New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-05

We're vast region Of emptiness. grazed IT Is
true. by the troops Of wild horses and by a few
deer, though the climate and food were so
adapted to the horses that in forty-three years
they had spread from La Plata to the Straits Of
Magellan. and We're there in use by the Indians
The number Of horses and the profuslon OF
food are the destruction OF all industries" Mr.
Darw in wrote. Since then what struck him as
abundance has increased to a degree which
words are inadequate to describe A population
OF $1,000 British settlers recently owned SO 00O-
UU sheep. besides cattle and horses The whole
census OF sheep Is over one hundred million; u
cattle forty million
1t was estimated last spring that in the State
Of Washington, Of the Territories in the cx-
IRENE northwest Of the United States, wheiG
Wild game Is still almost as numerous as in the
old days, there were over one hundred thousand
wild deer. with about thirty thousand elk" or
wapiti This rough census Of the two most
numerous species Of big game in a favOrte
region and suitable climate is simply insgnih-
cant in comparison with the head Of half-wild
domesticated species now at large on the pam
pas Of the Southern steppe. making due allow
ance for the difference in area That OF Wash
ingtOn State is 5000 square miles, OF about
one-twelfth of the Argentine plains. emitting
the Indian Territories. Setting the elk" II
Washington against the cattle Of the pampas
and comparing the sheep Of the latter with the
deer-that is. mule-deer and black-taed deer
the common species Of the Northwestern States
the number Of sheep on an acreage as large as
the State OF Washington is more than eight
millions. In other words II the natural head u
wild game maintained by the State u Washing
ton were prDportoned to the number Of one
dOmesticatcd species grazing on the panpas the
State would support not one hundred thousand
deer. but eight millions Of deer.
MILLIONS OF CATTLE. SHEEP AND HORSES
Formerly the gray and misty levels Of these
plains showed in winter but little life except the
scattered herds II wild horses. and the ylscachas
sitting by their burrows. Now on these chosen
pastures the hordes Of cattle backen the plains.
The millions Of sheep, herded by dogs which
have become almost part Of the locks out
number the ancient tricks" Of the springbok u
South Africa. Instead OF the vast and 1ppres-
sive silence Of The plains the lowing Of herds
ind the beating Of hOcks I'll the air with sound.
And yet We are said % be only at the beginning
Of this great artificial revival Of animal life.
That modification Of the heritage which Darwin
noted produced by cattle in the more popu-
lous and anciently settled territories has spread
over millions Of acres on these the tall. rough
grass. 80 high that cattle could not be seen in
it except the gauchOs stood on their horses az
lookout posts 10 gain view, has given way TO
turf close, compast. and Of treble the nutrtiYe
powers of the unimproyed grasses.
As the cattle and sheep increased almost be-
yond the possibility Of consumption as food.
while the former were killed for their hides and
the latter for their tallOw the very birds be-
came damoralized and carnivorous. like the beef.
eating human population. The whole region %
the psmpas now swarms with those carnivOrOus
haW Ks and yultures which Darwin noted one
among the significant features OF he plains.
The greater part Of these millions Of sheep and
catti- are slaughtered in the country. and leave
laIg part II their carcaSSes as Offdi round the
estancias and slaughterhOuses, for only trimmed
Carcasses or tn essence Of beef in such forms
a. Boyrll or Liebig are shipped across the sea.
The yultureS eagles. buZZards, and caracara
hawks gorge themselves daily on this waste
flesh. and like the owls in the vote plague. be-
com" pr0disiOusly prolific from high feeding.
and almost without fear Of man, whose lcav-
ings they consume. Pumas and jaguars Kill the
sheep and colts; and a race Of fera cats has
arisen which kills the game and wild fowl which
the hawks. fed t. repeton on beef and mutton.
leave unmol--ted.
Except in the occasional great dr0uths this
South American steppe is the most prolific in
animal lie Of any region Of the earth It's pro-
duction already runs 10 waste: yet its limits OF
production are scarcely within sight. When its
turn comes 10 attract a human population at all
in proportion 10 its capacity for feeding nations,
il seems marked by Nature the home OF the
most populOus. and possibly the most prosper
Gus. nation OF the New World or the Old.