=Tucumán=, east of Catamarca, south of Salta, with Santiago east and south, is the smallest of the Provinces, but more varied in character than most. It has snow-capped mountains, and well watered valleys and plains, some quite tropical; with agriculture, or with dense forests of quebracho, oak, pine, etc. There is activity in sugar refining and tanning, with steam saw mills, and with cereals and fruit. Tucumán, the capital, is a large city, especially important, as the center of the sugar industry, and with many varied interests. =Santiago del Estero=, more than seven times the size of Tucumán, is south of Salta and the Chaco, with Chaco and Santa Fé east, Córdoba south, and Catamarca and Tucumán west. Mostly in the lowlands, it is in places covered with forest; in other parts is a salt, clayey, partial desert which is now being crossed by railways. Here woodmen cut out quebracho trees, though in this section it does not rain for 11 months in the year, nor can wells, they say, be dug to get water unless they are over 3000 feet deep, as water obtained higher is salt. The summer temperature by day runs nearly to 120° F., while in winter it falls to 50°, with cool nights always. Water difficulties are obviously great, worse than formerly at Iquique. To cross these partly forested deserts by rail is a 40-hour journey. Between the two rivers, the Salado and Dulce, both used for irrigation, the soil is fertile, producing sugar cane, vines, wheat, alfalfa, for which the soil is favorable, coffee, and tobacco. Some quarrying of marble and gypsum goes on; but timber is the main industry. The capital is a small town of the same name on the Rio Dulce. =La Rioja= is a long, irregularly shaped Province south of Catamarca, with that and Córdoba east, San Luis and San Juan south, the latter running nearly all the way up on the west, leaving a small space of Rioja bordering on Chile. Among high mountains at the west are fertile irrigated valleys with varied agriculture; there are forests with quebracho, _carob_, and acacia; but much of the eastern part is low, sandy, and barren. Great mineral wealth of many varieties exists, but silver and copper are chiefly exploited. La Rioja, the capital, is the centre of a rich fruit growing district, with some mining. =San Juan=, with an extended border on Chile, has Rioja north and east, San Luis and Mendoza on the south, on the west are lofty mountains and well watered valleys; in the east barren sand hills and marshes. Wine making is the most important industry; varied minerals give promise for the future. The Province has been called rather slow, but it is now said to be waking up; irrigation is beginning and other improvements will follow.