AGRICULTURAL POSSIBILITIES IN 



TROPICAL MEXICO 



By Dr. Pehr Olsson-Seffer 



Late^ Commissioni:r Tropical Agriculture to the Mexican Government 



F^^W countries offer better natural igated and the precipitation is absorbed 

 advantages for successful agricul- by the soil to the benefit of the vegeta- 

 tural operations than the Republic tion. 

 of Mexico. It is true that the highlands The native Indian method of corn cul- 

 are depending on artificial irrigation to ture in tropical Mexico does not greatly 

 produce abundant crops, but in the trop- differ from agricultural practice in many 

 ics of Mexico there is water enough. The other countries. The "chena" cultiva- 

 rainfall varies from 80 to 175 inches, well tion of the inhabitants of East India, the 

 distributed for agricultural purposes. "svedjebruk" method of the early Scan- 

 On the highlands the forests have dinavians, the "kaski" in Finland, the 

 been destroyed in times gone by, and de- "sartage" of France, and the burning 

 vastating floods often occur; but in the off of a hillside for a "milpa," or patch 

 "hot country," with immense primeval of corn, in tropical Mexico are essen- 

 forests still standing, such floods are mit- tially similar. They are equally de- 



Photo by T. F. I,ee 



INSPECTING CHICLE, THE BASIS OF CHEWING GUM, IN YUCATAN, MEXICO 



