48 
BULLETIN 1400, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
It is apparent from these figures that the potential cereal acreage 
is very much greater than the actual area under cultivation. In- 
creased- acreage, however, would probably involve a decrease in the 
alfalfa and other grazing areas, or an extension of the margin of 
cultivation which would involve greater unit costs. 
Production can be still further increased in other Provinces, 
especially by irrigation. Oats, barley, and rye are at present sown 
primarily for winter pasturage. When prices are sufficiently high 
to make them more profitable for grain than for pasturage, the 
production of grain can be greatly increased. In the column show- 
ing percentage of " fertile prairie tillable," liberal allowance has been 
made for rivers, lagoons, belts of timber, roads, fences, buildings, 
and land necessary for purposes other than cultivation. Although 
the areas estimated as tillable in these five Provinces are level, rich, 
prairie soil, and they could be put into cultivation easily and rapidly 
by simply plowing under the sod, the maximum potential cereal 
production can not be reached without subdivision of the land, 
immigration, and an adjustment with the livestock industry, all of 
which will probably require many years. With the present popula- 
tion, equipment, and methods, the areas sown to cereal crops could 
probably be increased 25 to 50 per cent if prices are sufficiently 
attractive. 
Cotton 
Cotton has been grown in Argentina at least for a century; but this 
crop has not prospered because of low prices, lack of markets, high 
freight rates, and the fact that other crops were more profitable. 
High prices prevailing since the World War, however, have greatly 
stimulated interest in cotton and the industry is becoming established. 
The estimates of area and production (Table 33) are taken from "La 
Industria Algodonera en la Argentina," by E. J. Schleh, 1923, pages 
13 and 50. 
Table 33. — Cotton: Estimates of area and production, 1912-1924 
Year 
Acreage 
Production of 
seed cotton 
Production of 
lint cotton 
Yield of 
lint cot- 
ton per 
acre 
1912 
Acres 
6, 916 
5,476 
8, 151 
9,114 
7,595 
29, 084 
32, 443 
32, 774 
58, 934 
38, 569 
56, 474 
150, 000 
250,000 
Pounds 
5, 511, 500 
4, 409, 200 
6, 613, 800 
7, 275, 180 
6, 172, 880 
23, 368, 760 
26, 014, 280 
26, 455, 280 
47, 398, 900 
30, 864, 400 
45, 194, 300 
Pounds 
1. 653, 450 
1, 322, 760 
1, 984, 140 
2, 182, 554 
1, 851, 864 
7, 010, 628 
7, 804, 284 
7, 936, 560 
14, 219, 670 
9, 259, 320 
13, 558, 290 
Pounds 
239.1 
1913 
241.6 
1914 
1915 
243.4 
239 5 
1916 
243.8 
1917 . 
241 
1918 
240. 6 
1919 
242. 2 
1920 
241.3 
1921 
240 1 
1922 
240 1 
1923 
1924 
