536 
The tropical agriculturist. 
[February t, 1892. 
The extenBioos went from Mogymirim to Caea 
Branoa, from Caaa Branoa to St. Simon, and 
lastly to Ribairao Preto. The very idea that these 
extensions might be carried oat sent people from 
the districts of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, 
where coffee was beginning to grow seedy, in search 
of new fields and these paid what the old land 
owners thought a good price, and very soon large 
tracts of forestland were levelled by the axes of 
the free natives of these parts. The apprehended 
searoity of labour was met by the iniroduotion of 
European colonists, on a system whiih I have 
formerly described in those notes. Colonists make 
money on young ooffvo plantations, for the reason 
that in addition to so much paid for each thousand 
trees (about 3 acres) for weeding, they were allowed 
to plant oorn and beans between the rows of 
coffee until the latter covered the ground and 
these cereals after leaving abundance to supply 
the house and the piggery, they generally sell to 
good advantage. 
The pioneers in the settling of European colonists 
on coffee lands (among whom the writer was 
amongst the first), had a great deal to suffer, 
in loss of patience aud proprietors lost heavily 
by their running up large debit accounts and then 
leaving without paying advances, but now after 
an absence of some years from the Province of 
S. Paulo, and witnessing the system, now muoh 
improved by the Government paying the passage 
money, it must be pronounced a success, as regards 
the cultivation of coffee. But with the large 
number of European families, who have arrived 
here during the last eight years, there is still a 
searoity of labourers, owing to the rapid extension 
of coffee planting. 
The diatriots traversed by the Mogyana rail- 
way supply nearly Ibrec-lourths of the exports to 
foreign ports from Santos. The total crop shipped 
from that port may bo put down at 2,0u0,000 bags, 
of 60 kilos each for 1889-90. Of this quantity the 
district of EibeirSo Preto alone sujiplics about 
260,000 bags. We see then that the reason of in- 
crease of production is entirely duo to -he extension 
of the railway system. 
These diatriots over since they were opened to 
ooffoo oultivation were entirely independent of 
slave labour, they depended in their supply to 
the free labourers,— fairly abundant, hut very un- 
managable— and to European ooloniots, if not 
imported direct, taken from other estates— not 
altogether “ crimped ” as the debt on the estate 
they left was always paid. 
Let us see what tho ollioial report gives of the 
current of European immigration for the last 
eight years appl 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1886 
188fi 
1887 
1838 
1889 
1890 
I need not go 
d to S&r Paulo alone : — 
2,7-13 or a total of 176,442 
4.912 inimigr'iiitK. 
4,879 
6,600 
9 536 
27,689 
74,497 
17,283 
27,883 
er the figures of tho production 
of coffee which has gradually risen from 600 000 
bags in 1874 to 2,000,000 bags, of 09 kilos in 
1800- this is in round numbers and as tho production 
will ’increase according to the quantity of labour 
available, the ruling powers ore aiding the far- 
mers liberally in lhair cffurts to introduce EuropeaTi 
labours, wo may conclude that the exports of e.^fl-.e 
from Santos will continue to increase as long 
as these efforts continue. _ 
Tho present digression is perhaps instruo.ive. 
as ehowiDg hov rapidly Ihe state of agnou ture 
advances in new countries as soon as wicuits o 
communication are secured. We are now re-visiting 
the country after a few years absence; its state 
formerly is drscribed above, end let us see it now. 
I was os you may expect all anxiety to be on 
liorsebaek, ar.d after resting for a day in town 
and making a programme of how a run through 
these coffee oovered bills could bo effected, in the 
few days at my disposal, the equipment for tho 
trip was arrsng- d. Eortunetely my friend although 
he lived at the hotel had a house for supplying 
machinery and iron-work of all kinds and knew the 
most of the fazendieros in the district, had little 
hoBtitation in combining businees with pleasure, 
and was willing to accompany me for a few days. 
Close to Ihe town of Riboirao Preto there are not 
many coffee fazendas, for the reason that it is 
sitnited in the val'ey formed by the Uibeiiao (small 
rivir) and the neaiest highlands on which ooffco 
can be planted, so as to be free from theviaitatioii of 
frost are distant from six to eight miles. The 
horse hirer who was more punctual than we 
generally find such individuals in the towns in the 
interior, had animals wailing for ua at day-light 
which at the season of the year, end of Maroh 
was about 5-30 a.m. 
The road on leaving the town goes south-west 
for three miles and then west- Tho valley re- 
minds one a good deal of the pasture lands in Europe. 
It is laid out in beautiful fields planted with the 
grazing grass of the country, of which there are 
several kinds, and surrounded by fences, some made 
of thorns (of a legnminaoeous spsoics, which throws 
out long shoots, these shoots ate out half through 
once a year and folded down, and as they continue 
to grow and send out scoondaties form a formidable 
obstacle which domestic animals of a wild nature 
cannot break through) others of wirefenoing (now 
greatly used here) while on farms belonging to 
those of little capital are found a fivo bar fonoo 
of bamboos. Little attention is paid to shade-trees 
and still less to shrubbery of an ornamental kind, 
although many beautiful flowering plants showing 
varied oolours and delicious soents of all sizes up 
to the largest tree are to be found in tho neighbour- 
ing woods. 
A great many vendaa are passed where tho 
principal aniolo sold is rum, and about five miles 
from town wo came to a large store, where every 
thing that there is a demand for in the country 
is sold, and whore they buy everything that the 
labourers of the country may grow for sale, and 
also what Ihe latter may possess themselves of by 
doubtfully honest means. The place had all its 
i tanding space in every part o cupied by Italians, 
men and women, and owing to so many speaking, 
shouting, and drinking healths in Italian wine fsaid 
to be manutaolured at a large liquor factory in 
8to Paulo) the beautiful musical language of South- 
ern Europe was mixed with the jargon of the ' Cabo- 
colo.” This is the name given to the mixture between 
the Brazilian Indian and the white; they are oopper- 
oolourcd, but have straight black hair with a Mon- 
golian looking face. Free day labourers here, in the 
west are mostly of these Cabooolo and the 
boisterous laugher of the African resembled tho 
confusedly babbling noise which we read of as having 
been heard long years ago in the plain of Shinar. 
My oempanion who bad passed this way often 
was soon recognized by the owner. Wo were shown 
real English btor.Guinness'B stout, and other genuine 
liquids of this class, but feeing it was not yet the 
sixth hour of the day nor oven tho third, wo ouull 
not bo tempted, but we were greatly jefreehed by 
tho usual cup of black coffee, whioh kept off tho 
craving for breakfast which wo were -now begin- 
ning to feel. 
8ome miles fattbot on, weoame to the fazenda of 
