The San Francisco call., 1908-05-02
, HE government of Bolivia, that
inland state of South America of
which little is generally known,
is endeavoring to- promote agri-

which little is generally known,
is endeavoring to promote agri-
cultural expansion with view to
the development of the great plains
within It's borders. The government s
plan includes teaching the native tillers
of the soil the use of modern agricul-
tural implements, in the hope that 1t
will induce them to abandon the exist
ing primitive methods and lead to
greater harvests and more prosperity
for the farmers.
Special Agent Charles M. Pepper
writes from La Paz. the capital of Bo-
livia, that the government Will intro
duce some classes of American farm
tools on the .altiplanicie or central plain
where more than half the population,
about 100000 of the inhabitants. sub
sist. The average height of this plain
is 1900 feet, though there are higher
elevations which are populated.
Notwithstanding that the region lies
within the tropics, the altitude takes 1T
out of the zone of tropical agriculture.
while the products of the temperate
zone which can be grown are also Inn
tied In the valleys, which drop be-
low 5000 feet, some corn, wheat, alfalfa
and oats and vegetables and fruits are
cultivated, but on the plateau these
crops are not success. The staple
products are potatoes, barley and
quinua. The latter is the nearest ap-
proach to wheat that is obtained. 1t
grows about three feet high and bears
a small but fairly abundant grain,
something like rice in appearance.
Quinua has considerable starchy matter.
and, in addition to its use for solid
food, is the grain from which the
chicha or native alcoholic drink is dis
titled.
The government is now arranging
for the Introduction of seeds of various
kinds, and among the cereals it is sug-
gested that, while no prospect exists
of cultivating Kansas. Turkey Red, or
other staple wheats of the United
States, some variety of Siberian wheat
may be found that will be suitable for
the Bolivian plateau, which has no such
extremes of heat and cold as either
Siberia or Kansas. In furtherfng its
plans for developing new crops the
government is likely to seek the SER
vices of an expert from the United
States department of agriculture, and
such an expert should also be useful
in showing the lines to be followed in
introducing modern farm implements.
The surface of the central plateau is
rolling and broken in some places,
while in others there are long, level
stretches, or pampas. while in all parts
1t is stony. Notwithstanding that guano
is plentiful and cheap on the Pacific
coast, the high cost of transportation
of bulky products renders its use for
Bolivia impracticable, and there are in
fact no artificial fertilizers. Crops are
rotated and then the land is rested for
a period varying from three to six
years. After the period of rest, usu-
ally potatoes are the first crop planted,
and they yield abundantly. The next
year barley for the grain follows, and
in the third year barley is again plant
ed, but the grain from this planting
is small, and the chief value Of the
crop is in the straw Quinua generally
is the last crop of the rotating series.
Even without manuring. better har-