346 



Wheat Growing in Argentina. [sept., 



15 bushels, would represent an outlay of from 21s. to 25s. per 

 acre. Mr. Gastrell, at that time H.M. Vice-Consul at Buenos 

 Ayres, stated that the cost appeared to be about 21s. per 

 acre, while several authorities quoted by him placed the cost at 

 from 13s. 4d. to 17s. 6d., exclusive of rent, cost of living, and 

 interest on capital. It must be remembered that about three- 

 fourths of the wheat raised in Argentina is grown by people of 

 the class who depend on family labour, colonists from Italy, 

 Spain, Russia, and other countries in Continental Europe, and 

 that their standard of living is very low. In the opinion of 

 many observers the profits of this class of Argentine farmer 

 merely represent the privations and low order of living which 

 he endures. The other 25 per cent, is grown on large farms, 

 frequently owned by Englishmen, where the work is usually 

 done by contract and hired labourers are more generally 

 employed. The farm referred to above, owned by Mr. Wynne, 

 is an example of the latter class. 



About 35 per cent, of the farms in the four provinces are 

 farmed by the owners, 50 per cent, by ordinary tenants, and 

 15 per cent, by tenants on a share system, known as the 

 medianero system. The tenant on this system starts with a 

 capital of a few pounds, and it is usually easy to find a land- 

 owner who will give him land, a mud hut to live in, horses, 

 bullocks, implements, and seed to start farming on his own 

 account. He and his family prepare the land, sow and harvest 

 the wheat, and it is sold by the landowner at his discretion. 

 After deducting the cost of the bags, binding-twine, and thrash- 

 ing, as well as the seed, the proceeds are divided between the 

 tenant and the owner, usually in equal proportions. 



There are three principal varieties of wheat grown for export, 

 the Barletta, the Russian, and the Hungarian. The Barletta is 

 an Italian variety, closely resembling American red hard wheat, 

 though not so hard. It is the favourite sort in all parts of the 

 country, and has shown its superior adaptability to various 

 Argentine conditions through many years. Millers in Argen- 

 tina and in Europe prefer Barletta, though they often mix 

 French with it to give it colour. An analysis made in 1891 

 showed 17-07 per cent of gluten. It is a heavy wheat, and a 

 sample shown at Buenos Ayres in 1903 weighed 66-19 lb. per 



