Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-14

Intellectual. Some has been cultivated on the
high plateau Of the north, but the crops were
scare sufficient to feed the hands that harvested
them Venezuela, in order to compel the cul-
tivation Of the grain. put . prohibitory duty on
imports of 1t, while Guatemala with similar
object. offered large bounties to wheat farmers.
But all trials proved that the climate and soil
Of the tropical zones are not suited to the
product.
SOIL TOO RICH YoR PRACTICAL usR.
Over large areas Of South America the agri-
culturist is confronted by q very curious and
paradoxical problem. The soil is so excessively
fruitful that he finds it difficult, il not impossi-
BILE, TO get his living out Of it. He cannot keep
down the luxuriant natural vegetation, in
order to replace it with cultivated and valuable
plants. Grass Of Brobdignagian growth springs
up faster than he can cut it down or pull 1t up.
while vines rivaling in rapidity Of Development
that which bore Jonah's famous gourd over
whelm his crops, and weeds Of all sorts array
themselves in competition with whatever he
tries to raise. But, with the progressive i'm
provement in agricultural machinery and APP
pliances, there is destined soon to arrive
time when this wonderful southland, subdued
by the plough, will be the most productive
region on the earth.
RICH, But UNDEvELoPED nNEA
The gold and diamond mines Of Brazil are the
richest in the world, but the gold mines remain
almost wholly undeveloped, owing to lack Of
transportation IaclltleS ana OF machinery 70
work them. Some notion Of their richness may
be obtained from the experience Of Portuguese
company, which, in the year 1881, turned a
river in the province Of Goyaz out of its course
by building large dams. Only one days work
was done in getting out sand from the river
bed after the stream was turned of, for the
same evening the dams broke and the water,
resuming its old course, drowned 800 slaves
and entirely destroyed the results of o twelve
months labor. But the sand dug out on that
day yielded thousands Of gold bricks which
paid several times over for the entire invest
ment that had been made in the enterprise.
This district is now owned by capitalists in the
United States, and before long it is intended to
turn that river once more and delve for its
store Of yellow wealth. The moro velh" in
Brazil is considered the richest gold mine
known The Portuguese opened II 800 years
ago; it was reopened IS years ago by an En-
glish company, and its workings now extend
three miles under ground. Unlike other gold
mines, its product is continuous and never
failing. The finest gold lace in the world
is made in Ecuador Of native metal There is
no very extensive market for it. and it il sold
chiefly to rich people, who make presents Of 1t
to friends at home and abroad.
ITS WEALTH IN DIAMONDS.
There are no diamonds now produced equal to
those of Brazil, which is q country Just about
the size of the United States. They are usually
perfectly white and none Of them have the yell
low nue. winch 80 greatly dlm1nlsnes the market
value Of the South African stones. The dia-
mond-producing formation is peculiar. Very
valuable gems have often been found lying eX-
posed on the plain, while others have been dis
covered so imbedded in rock that it was neces-
sary to chisel them out. Great companies work
the mines and fresh ones are being continually
opened. 1t is quite certain that only some of
the deposits have been struck yet The wild
Indians in the province of Goyaz, 600 miles
from the sea, constantly bring down fine dia-
monds from the mountains for the purpose of
selling them. Pockets in the beds of the
streams which have formed natural receptacles
for detritus often yield diamonds as q reward
for patient scooping. Some Of the finest dia-
monds in the world were found in Brazil-nota-
bly, one called the ''Star of the South, now be-
ing cut at Amsterdam, which is away ahead Of
the Kohinoor.
At a recent state dinner, given by the Bra
lillian minister for foreign affairs, the host
stated, in response to a toast, that South Amer
leans were Yankees too, as could be proven by
the fact that, whereas the national dish Of the
United States was pork and beans, the national
dish Of all the southern republics was beef and
beans The beef they use for this purpose is
''jerked," the process being to cut the animal
into strips, which are dried with salt. If you
want to buy pound, half yard is cut of for
you by the butcher. This, with baked beans, is
indeed the national dish Of South America.
The usefulness Of this plan Of reciprocity,
both to the United States and the South Amer
lean republics, is expressed when the fact is
stated that everything We make 10 something
they want and vice versa.