170 



WHEAT GROWING IN THE ARGENTINE [Dec. 18^4, 

 REPUBLIC. 



and interest on capital appear in the statement of outlay. 

 Taking this estimate as it stands, and reckoning the gold value 

 of the dollar at Is. 4(i., the cost of production would be Is. O^d. 

 per bushel. 



It may be interesting to calculate from the above statements 

 the estimated cost of growing an acre of wheat in the Republic, 

 assuming the paper dollar to be of the gold value of l.s. 4d 

 This would work out as shown below, the yield per acre being 

 taken as 15 bushels. 





Estimate No. 1. 



Estimate No. 2. 



Estimate No. 3. 



Labour 

 Living - 

 Rent - 



Seed - - - 

 Interest 



Depreciation - 

 Twine and stacking 

 Reaping and stacking - 



s. 

 2-03 



2- 68 



3- 33 

 2-78 

 1-34 

 0-89 

 1'25 



,S'. 



No hired labour 



3-75 

 1-67 



0- 83 



1- 11 



s. 



1- 66 



3 -.57 



2- 33 



5-00 



Carting at Id. -per 



bushel. 

 Threshing at id. per 



bushel. 

 Bags at 4^d. each 



14-30 



1- 25 



5-00 



2- 42 



7-36 



1- 25 



5-00 



2- 42 



12-,')6 

 1-2.5 



5-00 



2 - 42 





22-97 



16-03 



21-23 



In the second of the above estimates no charge has been 

 entered for labour as the farm is worked by the occupier with 

 the aid of his family. This apparently means that the family 

 is grown up and large, so that the cost of living would in this 

 case be s "mething more than the sum entered under Estimate 

 No. I, where the expenses of living relate to a young and not 

 numerous family. It will be noted also that the item interest 

 on capital is oaiitted. If allowance is made for these omissions, 

 the cost of living being taken at 1^ times 2-G8s. = 4'026-. and 

 interest on capital at I-34s., the total cost would be 21-396\ 



The third estimate also fails to cover the items of living, 

 interest, and depreciation. But the heavy charge for reaping 

 may be probably due to the machinery being hired, instead of 

 owned, so that interest and depreciation w^ould be smaller 

 charo-es than in the fiist two cases. 



o 



On the whole, it w^ould appear from these estimates that the 

 cost of growing wheat on virgin soil in the Argentine Republic 

 ranges, under present conditions, from 21s. 5d. to 25s. per ac]*e. 

 Mr, Gastrell has stated that the cost would appear to be about 

 21s. per acre. Several authorities, quoted in Mr. Gastrell's report, 

 placed the cost at from 13s. 4d, to 17s. 6d, exclusive of rent^ 



