Argentina's Agricultural Progress. 41 



into the lighter and sandier soils of Cordoba, the north Central 

 Pampa, and the Province of Buenos Aires. Here the same 

 process of triennial agriculture continues, and the "alfalfa 

 country " extends its limits yearly. The cost of laying down 

 new land in alfalfa has decreased. Seed is cheaper, cultivation 

 is cheaper, and its methods are improved. Landowners are 

 making alfalfa paddocks on a larger scale. There are three 

 estancieros in Cordoba who have combined forces and are 

 laying down 400,000 acres in alfalfa this year. 



Alfalfa is better adapted for cattle than for sheep. The latter 

 can be run under cattle, but more than one sheep to one and 

 a-half acres is not prudent if the plant of lucerne is not to be 

 eaten out. In addition to this, every three acres can support a 

 cow and her calf comfortably, and still leave an ample corner 

 whereon to graze for the butcher. Cattle develop rapidly on 

 alfalfa, and steers bred and fattened on it kick the beam at 

 ninety stone before they count four summers. Sheep bred on 

 alfalfa are more useful for mutton than for wool. Indeed, the 

 alfalfa estanciero must be essentially a producer of meat, so 

 far as he employs his plant for stock raising. 



When alfalfa obtains a strong hold of the land it monopolises 

 all the room ; other grasses do not thrive if mixed in with it. 

 Upon a congenial soil it grows vigorously, and is most tenacious 

 where the water supply is at a considerable depth below the 

 surface. The depth to which this plant will strike in search of 

 moisture and the thickness of root it develops in the process 

 has not escaped the attention of those who delight in the 

 marvels of nature. The statement, however, of an artesian 

 well-borer, that the obstacle blunting his drill at a depth of 

 500 feet proved to be the tap root of an alfalfa plant also 

 engaged in plumbing for water, has not been confirmed. 



It has been remarked that agriculture in the Argentine chiefly 

 owes its spread to the demand for the nomadic " colonist," who 

 tills the soil for three or more years on a crop-share rental 

 system, and thereafter, having sown the alfalfa seed, leaves again 

 in search of other land. It has been suggested in consequence 

 that the agricultural production is only an incidental feature, 

 and that when all the land suitable for lucerne has been laid 

 down in that pasturage the agriculturist will find himself 



