PERKINS' REPORT ON THE COLONIES.

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The gross returns of produce sent into Santa Fé, in 1865, by the three colonies, were—

The butter was valued at £8,000 sterling, the eggs at £12,000, and the cheese at an equally high figure. Meantime, the produce of the colonies increases every year in a wonderful manner, and the value of their lands has been enhanced fully 25 per cent. by the opening of the Rosario and Cordoba Railway.

Mr. Perkins, formerly editor of the Ferro-Carril of Rosario, published a valuable and interesting work in Spanish and English on this subject. At the invitation of Governor Cullen he started from Rosario, in November, 1863, to make a tour of the colonies, and his narrative bears the marks of truth. At Lake Guadalupe, close to Santa Fé, he visited the fish oil factory, where he estimates 5,000 barrels of oil may be produced annually, without seriously reducing the fish, which are sold at one real (6d.) per arroba (25). Here also is a small colony of wealthy Germans, who preferred purchasing this site to taking the free Government lands.

In company with M. Henri, Mr. Perkins set out for the Esperanza Colony, distant twenty miles from the capital of the province. This was the first of all the colonies, and established by D. Aaron Castellanos. The settlers were at first rather unfortunate, being mostly ignorant and indigent people; but patience and experience have aided them, and the colony is now flourishing. There are says Mr. Perkins-345 families, making up a population of 756 Franco-Swiss and 805 Germans, of whom two-thirds are Roman Catholics, and one-third Protestants. The colony is a parallellogram of thirty-two square miles, divided into concessions of eighty acres cach: the whole is bisected by a common for grazing, 400 yards broad and six miles long, the Germans being on one side, and the Franco-Swiss on the other. There are over 9,000 acres under crops, the amount sown being estimated as follows:-wheat, 3,150 bushels ; barley, 250; Indian corn, 35,000; beans and peas, a little; potatoes, none. The stock comprises-1,569 horses, 396 oxen, 2,305 cows, 3,700 calves, 500 sheep, and 600 pigs. The plaza is well built, containing a Catholic chapel, and a Protestant one in construction, besides other edifices and three schools; but the latter are badly attended, the children being made to work.

Two American gentlemen named Evans and Shafter, lately settled in the colony, and brought reaping and threshing machines, and other American improvements, into general use: one of these machines can grain 200 quintals, per day. The woods being fifteen miles off, few of the concessions are fenced in, and some are so with wire. There are one vineyard and several gardens. The crops for this year-(1863)—are valued at $115,000 s. Cheese, butter, eggs, fowls, and vegetables are raised; but the supply would be much greater if cheap transport could be procured. One family has an income of $400 s. from butter alone, which they sell at 6d. to 9d. per II, the same being worth 2s. in Rosario and 3s. in Buenos Ayres. The annual produce in eggs is 160,000 dozen. There are two wind-mills, and several water-mills. The people live simply but substantially, consuming little animal food. Every family has a two-horse four-wheeled waggon, and some have two or more. There is a trifling disagreement in the colony about mixed marriages. It is remarked that the Franco-Swiss have thrived better than the Germans.

The San Jeronimo Colony was founded so late as 1862, by a number of Swiss from the Canton of Valais, each of whom brought some money; from £80 to £800 sterling. They paid all their own expenses, and only received from Government the usual land grant of eighty acres per family. The colony covers 9,000 acres, occupied by eighty-five families, counting 462 souls of these, one ha? are new arrivals, and have as yet no wheat crops. There are sown 284 `ushels of wheat, and a good deal of barley. The people are sober and industrious, good Catholics, moral and respectful, and superior to those of Esperanza. They have already a fine church, built by subscription of 5,000 bricks each, and several good brick houses. Each family has about twenty cows and horses, but no sheep. They make excellent butter and cheese, the latter fetching $12 per cwt. The colonists pay the expenses of an agent, who goes backwards and forwards to Switzerland, bringing out new families for the colony. A man formerly working at the Esperanza as farm-servant, has settled here, and is now worth £1,000. San Jeronimo is half way between Esperanza and San Carlos, and Mr. Perkins gives it the preference of all.

