Guatemala, the country of the futurePepper, Charles M. (Charles Melville)
History
Guatemala, the country of the future
Pepper, Charles M. (Charles Melville)
Guatemala
Dairy farming especially in the vicinity of the cities yields large
dividends. The cattle are largely three-quarters or half-bred natives
and Holsteins and Durhams. The pure native cows give much richer milk
than the imported stock, but they yield a very small quantity. The milk
of the thoroughbred imported cows is thin, owing probably to the
unsuitable nature of the fodder, and thus the half-bred cows are the
most profitable.
The highlands of the interior afford very fair grazing for cattle
throughout the year. The climate is mild and equable and the stock can
remain in the pastures from January till December, while no losses are
suffered from severe weather in winter. Most of the country is well
watered. The native mules are superior to the horses for long journeys
or heavy loads and as a rule they command higher prices. Pigs are raised
with little difficulty and fetch a high price, since pork is one of the
favorite foods on many of the plantations and in the villages inhabited
by Indians. The hogs are allowed to run loose and feed on nourishing
roots, acorns and maize. The sheep industry is capable of development at
the hands of experienced sheep-raisers. There are many flocks and the
quality of both the mutton and the wool is capable of improvement.
MINES AND MINING.
The mineral riches of Guatemala, while not unknown, may be said to be
unexploited. Owing to the varied geological formations the belief both
of geologists and of practical miners is that they offer a promising
field for development. The minerals include quartz and gold, silver and
galenas, copper, coal and lignite, manganese, asbestos, graphite,
kaolin, opals, slate, alum, marble, silver, mica, iron, sulphur, lead.
The mining archives of colonial days show that between the years 1627
and 1820 more than 1,300 mines of gold, silver, lead, copper, tin, iron,
and one of quicksilver, were discovered and worked, and were a source of
great revenue both to the Church and the State. History records that
during the earliest Spanish occupancy of that country enormous
quantities of gold and silver were taken from those mines. At one time
more than one hundred and fifty very rich mines were worked there. From
one group the mint of Guatemala coined silver to the amount of
$43,000,000, besides what was shipped directly to Europe.
[Illustration: BRIDGE OVER MOTAGUA RIVER.]
In an official report made by the Director of the chemical laboratory to
the Minister of Finance these statements are made, based on samples that
had been submitted for analysis and which were obtained for the most
part in the eastern region of the country.
"Zinc, copper, lead, and silver predominate in these regions,
being generally found in argentiferous blends and galenas, and
sometimes both metals in conjunction with carbonates of copper. The
proportion of the lead varies from 20 to 25% in the galenas and the
blends contain from 15 to 40% of zinc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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