The ports of the lower Parana, between Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, may be classed in three categories. The ports of the first group are built on low land that is liable to be flooded. Every year the floods threaten their traffic. That is the character of Colastine, east of Santa Fe, which specializes in shipping _quebracho_ timber, or Ibicuy, on the Parana Pavon, in the south of the province of Entre Rios, which, however, is protected by excellent works. The small ports of the _barranca_ of the southern bank, on the main river and on the Parana de las Palmas, form a second group. They ship meat (Campana and Zarate) and cereals (San Nicolas and Villa Constitucion), and they are admirably adapted for this by their natural situation. Steamers come right up to the cliff without any need of special works on the shore. The sacks of wheat are let into the ships down sloping gangways from stores excavated in the cliff or from wagons. None of these ports are equipped for receiving imports. The third group comprises ports with complete apparatus for both export and import. The chief of these is Rosario. It was the increase of imports between 1850 and 1860 that stimulated its early progress. To-day the tonnage of the goods unloaded at Rosario is nearly one-half the tonnage of the cereals shipped there. Yet, in spite of appearances, it is the imports that account mainly for the busy life of its quays. The port company does the unloading itself, as well as the handling and storing of the goods imported, but it is content to receive dues on all exports within the area for which it has a monopoly. Only a small part of the cereals exported uses its elevators. A deep-water port, equipped like that at Rosario for import and export, has just been constructed at Santa Fe. Already it competes with Colastine for the export of _quebracho_. Its import trade is still small, as such trade requires large capital and a whole network of relations with the adjoining country, and that is not the work of a day. The second section of the river stretches from Santa Fe to Corrientes, and is continued up the Paraguay. The transport of _quebracho_ timber and tannic acid is the chief item of its trade. The maximum draught of the vessels it admits at normal low water is six feet. Some of the ports on the left bank (Esquina, Goya) and all the ports on the right bank (Reconquista, Barranqueras, etc.) are at some distance from the main bed, or lateral arms. The Chaco works have generally a flotilla of steamers and barges. It is the exporters of timber and extract of _quebracho_ to Europe who most strongly demand the deepening of the bed of the Parana above Santa Fe. Sailing ships share with the river steamers the transport of the products of the Paraguay and of Corrientes (hides, tobacco and _mate_). The transport of oranges alone from San Antonio, Villeta, Pilar and Humaita represents an item of tens of thousands of tons.