1909.] The Agricultural Resources of Argentina. 709 



Of the above 41,644,968 rams and ewes, 7,022,390 were 

 returned as "criolla " or unimproved, and the remainder 

 were classified as follows : — 



Merino (Rambouillet and N egret e) 9,350,205 



Lincoln 

 South Down 

 Shropshire 

 Leicester 

 Not specified 



,307,216 

 300, 209 

 3 0 4 5 9S0 

 90,488 

 6,268,510 



This is an unsatisfactory schedule, the breed of more than 

 one-sixth of the "improved" sheep remaining unascertained. 

 Romney Marsh sheep are bred in considerable numbers, 

 especially in the Province of Entre Rios and in the southern 

 territories of Patagonia. Hampshire and Oxford Downs 

 are bred more or less in the same numbers as Shropshires 

 and South Downs. It is to be regretted that more ample 

 schedules were not provided for the returns of the breeds 

 of sheep. 



Of 2,492,819 brood mares only 711,791 are returned as 

 "mestiza" or improved, and as of these 320,608 are given as 

 of no specified breed the field of investigation is somewhat 

 arid. The predominant breeds are as follows : — 



Percheron . . . 



Clydesdale 



Shire 



Suffolk Punch 

 Hackney 

 Normandy .. 

 Cleveland 

 Yorkshire ... 

 Arab... 



[34,633 

 :26,32s 

 3,"2 



2,734 

 26,164 

 38,820 



6,687 

 10,033 

 16,258 



Though not unexpected, the return of the cattle census, 

 exhibiting a total minimum capital of nearly thirty million 

 head, reveals that it is in regard to this class of stock that the 

 pastoral development of Argentina during the past twelve 

 years has been most active. The census taken in 1908 is no 

 doubt a more accurate and complete one than those taken in 

 earlier years, but a comparison with the latter is not 

 uninstructive : — 



1875. 1895. 1908. 



Cattle 13,337,862 21,701,526 29,116,625 



Sheep 57,501,261 74,379,562 67 s 2ii,754 



Horses 3,915, 706 4,446,859 7,53 r >376 



Mules and asses ... 290,277 483,369 750,125 



Goats 2,863,227 2,748,860 3,945,086 



Pigs 257,368 652,766 1,403,591 



Values ... £39,027,103 £75,785,38o £130,352,838 