The San Carlos Colony was founded in May 1859, by the commercial house of Messrs. Beck and Herzhog of Basle, assisted by a company, which purchased some of the shares and advanced the capital. The emigrants were of a lower order, like those of Esperanza, and all their expenses, maintenance, implements, stock, seeds, &c., were most liberally supplied and paid for by the company. Each family got a free passage, 160 acres.

THE SAN CARLOS COLONY.

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of land, horses, cows, &c., on condition of paying to the company every year (for five years) one-third of their crops, cultivating sixteen acres the first year, and so on. The half of each lot, i.e., 40 acres, is set apart for grazing, and after the fifth year this remains the property of the company, the other half passing in fee to the settler. The colony covers thirtyseven square miles, or 26,000 acres, in 165 double lots, and is situate midway from Coronda to Santa Fé, and three leagues south of San Jeronimo. The population is 536 souls, in 100 families, of whom one-half‍ arc Protestants. All bear an excellent character, except two or three drunkards. In the year 1862 there were nine deaths and thirty-two births. The colony is most prosperous and healthful. A Swiss named Goetchi landed in 1859, owing the company $500, and he has now paid all, and is worth £1,000 sterling: others show similar good fortune, the sheer fruit of industry. The stock amounts to-2,531 horned cattle, 619 horses, 265 pigs. The company, on its own account, took up 800 sheep from Buenos Ayres in 1860, lost 200 after arrival, and still counted 1,600 in 1863. The wheat crop in 1863 yielded 37,000 bushels; the maize, barley, &c., is estimated at 8,000 quintals. There are public offices, church, model farm, gardens, and peach plantations.

Mr. Perkins advises the adoption of traction engines for transport, and estimates the aggregate annual produce of the colonics as follows:Wheat, 56,000 cwt.; maize, 15,000; barley, 5,000; vegetables, 2,000; butter, 800 cwt.; eggs, 1,000 cwt.; cheese, 2,000; various, 5,000--total, 86,800 cwt.

Respecting the San Carlos colony, we have some interesting particulars in the report of M. Jacques Stelzer, Justice of the Peace :—

«Among the most comfortable families I may mention that of Sigel, with its handsome house on the right of the high.road. This family is of German origin, and arrived in 1859: it counts 7 persons, the youngest 12 years of age. Mr. Sigel is a laborious and intelligent man, assisted by his children, who are already able to guide the plough: from the beginning he has had good crops, especially that of 1866, when grain fetched 12 and even 16 dollars per «fanega.» In that year he was enabled to pay off all he owed to the Company, and has thus been free of the 18 per cent. which less fortunate colonists still have to pay. Morcover he wrought at his trade of wheelwright, which gives him a good revenue. The Sigel family now owns 94 horned cattle, 21 horses, and 50 hens, besides laying down this year 14 «almudes» of wheat, 50 acres of maize, and planting 5,000 fruit-trees. The Sigel concession is the best in the colony. The Taverna family, comprising Michael Taverna, his wife, and

4 little children, the eldest 12 and the youngest 14 months old, and a partner named John Bonetti. This family owes its prosperity to the expericence of Taverna, the order and frugality of his wife, and the constant and careful labor of Bonetti: they arrived in 1859, and now possess a fine brick bouse, 40 head of horned cattle, 12 horses, 14 pigs, and 50 hens, besides a farm of 60 «almudes» of wheat, 45 acres of maize and vegetables, and 2,000 fruit-trees.

