Industrial and commercial South AmericaPeck, Annie S. (Annie Smith)
History
Industrial and commercial South America
Peck, Annie S. (Annie Smith)
South America; South America -- Economic conditions -- 1918-
The =Cattle= raising industry is one of the most favorable for
immediate profit. The best quality of grass is found on the plains
of Magdalena, Bolívar, and Atlántico, where there are large areas of
planted pasture. An acre and a half supports a steer. Pará grass,
native to Brazil, is used on wet or swampy ground and guinea grass
on drier. On the eastern llanos are millions of wild cattle, with
some ranches; but the grass is generally so poor that the cattle are
sometimes brought to the Magdalena Valley to be fattened, though this
is difficult. There are 4,000,000 head in the country with 80,000
annually available for export. Modern packing houses are now being
established with important Government aid. Material and supplies for
construction are exempt from import duties; and outgo for 20 years
from export taxes. With attention to breeding and to good fodder for
fattening the production may rival that of Argentina.
In the Sinú Valley region are said to be 1,000,000-1,500,000 cattle. An
American and Colombian Company holding 75,000-100,000 acres along the
River, with a herd of 40,000 cattle, is now (1921) erecting a packing
house costing $1,750,000 on Morrisquillo Bay, 60 miles from Cartagena.
They expect soon to begin operations, slaughtering 500 head a day.
On account of proximity to the United States, the prices of Colombian
cattle could probably not be equalled here by the countries farther
south. A packing house at Cali may be desirable.
=Other Stock.= Horses. As an absolute necessity on account of the
scarcity of wagon roads, many saddle horses are raised, Andalusian
crossed with Arabian or English. Some saddle horses are imported from
Peru. Mules and donkeys are found in large numbers. Goats are numerous
in all quarters, and sheep are raised on the highlands. There is a
large exportation of hides and skins.
MINING
This is an industry of great promise, the as yet bare scratching of
the surface showing infinite possibilities for the future. Practically
every mineral of commercial value has been found, including the
rarer metals. The lack of proper transportation makes some sections
impracticable and others difficult, but important work has been carried
on in many places; opportunities lie open in many more. Gold is found
in almost all sections, both in quartz veins and in placers. There
is native silver, and some with gold and tin. Platinum ores running
from 80 to 85 per cent are found with gold and other metals. Iron is
widely distributed; also copper; often with gold, tin, and in primitive
rock formation. Manganese, lead, mercury, sulphur, zinc, antimony,
arsenic, nitre, alum, exist, but are not much worked except sulphur,
which is taken from some volcanoes. The working of the salt mines is a
government monopoly, rock salt and springs existing in large numbers.
From the Zipaquirá salt mine in Cundinamarca the Government receives a
revenue of approximately $1,000,000 a year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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