Buenos Ayres and the Provinces of the Rio de La Plata: Their Present State, Trade, and DebtParish, Woodbine, Sir
History
Buenos Ayres and the Provinces of the Rio de La Plata: Their Present State, Trade, and Debt
Parish, Woodbine, Sir
Argentina -- Description and travel; Argentina -- History
From the same part of the Republic, as well as from several of the
Upper Provinces, any quantity of indigo may be obtained, of an
excellent quality. M. Bonpland, the celebrated naturalist, who has
spent so many years in those parts, took the trouble years ago to draw
attention to the peculiarity of the indigo found in the province of
Corrientes. Speaking of those parts called the Missions, he says, "The
whole of this country exceeds description; at every step one meets with
things both new and useful in natural history. I have already collected
2000 plants, a large quantity of seeds, &c.
"Amongst the number of interesting plants to which my attention has
been called, I am of opinion that this country may hereafter derive
great advantages from the three new species of indigo which I have
found in these fertile regions. They are very different from the plant
from which the indigo is obtained in Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil,
and India; and I flatter myself that the South Americans will avail
themselves of this discovery, and cultivate a plant which has hitherto
been disregarded under the common name of _yuyo_. The superior quality
of indigo that may be obtained from this newly-discovered plant, and
the facility of its conveyance down to a port of shipment, render it an
object of great importance to a country that has only a few exports,
and its cultivation, if encouraged by the government, and undertaken
by capitalists, will in a few years furnish an interesting and staple
commodity for trade."
This account of the Corrientes indigo was copied from the Buenos Ayrean
papers into the Annual Register for 1822, together with the following
remarks on some other of the natural resources of the provinces of La
Plata, which seem well deserving the notice of those interested in
the trade with that part of the world:--"there are many other natural
resources of the country to which the attention of the government of
Buenos Ayres ought to be called. The _seda silvestre_, a sort of wild
silk left in the woods by a certain caterpillar, is found abundantly on
the banks of the Paranã, and would constitute a valuable export. Very
good cochineal may be gathered in Tucuman, besides a great quantity of
bees'-wax.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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