DROUGHT IN ARGENTINA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7371, 24 January 1902, Page 2

DROUGHT IN ARGENTINA.

At a time when so much is being said about the coming competition of the Argentine, the following may help to soothe some nervous people who may think Argentina is without its troubles and drawbacks. From the Buenos Ayres Standard, of Bth November, it appears that a large area of Argentina has suffered from as severe a drought as that which has afflicted Central Australia. Rain fell just before the date mentioned, and had saved the graziers from very serious losses. A correspondent in Entrc Rios says : — " The stock are improving slowly, but still a few die." The Standard correspondent, writing from Ceres, Santa Fe, makes the following statement : — " After eight months' drought, the rain caino in time to save the grass camps, but too late for the crops. Colonists in large numbers are packing up their belongings with the intention of seeking better luck in some other part of the republic. Their experience, after ten years' hard work, is that the land is not suited for wheat and linseed cultivation, but could be turned to good account, perhaps, for growing other agricultural products. It may be mentioned that the region in question comprises some 100 leagues of land, all split up and cultivated. The report is of a serious nature, indeed. " The, Entre Rios correspondent says that in two zones, one of 45 leagues square, and the other of 39 leagues square, the crops of wheat and linseed are totally lost ; and in a third zone, of 65 leagues square, it is almost, if not quite, so bad. One instance will suffice to show the severity of the drought :—" The mortality in stock in the Villa quay of Entrej Rios is returned at:— Cattle, 55.000; sheep, 16,000 ; horses, 7,000. For one pastido alone this is alarming, especially as Villaquay is not so heavily stocked as others of the same province. The cause was ticks and drought." The ants in some places appear to be working great destruction. At Misiones they have eaten up all growing plants, and the Government has appointed a special commission to inquire into the best way of dealing with the pest. As the wool in Argentina realises very poor prices, anything like 5d per Ib. or over being regarded as good, the pastoralists in that country are not to be envied.