The Haemmerly family, of Swiss origin, arrived in 1859; at first comprised Albert Haemmerly, his wife, three sons, and two daughters, all of an age to work: the wife died in 1862, and all the children have got married and purchased concessions for themselves, except the youngest son, who has remained with his father. Haemmerly has a neat house, 60 head of horned cattlǝ, 20 horses, 4 pigs, 40 hens, besides cultivating 35 «almudes» of wheat, 25 acres of maize, and 3,000 fruit-trees.

The Reuteman family, Swiss-Germans, is composed of 9 members, including 7 children from 2 to 18 years of age: the concession is surrounded with poplars, paradise, and some 4,000 fruit-trees. This family owns 84 head of horned cattle, 10 horses, 1 pig, and 100 poultry, besides a farm of 65 «almudes» of wheat and 45 acres of maize and vegetables.

The Reale family, of Italian origin, counts 11 members, with a fine house and out-offices, GO horned cattle, 12 horses, 13 pigs, 60 poultry, and a farm of 40 «almudes» of wheat and 80 acres of maize, but only a few fruit-trees.

The Goetschy family, of Swiss origin, owns 83 horned cattle, 6 horses, 20 hens, and a farm of 48 «almudes» of wheat, with 2,000 fruit-trees, and a fence of poplars and paradise trees.

These are the families specially deserving honorable mention in my official report, without prejudice to the many other honest and hardworking people in the Colony. I have mentioned those most remarkable for their fine appearance, good houses, and superior cultivation, hoping you will permit me at another time to specify other families in prosperous condition, in all which details you may rely on my adhering strictly to the facts.

The success of these colonies soon stimulated the Santa Fé Government to offer concessions in various parts of the Province for similar settlements, and Governor Oroño, during his term of office, labored strenuously to foment immigration. Unfortunately, the Paraguayan war checked the formation of new colonies, and the projects have either lapsed, or still

EMIGRATION PROJECTS.

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remain 'in statu quo.' Sor. Oroño, while Deputy to Congress, in July, 1864, introduced a bill as follows :—

1st. To emit £400,000 in 6 per cent. Bonds, negociable at 75 per cent. 2nd. To bring out 1,000 families of the farming class from Europe, to supply them with provisions, animals, and farming implements, during one year; to build houses and a school for cach colony.

3rd. Each immigrant family to comprise five individuals, and receive two oxen, one horse, three fanegas of wheat, two of potatoes, one of maize, two ploughs, and provisions for twelve months. Each family to get a grant of twenty-four cuadras (100 acres) of land for ever, and this as well as all produce to be free of taxes for twenty years.

4th. After four years the colonists to begin to re-imburse these expenses, paying to Government one-fifth of the amount until satisfied.

The project was thrown out by Congress, but about the same time the Santa Fé Legislature, made a grant of 200 square leagues to a German Company, which assumed the name of «The Argentine Land and Emigration Co., Limited,» and published the following prospectus :—

«The capital of the present company is £500,000, and the company is to secure the land grant made by Government, by sending out ten thousand families to form agricultural colonies within the period of ten years.

«The lands granted by Government to the concessionaires are to be situated on the Parana and Salado, their exact locality to be fixed by the company's surveyor.

«The Government agrees to convey, on the arrival of every 200 families, six square leagues.

«The colonists are to be Germans and Irishmen.

«The Government makes a free grant of 200 square leagues of land, of which 1064 leagues are to be distributed among the immigrants, and the balance, 193 leagues, becomes the free property of the company.»

Nothing has since been heard of the company, but it is possible that on the conclusion of the war the project may be revived

In September 1866, a concession was given to Sor. Calvari for the introduction of a number of Italians to colonize the Gran Chaco. Sundry German and French enterprises of the same kind also sprung up, of which we shall speak more fully in treating of the Gran Chaco. There is at present a project to establish a colony at the Guardia Esquina, situate on the Rio Tercero: this river may be made navigable, and the colony will be within easy reach of the Rosario and Cordoba railway.

Another newly-projected colony, in the neighborhood of the town of San José, has received the name of «San José de la Esquina,» where eighty