Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/584

 548 PARAGUAY.

under the single condition that they shall be properly cultivated, or turned into pasturage. According to an official survey made in February 1863, the total area of state property, and of lands held on lease from the government, comprised 30,508,040 linos, of which 4,16(5,979 linos was planted with orange, lemon, and other fruit trees; 1,510,309 with cotton; 1,413,977 with tobacco; 11,969,191 with maize ; and 26,341,067 with other vegetable produce, including yerba mate, or Paraguayan tea.

The latter produce forms one of the chief articles of the commerce of Paraguay. The yerba mate, a species of cabbage, the leaves of which are dried and reduced to powder, is exported in considerable quantities, being extensively used in South America as a kind of tea. When the crops of mate are being gathered, the government sends its agents to the plantations, who fix the quantity wanted by govern- ment, as well as the price to be paid for it, while the remainder is left at the disposal of the proprietor of the land. The total exports of yerba mate, in 1863, amounted to 4,882,000 pounds, valued at 290,000/., the other principal exports of the year comprising tobacco, to the amount of 3,500,000 pounds, valued at ] 50,000/., and hides to the value of 80,000/. The imports consist chiefly of cotton and linen manufactures, derived to the extent of three-fourths from Great Britain, and one-fourth from France and Germany. The British imports are passing entirely through the territories of Brazil and the Argentine Confederation, and since the year 1862, when a few articles of machinery and furniture, valued at 1,764/., arrived from England, there has been no direct intercourse between Paraguay and the United Kingdom.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of Paraguay, and the British equivalents, are : —

Money.

The Peso, or Dollar = 100 Centenas. Average rate of exchange, 3*.

Weights and Measures.

The Quintal. . . . = 10T40 lbs. avoirdupois.

,, Arroba = 25 - 35 ,, ,,

Fanega. . . = H imperial bushel.

„ Lino (land measure). = 69^ Engl. sq. yards.

„ Legua madra. . = 12| Engl. sq. miles.

Besides the above, the weights and measures of the Argentine Confederation are in general use, and the currency of Brazil has been largely introduced since the commencement of the war.