300 Agriculture in the Argentine Republic, [july, 



left to the farmer to decide — not whether it is capable of 

 development— but whether, in his opinion, it is worth it. 



The growth in the export of cereals and of live stock 

 products from Argentina in recent years has been very great, 

 and that country may now be said to 

 Agriculture in the occupy a predominant position in the 

 Argentine Republic, world's markets as regards several of 

 the leading agricultural products. For 

 the past two or three years it has been the largest exporter 

 of wheat, maize, and beef to the United Kingdom, while 

 its exports of several other products formed a substantial 

 proportion of the total receipts. The official statistics of the 

 Ministry of the Argentine Republic for the year 1908 give 

 some information as to the change in agricultural conditions 

 in recent years, which shows how rapidly new areas have been 

 brought under cultivation. 



The three principal grain crops are wheat, linseed, and 

 maize, and during the last thirteen years the area devoted 



to these crops has trebled. 



1895. '9°8. 



Acres. Acres. 



Wheat 5,062,700 14,975,900 



Linseed 956,700 3,789,700 



Maize ... 3,073,100 7,345>5°° 



An important point in the growth of the area devoted to 

 cereals has been the widening of the territory from which the 

 supplies are drawn, with the consequent diminution of the 

 risks of failure from drought, frost, hail, &c. Thus in 1895 

 the growth of wheat and linseed was largely concentrated 

 in the Province of Santa Fe and part of Cordoba, these two 

 provinces representing two-thirds of the total area, while 

 21 per cent, was found in Buenos Ayres, 12 per cent, in 

 Entre Rios, and only 1 per cent, elsewhere. 



The distribution in provinces in 1908 was as follows : — 





Wheat. 



Linseed. 



Maize. 





Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent, 



Buenos Ayres ... 



40 



28 



49 



Cordoba 



25 



1 1 



9 



Santa Fe ... 



23 



44 



28 



Entre Rios 



5 



15 



4 



Pampa 









Other provinces and territories 



I } 



2 



10 



At the present time, therefore, the crops are much more 



