Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-07-28

The broad plains of Mexico and Central
America, OF Venezuela and Colombia, the ANA
ron region Of Brazil. Bolivia, Peru and Ecua-
dor rival. If they do not excel the famed PAM
pas Of Argentine and Uruguay as cheap meat
producing districts.
In the country of the Oronoco alone, Vene-
zueIa and eastern Colombia, there Is an area
of territory more than equal to France, Ger
many the Netherlands. Belgium and Denmark,
or ten times the size Of the state Of New York,
which has It's superior a cattle country In
no part of the world, II indeed 1t has anywhere
It's equal.
Mexico offers many advantages to the stock
raiser The conditions there are those with
which stockmen from the United States are
more or less familiar, which last fact, In part,
accounts for the large investments OF Ameri-
can capital made In this industry within the
last few years in Mexico. Cattlemen own the
land in large tracts Of from 100000 to 100000
acres acquired from the government by grant
and at very low figure. This prevents the
shutting off from water, which has done so
much to destroy the range industry in the
United States The winters are mild and there
is no danger of loss from blzzards-in fact,
the grazing is good all the year round.
The character of the ranges on the Pacific
coast side in Jasco, Mchoacan, Guerrero,
southern Oaxaca and Topic are similar in
character to the northern ranges but not so
well watered, and the grass Is scantier
On the gulf side there are entirely differ
Ont conditions. On the slope OF the eastern
Cordileras In the states Of San Luis Potos1'
Tamaulipas and northern Vera Cruz is the re-
sion known is the Huasteca Potosina the
country of the Tamesi, Panuco, Temporal and
sramasunchale rivers. This is an almost ideal
grass country. 1t Is a succession Of valleys
rod
increasing in height from the low plains near
the coast to the borders Of the central plateau
400 feet This slope receives the moist
breezes from the Gulf of Mexico in the form
of rain during the summer months and dew
I'm winter, and is always free from frost'
drought and excessive heat The natural pas
turage of this country is as fine as any In the
world. except on the Oronoco and In the up
per Amazon country. Cattle in good condition
can be sent to market at a cost OF less tnan
SO gold a head. On the northern and west
ern ranges lean cattle cost to produce from
50 to SIS a head and can be fattened for mar
ket to cost in all about $40 head.
The latest Mexican statistics show about
5.25O. 900 beef cattle In the whole country, OF
an estimated value Of about So gold per head
chihuahua and Vera Cruz lead with about
100000 head for each state. AS compared
with Argentina with its 30OOOOOO beef cattle
IL can be seen that Mexico is but at the begin
ming Of the industry; in fact, as present the
country produces but little meat above its owl
needs, yet it could. on natural pasture alone
carry twice the number of cattle now grazing
I'm Argentina, and could easily supply to thu
European markets from its surplus an amour
of meat twice what the United States ha
even been able to supply from its surplus.
South of Mexico in Central America an
In parts of Mexico not above mentioned Their
is yet another cattle country, where the cl
mate is more tropical. On the Pacific side tn
area suitable for cattle is limited. 1t Is sim
lar to the Pacific slope of Mexico. but tn
country is more thickly settled, larger prt
portion of the land is devoted to agriculture