Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/50

 comparatively rich though positively poor, never had a public debt, and was not, like the adjoining States, whose revenues and expenses were unequal, dependent upon foreign loans. At one time she was rich enough to assist deserving citizens with small advances at 6 per cent.— economies effected by lessening her number of employes, quite the reverse of her neighbours, policy. The tobacco (petun) ", has been compared with that of the Havannah, and the similarity of the red ferruginous soils of Paraguay with the celebrated Vuelta de Abajo has not escaped observation; about 3,000,000 pounds in bale and 6,000,000 cigars were the annual produce. The forests abound in admirable timber for building and bark for tanning—such are the Cebil and the Curupay. During the six months ending March, 1858, Paraguay planted 4,192,520 ridges of cotton seed, and 195,757 shrubs and fruit trees: and in 1863 some 16,600,000 Cotton plants were set and the yield was 4000 bales. The cotton, except only the Samuhu or Nankeen, whose fibre wants cohesion, has length, force, and fineness, in fact, all the requisite qualities. Rice and sugar, wool and fruits, can be supplied in any quantities. Cochineal appears spontaneously upon the Cactus; the woods abound in honey, and the wild indigo has been compared with that of Guatemala. Other rich dyes are the Yriburetima or "vulture's leg" which gives a blue metallic tint, and the Acaugay root which stains scarlet. Leeches have been found, but they