The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-22
Progress OF Commerce.

Progress or Commerce.
1t was the opinion of Sir John Sinclair that che who
makes blade of corn grow where none grew before
is the undoubted beneactor of his country" In like
manner, but 10 infinitely greater extent is he the
"beneacor of his country who opens 10 the CONNER.
cal enterprise Of lis citizens channels of trade and
fresh regions OF teeming though undeveoped wealth.
The readers of this journal know something of the
vast and varied OF that portion OF South Amer
lea which is watered by the La Plata and its tributary
streams; for they have been unolded and described in
our columns in series of papers from the pen Of dis
ungushed gentleman of this city, TO whom the commerce
OF this country under lasting obligations not only for
the fresh fields OF adventure 10 which be has invited
II, but for the facilities and safeguards with which he
has armed it against the icultes and perils of nav
galon. The abors Of Liest. Maury have in no enter
prise been valuable and successful than in the en-
deavor TO bring 10 the notice of the commercial men of
this country the treasures of wealth which lie scattered
on the mountain sides. in the streams and in the rich
valleys OF the "river basins" of South America In com
putting the value and The variety OF the productions of
that country, in estimating its dormant resources he al
most exceeds belief. His descriptions read like some
fabulous story OF fairy land, and almost fancy our
selves under the spell OF enchantment wander
with him beside majestic riversover fertile valleys
teemng with the varied and luxuant productions of the
ropcsthrough forest soltudes vocal with the songs
OF birds OF the gayest piumage, rich in dye woods of
exquisite tins and in herbs OF medicinal virtue and fra
grant with the perfume OF every foweracross noun
tains whose surface sparkle the choicest diamonds
and in whose bosom lie exhaustless mines of the pre-
cous metals-as with him we imbibe the milk of the
pao de lsche vegetable COW, and drink the juice OF
the pslo de borracho, drunken traverse i'm
horses, and fields "n which sugarcane, cotton tobac
co, rice, Indian corn, mandioca, and thousand other
productions vegea,e in profusion"-in Short as we con-
template Nature in the abode OF lis utmost wealth.
beauty and magndcence All this is sober reality and
constrained credit the marvellous story by the
testimony OF truthful travellers and the evidence Of in
dispuabe facts Speaking OF Bolivia, Lieutenant Maury
says:
"The climate Of Bolivia is one OF the finest tropical eli.
mates ia the world Indeed, its climates and productions
may be considered include those all habitabe por.
tons Of the globe.
Here, seated the foot OF a mountain, and sur.
rounded with the luscious fruits Of the tropics may cast
ing his eye towards the snowcapped peak above him,
take in view the whole range OF the vegetable gamut
Beginning with the ohrmoya, the pine apple, the orange,
and the VANILLA they cast their fragrance around. he
through ho asceDds OF the olive and the
vine, the peach and the pear, until finally having
pie ted the vegetable notation in the order Of production
through the Torrid and Temperate zones he reaches
the Fgis, and with It's cap OF he finds the summit
crowned with the moses and The lichens Of the Polar
gion.."
Mr. Hopkins United States consul in Paraguay, talks
in a no, less enthusiastic strain:
owe have found the forests spontaneously producing
ything necessary for the comfort and luxury OF mankind
from the beautiful cotton tree that afford, him clothing TO
the colors which suit bis fancy dye and from the
woods that furnish his ship and house, his
scfoir the herb that his sickness incense
that delights his olfactores IL is only necessary to add
that the climate favorable to all The useful grains and
table vegetables with delicious fruits support tho frame
and crafty the palate"
Castenau, Fancb ,apan sent out by Louis Philippe
in ls43 10 explore the interior of the country, reports
that
The productions Of The country in great variety.
Sugar-cane which 10 gathered eight months after planting,
is the staple Of the province Of Cecado Coffee success
fully cultivated in this province well us In that OF Chi
quito. yields fruit IN after being planted, requr-
ing but the slightest The cscao recently introduced
into provinces. bears in three four years
most The amsrind which succeeds in the same ocali-
ties bu, especial The country Of Chquios requires Eve
years
Cotton yields annual crops; horc are two species
the white and the yellow.
Tobacco grows speak without cultivation in the
province Of ValeGande, in which tits tho prinop a
ole Of trade Indigo, of which there three cultivated
species and one wild, is equally abundant Maize rpens
In three months, without regard TO II cultivated
more particularly In the province OF Ceroado.
THE casssda produces In eight months after planting
There species Of 1.-THE sweet other bitter
the former substitute Tor the potso and for bread
tssthe latter only make starch. There ire
many vsretie. species OF bananas, which produce
year after planting They cultivated especially In the
province Of Cercado Two species Of rice white
cultivated both in the province of Ceosdo and Chi
quito yielding crops Ave six months II is said
to grow wild in the country Of Chiquiio,,
"Tbe vne which hourishes particularly in the province
OF Cordera where it cultivated in the missions until
the epoch Of Independence, Is not made Of Ii
WILL perhaps, hereafter be of the principal products OF
thst country.
Wheat barley, and the potato could be cultivated with
advantage in provinces OF Gbquito. and Cordaers
bot stibs they neglected. except in the province
Of Vale The cutare Of has commenced In
the province Of Cercsdo where It Is found Wild 80 also
the aunauina on the mountains Of Ssmsipsts, As al
ready mentioned fruit sbounds In this regon--orsnges
lemons. croos Rss pspsye., pom grsnaes, noskmecn
wsernn.os chfinoyss (Which the Brszisps call fr~fa
DO eords1 pinespples We The last mentioned OF these
fr.I,s grs i, IN great sl5ndt m ne wood, Of
Chiquos. We met with il particularly the day before