THE PAMPA CENTRAL: The fifteenth province?—Wheat, linseed and maize—Rapid development—Shifting sand-hills—Three great railways—Wool and hides—The latent landlord in excelsis—Need of a real colonization policy; _settlers_ wanted 182 NEUQUEN: Chilean colonies and trade—Wheat, alfalfa and vegetables—“Tronador”; Scandinavian scenery—Lake Nahuel Huapí and Victoria Island—Hot and medicinal springs—Future wealth—Vast irrigation—Rich, virgin soil—Deep-water ports 185 RIO NEGRO: Fertile soil, but no rainfall—Irrigation and the _Lago Pellegrini_—Regulation of the flow of the river—Former disastrous floods—A climatic transformation—New railway lines—San Blas—Copper, salt, and petroleum—Furious winds—A scheme which failed 188 CHUBUT: Petroleum—The Welsh colony—“Foreigners” not admitted—Lazy descendants of active forefathers—Sparse population—Wool and alfalfa—A new railway 193 SANTA CRUZ: English climate, orchards and gardens; far from the madding crowd—Sheep—Wind!—Cold storage—Wheat, oats and alfalfa; apples and pears 196 TIERRA DEL FUEGO: No volcanoes in “Fire Land”—A cure for anarchy—Hardy sheep—Seal and whale fishing—Potatoes and table vegetables—The Silesian mission—Mr. Bridges’ refuge—The new gaol—Gold prospecting—“De Gustibus!” 197 MISIONES: The “Imperio Jesuitico”—Practical religion—Fairyland—The Iguazú Falls—Timber—Mate—Maize, sugar and fruit—Granite—Neglected industries—Need of suitable labour—Indians then and now—A projected railway to the junction of three republics 200 FORMOSA: _Not_ the most beautiful—No man’s land—A projected railway—Quebracho—Alfalfa and maize—Again the _Latifundío_ question—A fiscal land scandal—Landlords and squatters—Smuggling—Tobacco and sugar—Timber—Pleasant memories of the River Plate 205 URUGUAY: General physical and climatic characteristics—Flora—The Uruguayan Rio Negro the dividing line of general physical features—Fruit and vegetables—Flour—Soil—Minerals and the Mining Laws 212 THE CHACO and LOS ANDES: Timber and Minerals 214 CHAPTER XI AGRICULTURE