The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-06

those of Palestine and Egypt They
are the same as those used in the
days OF the Scriptures
With tEis subdivision OF the ranchca.
Mexico Is bound TO become the breed
Ing grounds for our beef supply OF
the future. In tho Northern part OF
The republic are millions of acres
adapted to cattle. hit on account OF
The long dry season, the feed Is not
sufficient throughout the year to fatten
the beasts for the market The pren-
ent plan is to breed the stock here.
and then drive them across the bound
airy Tor fattening.
Mexico Is good breeding ground
The losses of calves are small, and al
ready many yearlings and two-year-
olds are sent TO the United States to
be fattencd. The ordinary Mexican
cattle are understood. and when full
grown. seldom weigh more than 1.2OD
pounds This standard can be in
creased by crossing the stocks with
our larger animals
The country Is excellent for sheep
ana goats. and 1t has millions of them
The Mexicans are fond OF goat meat.
and there are some ranches which
XII as many as 10000 goats In a year,
500 or 800 being killed in one night.
One OF our agricultural experts has
SAID that Mexico has cotton areas al
most equal to those of the United
States. This question. | nave Just
had talk with an American who is
Interested in a big plantation near
Torreon, In the central part OF the
plateau. He says that the irrigated
lands of the Naza River, in the region
known as the Laguna district, have
the only soil that will produce cotton
In comparison with our cotton belt.
There are patches of country around
\. .hp nf "a.
the plants will grow. and there ara
some south OF the Rio Grande, near
Brownsville. ana also about Tampico
and along the Pacific coast. But as AZ
Is now, 90 per cent of all the cotton
grown comes from the Laguna district,
and tho most Of this Is from the plan
tation l have referred to.
Trying to Squeeze the Americans.
The big plantation OF the Lasuns
district is owned by an American
syndicate, whose president Is Mr..
James Brown Potter. 1t is said to be
the largest cotton plantation of ths
world under one ownership. It's lands
cover more than 200 square miles,
and when in full bearing the estate
has more than 100000 acres of cotton.
Just now the revolution and the dis
putes as to the water rights have az
fected the cultivation of this property,
but nevertheless the amount OF land
under crop is enormous.
The estate covers tho site Of what
sixty years ago was the second largest
lake OF Mexico. This lake was fed by
the Naza River, which is subject to
torrential flows. During one of these
flows the river changed It's course
and left this lake basin dry. The
American company redeemed the land.
and made hundreds of miles OF canals
TO irrigate 1t. 1t has spent more than
s5,000,00O in its development and
has made the property worth alto
gother something ligc n value OF $751;
100000 or 100000. 1t has divided
the land into great farms, has con.
structed forty miles OF railroads, has
built 200 miles OF automobile roads,
and established a town for its labor
ers. 1t was raising cotton by the
thousands of bales. and tho plantation
had something like n potential output
OF $4,000 to 100000 bales, when a
scheme was conceived by some influen-
tial MeXicans to dam the Naza River
and divert much OF the water which
was going to this plantation. This.
the Americans claim, Is violation OF
their concession, and they have brought
the matter before the government OF
Mexico, and have also appealed from
the decisions of the Mexican courts
to the United States. The matter will
probably be submitted to the tribunal
at The Hague. where 1t is likely that
the American claims will be sustained,
Copyright, 1918. by Frank q.
Carpenter.) ,t6