The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-10-09
WHEAT GROWING m ARGENTINA.
Manners and Methods of competi-
tors of American Farmers.


Manners and Methods of competi-
tors of American Farmers.
As the future price Of wheat is mainly
dependent upon the Argentina wheat crop,
TO be harvested about December next, it is
interesting to study the methods of cult
walton there. The South American wheat
farms are mostly held by Italians who use
peon labor Their methods are primitive,
Of the cheapest character and their ex-
penses are very small
That portion of the Argentine Repub-
lie at present devoted to wheat culture IN
Guides the provinces Of Santa Fe, Buenos
Ayres and Entire Rios, with the south
portion Of the province Of Cordoba (the
province corresponding to the State in
the United States, and the total area of
this stretch of country is about equal to the
combined areas of England and France
Only about one-third of the land within
convenient distance of railways already
constructed being as yet under cultivation,
it is obvious that there Is room for consid-
cradle development even under the present
conditions of transportation.
The surface Of this great section Of
country is level aud free from stones, de-
void of timber, with few streams, having
rich soil, temperate climate (ayerage
summer temperature "a degrees f., and
average winter temperature 81 degrees
F., and usually plentiful rainfall. also
during the spring months constantly re-
curing night dews.
The general character of the soil is the
same in all parts, varying somewhat in
fertility according to the nearness to or
remoteness from the great river Parana or
the estuary known as River Plata. The
soil is composed of loose vegetable layer
of black loan of to 36 inches in depth,
and under this layer is usually found deep
subsoil of clayey, sandy character, and,
lower still, hard clay. This last-named
stratum holds the rainfall, enabling the
ground to stand long drought without
seriously affecting the roots Of the wheat
plant.
It can be safely stated that an average
of favorable seasons may be looked for,
and that serious failure of the crop, as
in the year 1889. when. owing to damage
by rain, the export surplus only amounted
to 100, 900 quarters, is unlikely to recur,
because the wheat growing area has ex
tended to such an extent that it measures
some $50 miles from north to south, and
$50 miles east and west, with somewhat
different climates, and including districts
as far apart as London and Madrid. or
Minnesota and Louisiana.
The earliest settlers were Swiss, and
colonists of that nationality are today
among the best farmers in the country,
living well in every way and proving them
selves successful agriculturists The small
farmers throughout the country are almost
always Italians, who originally came from
Piedmont or the plains of Lombardy, very
few having either previous knowledge of
agriculture or any capital to start with,
but they are keen for money, and work
hard in their own way having quite
enough sense TO learn from experience by
slow degrees the best way to grow wheat,
although they are desperately mean in any
expenditure, and have strong inclination
always to increase their acreage aud trust
TO favorable season.
BY working fifteen or sixteen hours one
man can pillow two or two and half acres
per diem with single pillow, or fom to five
acres on broken land with double plow
and if provided with sufficient bullocks,
and urged to do so by good condition Of
the land and suitable weather, will keep
up this work for considerable time.
At very few of the 200 to 800 railway
stations where wheat is shipped are found
more than the most necessary buildings,
such as one or two general stores, baker
les and smithies and, very much to the
disappointment of the buyers of station
lots, there seems no disposition to build
country towns or create any local indus
tries, except for the making Of simple
agricultural implements. and there are no
local centers or markets
Land being very plentiful, and very
easy to work in the Argentine Republic,
family usually take up from $50 to 400 |
acres, and cultivate as much as they can.
The land is bought sometimes for cash, or
more usually to be paid for by installments
spread over four or seven years; or is
rented by yearly tenancy; but undera very
general and most convenient arrangement
landowners are almost always willing to
have their land worked by any decent
colonist ION shares, receiving from s up
to 80 per cent. of the product of every
crop according to the facilities given to the
tenant, and this system of working on
shares is by far the most usual, and seems
to be suited to the present state of the
country.
IF the tenant is poor man the land
owner may build the very simple mud
house that shelters the family and also
supply bullocks, plows, seed and supplies
until the first harvest, and the landlord
then takes 80 per cent. of the crop, but
if only the use of land is given to per
cent. OF the produce goes to the landowner
as rent; his proportion is naturally larger
on land that is in specially favorable
position. If the crop is failure the ten
ant may skip, having lost year, but the
landowner has had his land broken up, and
is content to put that advantage against
his money loss.