State of Amazonas at Old Republic - Brief History - part VI However until the population increases materially it is not likely that the attention of the people will be diverted from the rubber trade and the commercial interests represented by various other natural products. Of these, the castanhas, or "Brazil nuts" are among the more important; in the Amazon country they are collected on much the same plan as that followed by the rubber-gatherer. The forests are marked out by paths, or estradas, which lead past three or four hundred trees, two men generally working a path together, and collecting on an average a thousand barrels a season, though the production varies greatly from year to year. Cacao grows wild in this State and promises to be one of its most valuable industries. The various hardwoods, dyewoods, and medicinal herbs are among its valuable productions, besides which it is rich in tropical fruits. Birds, heron plumes, and orchids are found in abundance and of glorious beauty. The orchids of the Amazon region are of great attractiveness, especially the Sobrália, Stanhópea, Renanthéra and similar varieties. In a small lake on a branch of the Rio Negro, below Manaós, the Victoria Regia is found in wonderful abundance. Only small canoes can ascend the stream to the spot where the royal lily grows in all its magnificence, the first view showing a mirror-lake surface, half a mile long and nearly as wide, literally sprinkled with huge green leaves, that lie flat on the water, the lilies standing out among them, like white stars with a pinkish centre, some fifteen inches in diameter. There is practically no limit to the wealth of Amazonas, and the remarkable advancement made within the past few years is, in some respects, unparalleled in the history of States. Although the State of Amazonas lies within the equatorial region, the soil and climate are suitable for the cultivation of semi-tropical products and, in the mountainous districts, those of the temperature zone. Vast tracts of land are covered with rich pasturage, and the conditions are favorable for raising sheep, cattle, and horses. In the extreme north of the State, on the frontier of Venzuela and British Guiana, and especially in the valleys of the upper Rio Branco, thousands of square miles are covered with pasturage of the richest kind, and on the slopes of the mountains of this region excellent farm lands are located, suitable for growing wheat, corn, and other products. Under the present administration, special attention is being given to these industries, and fine stock is imported from Argentina for breeding purposes. A railway is also projected to overcome the obstacle to transportation caused by the Rio Branco falls, which impede navigation for a short distance between Manaós and the northern frontier. cont.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 21:35:29 +0000
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