The Yale expositor., 1911-10-05
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schedule time Of so hours between Panama and
David, and extension of the to Punta
Arenas, Costa RIGA.
1t is needless to say that after the opening OF
the Panama canal the facilities of Chriquan prod
ucts for water transportation will be greatly in
creased
There is but one point upon the Pacific littoral
of Panama at which vessels can approach the
shore at low tide This is sea hole about eight
miles from Divala. It is sheltered by the pro-
montory of Punta Burica and thus lies In a nat
ural harbor. port could easily be established
at Chorca Azul, blue POOL the hole in
question is called, and 1t would become the out
let for the exports of the Divala country and
point at which steamers could call without any
unusual delay.
railroad has been surveyed from Panama to
David and will! without doubt be constructed in
the future 1t is probable that this line will
ultimately be extended to Bocas del Toro on the
Atlantic coast.
Stock raising is the principal industry of Chi
riqui, and there in the province more cattle
than in all the rest of the republics territory.
There cannot be more than $4,000 head, all told,
in Panama. Six or eight large ranches Will ac-
count for nearly half the number the remainder
being scattered In small ownership.
The domestic supply OF beef falls far short Of
the demand. Large quantities shipped from
the United States to the canal commission, the
markets of Colon and Panama, well to the
depot of the United Fruit company at Bocas del
tract with ranch owners of Chiriqui for 200 head
a month. About two years ago representative
OF packing company went through the province
with view to determining whether it would be
feasible to establish a packing house there to
supply the canned-beef trade of the west coast OF
South America. He soon determined that the
available cattle would not keep a small Sactory
running constantly.
Nevertheless, there Is land in the republic that
would sustain 100000 head of cattle. There is
no better country for economical cattle raising.
One acre Of its potrero will fatten steer where
as three acres OF our western grazing land is re-
quired to support one. But the soil of Panama
has not yet been touched by pillow and although
cattle raising is the most advanced of the
try's industries, the scope for Improvement in the
methods of conducting 1t is extremely great
The anos the public Commons" upon
which any man is free to range his stock. Prob
ably 10000 head, in herds seldom exceeding Is,
pastured these plains through the rainy
months. during which the heritage is ample to
keep the animals in good condition, though not
sufficient to fatten them
The llanos open grazing lands are not sale
able, alienable in any manner. There would
be inducement to purchase llano, except in the
of a large cattle owner who might design to
range cattle In connection with potrero fatten-
ing, after the present method of our western
try. Such would require large extent OF
commons" for his purposes. The only land
worth having that is purchasabe from the govern
ment Is that covered with monte" The reason
for this is that wherever there is sufficient mois-
ture to make the land cultivabIe such heavy
growth will be found. The Ilano occurs where
the interval between streams is unusually great
and the land depends entirely upon rainfall for
its moisture. In that case 1t will support none but
the scantiest vegetation In the dry season. Crops
could be raised such ground satisfactorily only
through the agency of irrigation