East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-05-28
WHEAT RAISING IN THE
UPANDS OF BRAZIL

Consul General George E. Anderson
of Rio de Janeiro, states that in view
of the one time great trade in Ameri-
can flour in Brazil, and as bearing
upon the continuation of that trade
for which many American exporters
are now working, in connection with
the preferential tariff reduction Bra
I'll offers on American flour, the re-
ported results of recent official and
private experiments in wheat grow
ing in the state of Rio Grande do
Sui are of unusual interest. He re-
views the outlook as follows:
The state of Rio Grande do Sui, the
southernmost state of the Brazilian
republic and the one therefore with
the coolest climate, has long, been
pointed to by Brazilian statesmen as
possible granary for Brazil. 1t has
been thought that modern and scien-
tific culture of wheat in the state
would do much toward removing
Brazil from its presnt necessity of i'm
porting all its bread stuffs, and there
has been a strong movement from
time to time toward fixing a higher
duty upon foreign wheat for the pro-
lection of the Brazilian product.
In line with these ideas and in re-
sponse to the demand of capital for
actual practical information as to the
possibilities of wheat growing in Bra
zil, an organization was formed In
Rio Grande do Sui and a wheatgrow-
ing expert from Germany brought
over to conduct the experiments
This expert has been at work for
the past two seasons, and In the course
of his work has gone over the pos
sble wheat bearing area of the state
quite thoroughly. At first he exam
ined the country along the railway
from the city of Rio Grande do Sui
to Bage, distance of about $50
miles.
The country in the vicinity of Porto
Novo and Pelotas, cities of consider
able importance, and district of
which much was expected, was found
to be entirely unsuited to wheat grow
ing. Further in the interior better
results were had, and the country
about the rivers Candiota, Jaguarao,
Jaguarao-chico, and the Negro was
found to be capable of producing
rather fair grain.
Government Experiments.
In the course of the work expert
ments were conducted as far north
as Cruz Alta and as far south as Jag
uarao and to the west as far as Uru-
guayana. The territory which the in
vestigtor found most suitable to wheat
growing was that of Uruguayana and
Quarahy, a comparatively small area
in the extreme western portion of the
state in a wedge-shaped district ex-
tending between Paraguay and Uru-
quay. Similar land suitable for the
grain was also found extending along
the southern border of the state from
Uruguarana to d. Pedrito, but the en-
tire area was limited.
Along the southern border of the
state in the district mentioned the
state purchased a number of sites
for extensive experiments, the work
being handicapped by the extremely
high price placed upon the land by
Pits proprietors as soon as the posi-.
bility of wheat. raising became known
On the state land seven varieties
of wheat were tried, those common
to northern Europe, two varieties
common in Italy. a new variety OF
italian wheat, and the variety o.
wheat heretofore raised for variou.
purposes in the state. AS a result OF
the first years work 1t was showr
that the varieties of wheat common
to northern Europe were not suited
to growth In Brazil. The two Italian
varieties, Barletta and Rieti both ac,
climated to Argentine, gave fair re-
suits. The native wheat also mad,
good returns and new variety o.
italian wheat, the Fucense. gave in,
dications that 1t would probably b,
easily acclimated.