72 EXTRACTS FROM DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR [June 1895, 



REPORTS. 



Agriculture in the Argentine Republic. 



In a report, which has been recently published by the Foreign 

 Office, on the condition of the Argentine Republic during the 

 year 1894, Mr. William Gastrell, Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at 

 Buenos Ayres, states that agriculture in the Argentine Republic 

 is a subject which has only become interesting in recent years, 

 during which it has increased so immensely as to now occupy 

 a foremost place in the internal economy of this formerly essen- 

 tially stock-raising country. The increase of area cultivated 

 has been astonishing in the last few years. In 1869, cultivation 

 only covered 180,000 acres ; in 1891, the probable area was 

 7,500,000 acres ; and in 189 4-, it was estimated to be double that 

 amount, or 15,000,000 acres. 



The area suitable to cereals has been calculated at 375,000- 

 square miles, of which only 5 per cent, are now cultivated, so 

 that there is practically unlimited room for extension in the 

 future. Stock-raising now covers most of that area, and is 

 not likely to be replaced by agriculture to any great extent 

 except near railways and waterways, especially as the price of 

 wheat in Europe has fallen so low as to leave but a small profit 

 now to the wheat grower, notwithstanding the cheapness of 

 land and labour. The Republic ranked, in 1893, as the third 

 most important wheat-exporting country in the world, and, in 

 Mr. Gastrell's opinion, it might well soon take a second plac& 

 but for the over-production of wheat, which will, it is main- 

 tained, restrict the increase in Argentina as elsewhere in conse- 

 quence of the very low price of wheat in Europe. 



Maize was formerly the chief crop, but wheat is now estimated 

 to form 50 per cent., if not more, of the total crops. Its develop- 

 ment has been most remarkable, for, as late as 1880, 177,000 

 tons of wheat were imported into the Argentine Republic, 

 whereas, in the year 1893, over 1,000,000 tons were actually 

 exported, and in 1894, the export was expected to be at least 

 1,500,000 tons. This quantity would have been still larger but 

 for the failure of the maize crop, in consequence of which much 

 wheat was used in the country which would otherwise have 

 been exported. 



Seasons are variable in the Argentine Republic, and it is to 

 be remembered that too much rain may easily spoil a crop by 

 causing weeds and streiw to be very luxuriant, wiiereas a cold^ 

 dry winter and spring makes the plant strong and thick on the 

 ground. Drought is not so much to be feared, but hot winds in 

 spring, or late frosts, and locusts early in the season, can cause 

 much damage. 



According to Mr. Gastrell, the crop of 1893 would have given 

 more for export, but in January 1894 a large amount of stacked 

 wheat was destroyed by rain owing to the wretched manner of 

 stacking " header cut " wheat, and the absence of any sort of 



