The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-16
PERU TREASURE CHEST
OF SOUTH AMERICA
ountry's Agricultural Resources, However, Varied and
Extensively Cultivated-Exports in Trade With
United States Sc, 2O0,O 900 in Excess of Imports.

49,
south America.
~, country hss a territorial extern
son Of upward Of 100000 square miles.
c.,,ao. the chief port. by the ocean
,.r,. through the Panama Canal In
r,,hiu zoo miles AZ near to New York
a. ,s Mexico city by rail. The Amazon
oort Of Iquitos. 2.loo miles from Para,
4, reached In shorter time by steamers
s,om New York than by the overland
nurney from Lima, the capital.
The country, which has about g.
Ana ooo inhabitants. IL divided into
,h,.s distinct zones. with as many
,~arietles Of climate, products and soil.
These are the coast zone, the sierra
ar mountain zone, which includes the
,-.at tablelands and valleys Of the
Andes: and the montana n forest
AXIOM which stretches from the east
am slopes OF the Andes 20 the vast
river basin of the interior.
peru's resources are both agricul-
mal and mineral. The principal agri-
cultural export products are rubber,
eo,ton, cane sugar and alpaca wool.
Cotton grown in northern Peru. be-
cause Of It's high quality, is variously
known a. wool cotton and silk cotton.
Cotton grown In the southern section
Of the country is also exported, but
much Of II n used IN the domestic
cotton mills. The value Of the cotton
crop OF the country Is seldom less than
100000.
Alpaca wsel Experts.
Alpaca wool Is exported in quar- IL
ties Of 1000 IONS and upward an
nually. Sugar is produced along the
coast. There are 100000 acres OF cane
cultivation. The average annual prod
net is ciose to 10000 tons, and the
value Of the sugar production IL placed
Of 10000. 900.
Coca, the medicinal plant or shrub
which is the basis Of cocaine. is usually
classed as an agricultural product. 1t
Is grown In the interior. where the
leaves are gathered from the wild
trees. The value OF the coca crop Is
placed at 100000 annually.
Coffee. rice and tobacco are raised
FOR domestic consumption. Tropical
fruits are grown in abundance. and
among these are olives. which enter
into the export trade. Considerable
Quantities Of grapes also are grown in
the vineyards Of the south. The wine
and spirit product exceeds 5000, 000
gallons each year.
Peru's mineral products, the coun-
Iy's chief source OF purchasing
power. include silver, gold. copper,
coal. petroleum, mercury. vanadium
and tungsten.
Copper. which is usually found in
ccmolnation with silver. is the mos.
valuable mineral product under ex-
ploitation. The annual output Is from
.s'Voo to $4,000 tons. Some Of the
copper is exported in the form OF
matte and ore. but the bulk OF 1t Is
srnelted before expectation and Ia
shipped in the form Of bars.
Rich Copper District.
The Cerro de Pasco district, lse
miles from the seacoast. is one Of the
most important copper mining dis
tficts OF the world. The city Of Cerro
de Pasco IL 14,200 feet above sea
level. The mines are owned and
operated by an American company.
Which Is understood to have spent be-
tween $4,000, 900 and t?5. 0O0. 900 in
acquiring the properties and develop
ing them. The company owns and
operates its wi railway, and II has
Ms " coal mine and extensive
melferc ThAGA ma 4VArl H., 4.
complete hydro-electric plant. which
was installed at an expense Of
5000. 900.
The M~orococha district, which IL
contiguous q the Cerro de Pasco
zone Is also a very productive region.
Inc company owning these mines has
= large smelter with hydro.electric
installation at Casapalca. OH the rail
way line, ninety-ive miles from
Callao.
Peru's coal deposits are both
luminous and anthracite. There are
extensive anthracite fields In the
1orth. The bituminous fields are
",despread. The annual output OF
Goa! is 100000 tons. This coal is used
N tne smelters and for Industrial and
somest!c purposes.
Inc country produces the oil which
useo on the Peruvian railways. The
y" ID also exported, some to Chile for
laei IN the nitrate works, some to
tahiornia for the extraction of ben
.ne and gasolene and some TO Japan
for fuel.
oace Leading silver Producer.
Silver is obtained in widely sepa.
's'ed zones of he Andes, and much
VI 'he ore is in combination with
Upper and other minerals. While
.e'u IN the early days produced
,aormous Quantities of silver, the best
ano"n mines have not been worked
Systematically in recent years he
.ause the richest veins were ex-
.aue'ed. New discoveries, however,
~. y. MADE from time to time, and with
"e extension OF railway facilities
,uu may be expected again TO take
r place among the leading silver
rouucihg countries. The present an.
5000 900.
uo.d Is found in veins and in al.
uVial deposits, but the industry In not
as.vely exploited. Such product as II
"u'a'ned is from the gold bearing
mavels and sand on the eastern
"s'e'shn Of Lake Titicaca. Severa
nn"eriean companies have exploited
'e helds with success so far Al
nn. pe ascertained the present out
~ OF gold does not amount to NOR
"Sh 100000 annually.
auano' though It is not to be con.
NV as a mineral product. In for
years was a natural Of
rear value to Peru. The guan