Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/721

CHILE. Coiistitucion, Tome, Arauco, and Lobu (coal r'liipuients), 'aldivia, and I'uerlo ,Iontt. I'unUi Arenas, on the t>trait of Magellan, is a coaling station for all vessels passing tlirough the Strait.

. The climate of Chile must be char- acterized as oceanic or insular, the changes of temperature being relatively slight. The north- ern coast lies within the region of winds which in summer blow both toward the equator and toward the interior of the continent, and is in winter almost free from storms. The southern toast lies within the region of strong westerly winds which blow at all seasons of the year. The fact that all these winds blow the sea-air toward the land accounts for the uniform tem- perature. The climate of the Chilean coast much resembles that of the Californian coast. In the summer the diurnal ])eriodicity of the wind is one of the marked climatic features; on the coast the sea-breeze blows during the day with great strength, and on the Andean heights with stonuy violence. The average temperatures at lo« altitudes vary during the year from C5° F. at* the north to 40' F. at the extreme south; during January they varj- from 72° F. at the north to 50' F.'at the south, and in July from 62° F. at the north to 32° F. at the south. The tem- perature decreases about 1° F. for each 300 feet of altitude. The average annual rainfall along the coast is less than 8 inches north of latitude 35" S., but from the latter parallel the amount increases very rapidly southward to over 80 inches in latitude 38° S.; and this excessive rain- fall, reaching in some cases 130 inches, extends almost to the Strait of ilagellan. The rainfall toward the interior increases slightly at the north, but decreases very rapidly in the region of great precipitation at the south. In the north- ern part all months lack rain: between latitudes 30° and 40° S. winter is the rainy season, with dry summers, but south of about latitude 40° S. not only is the winter rainy, but in the sunnner- time considerable precipitation occurs.

The marked contrasts in the amount of rain- fall in diflerent parts of Chile show clearly the climatic control over the distribution of the popu- lation and their pursuits. From about latitude 28° S. to the northern boundary, the country lies in the rainless zone of the southeast trade winds and is consequently a desert, agriculture being impossible except in small irrigated dis- tricts. Mining is here the only im])ortant in- <lustry, minerals are the only exports, and nearly everything in the way of food must be brought into the northern third of Chile. South of the twenty-eighth parallel the influence of westerly or sea winds begins slightly to be felt, some rain falls, and the quantity steadily increases toward the south. In this region agriculture is profitable and is the chief occupation. The barren nitrate- fields and mining districts are replaced by green valleys and vine-clad hills. The agricultural zone extends south to about the fortieth parallel, where the rainfall becomes excessive, as the coast is exposed to the full force of the prevailing west- erly winds. This is a region of extensive forests, and, when developed, its large industries will be lumbering and fisheries. South of the forty-fifth parallel the size and variety of the trees begin to diminish under the influence of the lowering temperature.

Flora. In the latitude of about 40° S. the vegetation of Chile reaches its maximum growth. In this climate of no extreme cold, the flora is always green and of mi.xed variety; in luxuriance the plant-growth is almost tropical. The plains have the peumotree, and a species of palm which is becoming rare. Forests of beech and cypress also occur. Xorth of this middle region the rainfall diminishes, and the vegetation be- comes thinner; the forests are confined to the mountain slopes, and the i)lains remain bare. The cacti are the last plants bordering on the arid plateau region of northern Chile. South of the central region, where the temperature de- creases W'hile the rainfall increases, are forests in which are found the Fitzroya patagonica — wrongly called a larch — the cypress, and the beech. The most widely diffused plant intro- duced from Europe and other regions is the oak, which grows more rapidly in Chile than in the northern hemisphere; among other imported plants are the poplar, which lines the favorite drives in the larger towns; the willow, chestnut, eucalyptus, and apple trees, and a number of eco- nomic plants, as wheat and the vine.

Fauna. Chile is poor in animal life. The chief mammals are the jjuma and other wild cats, fox, polecat, otter, the guanaco (which frequents the southern sections in large herds), the hueniul, the pudu deer, the chinchilla, and the coypu. Among the marine mammals are the wliale. dolphin, and seal. Birds include con- dors, buzzards, hawks, owls, cranes, parrots, hum- ming-birds, and, in the southern archipelagoes, many varieties of water-fowl. Among the rep- tiles of the northei'n part are found several kinds of lizards, and farther south toads and frogs. Turtles are absent. Snakes are not numerous or venomous. ¥q' fishes exist in the Chilean fresh waters, but the coastal marine waters are prolific of both animal life and alg;e. Beetles abound. Land mammals are scarce in the archi- pelago regions.

. The agricultural activities of Chile are almost wholly confined to the great central valley. This is the region of large estates equipped with modern machinery and owned by the wealthy classes, who are so potent in the political life of the republic. Furthermore, a large part of the best agricultural land is held by the Koman Catholic Church, whose political and material power is relative!}- greater in Chile than in any other of the Spanish-American States. It is estimated that about 50 per cent, of the population is engaged in agricultural pur- suits. A large proportion of the natives are en- gaged as farm laborers on the extensive estates. The high price of lands prevailing in the central valley (based more on the mineral deposits they are supposed to contain than on their fertility) makes purchase dillicult for thelowerclasses. The unoccupied land in the less favorable part of the country usually iccpiires a considerable outlay of labor and cajiital before it yields crops; even then its fertility is not always sulTicient to repay the farmer. Another obstacle to the development of the farming resources of the country is the 'nitrate boom.' Owing to the rapid development of nitrate-mining and the scarcity of labor in Chile, wages increased in a considerable degree, and many families from the agricultural districts of the south were induced to move to the mining districts of the north, thereby greatly raising the price of agricultural labor. The most important crops are wheal, maize, and barley. Apples and