is also the case, for 

 instance, with the sand of the bottom of the Rio de la Plata, which 

 is used by the masons of Buenos Ayres for mixing with purer lime. 

 This sand consists principally of the decomposed shell of Azara la- 

 biata. Similar localities are found at Belgrano, near Buenos Ayres, 



