AGRICULTUP.E. The agricultural activities of Chile are almost wholly confined to the great central valley. This is the region of large estates equipped with modern machinery and owned by the wealthy classes, who are so potent in the political life of the republic. Furthermore, a large part of the best agricultural land is held by the Roman Catholic Church, whose political and material power is relatively greater in Chile than in any other of the Spanish-Ameriean States. It is estimated that about 50 per cent. of the population is engaged in agricultural pur suits. A large proportion of the natives are en gaged as farm laborers on the extensive estates. The high price of lands prevailing in the central valley (based more on the mineral deposits they are supposed to contain than on their fertility) makes purchase difficult for the lowerelasses. The unoecupied land in the less favorable part of the country usually requires a considerable outlay of labor and capital before it yields crops; even then its fertility is not always sufficient to repay the farmer. Another obstacle to the development of the farming resources of the country is the `nitrate boom.' Owing to the rapid development of nitrate-mining and the scarcity of labor in Chile, wages inereased in a considerable degree, and many families from the agricultural distriets of the south were indueed to move to the mining districts of the north, thereby greatly raising the price of agricultural labor. The most important crops are wheat., maize, and barley. Apples and pears are the leading. fruits. :Most of the bread
stuff, of California were formerly supplied by Chile, NS hich also exported great quantities of cereals to Europe: but owing to the development of grain-raising in the Pacific Coast region of the United States and the increasing competition of Argentina. grain exports have largely declined. The average crop of cereals is about 15,000000 hectoliters, of which two-thirds is usually wheat. Next to cereals. the vine is the most important agricultural industry, about 250,000 acres, for the most part in the provinces of Concepcion and Colehagua, being given to grape-raising. About 1,000,000 hectoliters of wine are annually pro duced. It is the preferred beverage in the prov inces, where the industry is important, and con siderable quantities are exported to other La tin American States. :Many other farm crops and fruits of the temperate zones thrive in the cen tral valley. Industrial plants such as flax, hemp, and tobacco are as vet cultivated only with a iew to supplying the local needs. The climate is very favorable for domestic animals. The horse of Chile is valued as highly as that of Argentina. Cattle-raising has made rapid prcl.,• ress since a heavy tax was ]laced upon imports front Argentina in 1896. Gx-teams are every where employed on the farms: the cows are in ferior as milkers. Sheep thrive in the central valley and their number is steadily increasing. Goats arc very numerous in the mountainous regions.