PLATA, RIO DE LA. This noble South American river has one of the broadest (estu aries in theworld. Through this estuary the commercial produce of about one-fourth of South America is brought to the market of the world. It is therefore a great advantage to the countries from which the (estuary of the Plata receives its waters, that the rivers which flow into it offer less obstruction to navigation than is usual in large streams. These rivers are many of them large; the chief are the Parana, Uruguay, Paraguay, Pilcomayo, Ver mejo, Lavayen, Tarija, and Salado.
The same name of La Plata is giv.en to a republic which covers an immense area, and the commerce of which finds an outlet at Bu enos Ayres on the south shore of the estuary. In respect to agricultural produce the republic may be divided into two regions, which are separated from each other by the Gran Salina. On the north of it they partake of the inter tropical productions : mandioc, rice, Indian corn, and the cocoa plant are cultivated in most of the lower valleys ; while in the more elevated tracts, tobacco and cotton succeed well, and are cultivated on a large scale. South of the Gran Salina the agriculture resembles that of southern Europe, except that no rice is raised ; wheat and Indian corn are the principal crops, but barley and lucerne are also extensively grown, especially near Men doza. The principal exchangeable wealth of the republic is derived from the herds of cat tle. The number of heads is above 4,000,000, of which the province of Buenos Ayres alone is said to possess 3,000,000 ; they wander about in the pampas nearly in a wild state. The largest items in the list of exports con sist of hides, hair, horns, tallow, and jerked beef.
Gold and silver occur in the Andes, and also in the Sierra do Cordova. Iron and lead are met with in small quantities. There is little
coal ; but salt is most abundant.
The most important branch of manufactures is that of ponchos, or oblong square pieces of woollen cloth, with a hole iu the middle, to pass the bead through ; they are used by the gauchos and other people as cloaks ; the finest are made of vicuna skins, in the town of Santiago del Estero. Some woollen fabrics for men and women's dresses are also made, as well as saddlecloths. In some parts some coarse cotton-cloth was formerly made by the country-people for their own use, but this branch of domestic industry has been nearly abandoned since the introduction of British manufacture.
The internal commerce of the states is con siderable, as most of them have some products which are either not at all or only to a small amount raised in the neighbouring states. The external commerce under.Spain was very small; but it has greatly increased within the last few years. Trade is now carried on with all the principal countries of Europe, and with various parts of America. The value of the British and Irish produce and merchan dise exported to the Argentine States, between 1836 and 1846, varied from 590,000/. to 990,0001. annually ; and in 1849 it amounted to no less than 1,362,904k The imports from the republic to Great Britain in the same year amounted to 1,392,445/.
The exports of the principal articles of produce from January to the end of November, 1850, were as follows, in 402 vessels of 88,762 tons :—Hides, ox and cow, salted, 687,367; ditto, dry, 1,514,965 ; ditto horse, dry, 47,194 ; ditto, salted, 127,619 ; Horns, ox and cow, 1,717,632; Tallow, 11,966 pipes, 24,738 boxes, and 80 serons ; Wool, 16,414 bales, 3,262 serons, and 180 arrobas ; Beef, jerked, 339,654 quintals.