The new era., 1910-08-04

that 1t has not Deen more Iuily EeCoSulAeu.
The broad plains of Mexico and Central
America, of Venezuela and Colombia. the Anna
son region Of Brazil. Bolivis Peru and Ecua-
dor rival, II they do not excel the famed pam
/ oas Of Argentine and Uruguay as cheap meat
producing districts.
In the country of the oronoco alone. vene-
guela 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 its superior a cattle country IN
no part OF the world, II indeed 1t has anywhere
Ats 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 tho
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 OF from water. which has done 10
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 Jalisco Michoacan, Guerrero.
southern Oaxaca and Topic are similar In
character to the northern ranges but not 30
we'll watered. and the grass 10 scantier.
On the gulf side there are entirely differ
ent conditions. On the slope Of the eastern
Cordilleras in the states of San Luis Potosi.
Tamaulipas and northern Vera Cruz is the re-
,sion known ts the Huasteca Potosina, tho
country of the Tamesi, Panuco Temporal and
Il 0amasunchale rivers. This is an almost ideal
EAss country. It Is succession OF valleys
H. carated by grass-covered terraces or hills
Increasing in height from the low plains near
Ahe coast to the borders OF the central plateau
5000 feet This slope receives the moist
breezes from the Gulf Of Mexico In the form
of rain during the summer months and dew
Nm 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 than
a1o gold head. On the northern and west
ern ranges lean cattle cost to produce from
~ to IS a head and can be fattened for mar
ket to cost in all about SO head
The latest Mexican statistics show about
6.250O00 beef cattle in the whole country, of
an estimated value Of about 50 gold per head.
Chihuahua and Vera Cruz lead with about
100000 head for each state. AS compared
with Argentine with its s0,O0O.000 beef cattle
It 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 own
needs, yet 1t could, on natural pasture alone.
carry twice the number of cattle now grazing
In Argentina, and could easily supply to the
European markets from it's surplus an amount
of meat twice what the United States has
even been able to supply from its surplus.
South of Mexico in Central America and
In parts OF Mexico not above mentioned there
IL yet another cattle country, where the eli
mate is more tropical On the Pacific side the
area suitable for cattle IL limited. It is smi-
lar to the Pacific slope Of Mexico, but the
country is more thickly settled. larger pro-
portion Of the land Is devoted to agriculture.
4