Agriculture in Paraguay. 



233 



been established, does one see land cultivated on anything 

 but a very small scale. This state of things in a country so 

 extremely fertile may be a matter for surprise ; but the cause 

 or causes are apparently not far to seek. It is ascribed to 

 the paucity and extreme poverty of the scattered population, 

 to the lack of means of rapid communication, and to the fact 

 that landowners find it more profitable to devote their 

 attention to cattle-breeding than to the cultivation of the 

 soil. The agriculturist has, besides, two formidable enemies 

 in the shape of weeds and insects to contend against. The 

 latter, it is true, may only occasionally invade his land and 

 cause him serious damage ; but with the former he has to 

 struggle continuously. 



One great impediment in the way of the colonist is 

 his inability to find a sale for his produce. Buried in the 

 forest, perhaps many leagues from town, village, or highway, 

 how is he to derive any profit from his labour ? If he has 

 pitched on land near a town or village, and has sufficient 

 capital to carry him through the first year or two, he may 

 succeed afterwards in supporting himself and family at the 

 expense, of little labour ; but he will not make money. If he 

 has no capital, and settles in one of the established colonies, 

 the administrator of that colony will, it appears, provide him 

 with the means of subsistence during the first six months, 

 and assist him in other ways ; but, except in a few instances, 

 this method has not been productive of good results. Once 

 accustomed to live on external contributions, the chances are 

 very great that he will turn out a failure as a colonist when 

 thrown upon his own resources. The demoralising effect of 

 this often misapplied generosity is said to have been frequently 

 demonstrated in the " Colonia Nacional," a Government 

 settlement situated at the extreme end of the railway, where 

 many, finding that the pecuniary assistance they received 

 was ample for their daily wants, bestowed very little trouble 

 on their holdings, and as soon as the grant ceased, quitted 

 the colony and the country, most unjustly laying all the 

 blame for their failure on the authorities. It is 

 remarked, however, that some of the more upright and hard- 

 working settlers in this colony can show well cultivated 



