It is not probable that as long as Argentina offers so many more tempting opportunities to capital any very great attention will be paid to mining; but it may be that when the outlying Provinces, which are the mining districts, become settled and interlaced with roads and railways, it will be possible to apply more economical mining methods, and the task of discovery will be easy. But unless coal and petroleum are discovered it is improbable that the mines of Argentina will be of a value in any way comparable to her agricultural and pastoral industries.
[118] In 1907-8 the world's export of wheat was as follows:--
United States 4,400,000 tons Argentina 3,540,000 " Russia 1,651,000 " Canada 1,530,000 " Balkan States 623,000 " India 533,000 "
These figures are reckoned from July 31, 1907.
[119] "All the inhabitants of the Republic, be they citizens or foreigners, between fifteen and fifty years of age are obliged to give personal help for the destruction of the locusts and the use of animals or their property fitted for the work, excepting fine animals which are destined for breeding" (Art. 7 of Locust Law of 1903).
[120] Quebracho means _break-axe_. Of the red variety Falkner says that "in redness and colour it bears so strong a resemblance to red marble, that it is a difficult matter to distinguish them."
[121] The total value of quebracho exported during the year 1905 amounted to over 7,000,000 dollars gold.
[123] "I feel it a duty which I owe to the Association shortly to state that, having ridden 6,000 miles in South America--having thrown myself on the feeble resources of the country--having been to the bottom of every mine which has been inspected--having made all the observations I was capable of making--having lived in deserts, and almost in solitude, nearly a year, with no other subject on my mind than the interests of the Association--I deliberately declare upon my honour and upon my character, that it is my humble, but decided opinion--
"1st. That the working of the mines in the provinces of Rio de la Plate, by an English Association, is politically unsafe; and--
"2nd. That if there were no such risk, the expense would far exceed the returns." (Head, "Reports," pp. 51-2.)