The Argentine Republic: Its Development and Progress

by Pierre Denis

3. Statistics.

A summary of the chief statistics is published annually in The Argentine Yearbook (from 1902 at Buenos Aires; from 1909 at Buenos Aires and London).

The Anuario de la Dirección General de Estadistica, which has appeared since 1880 in one, two or three vols. quarto, gives the figures of trade, immigration, agriculture, railways, navigation, etc. (last volume consulted is for 1914, Buenos Aires, 1915).

In the third volume of the Anuario for 1912 will be found a list of the publications of the Dirección de Estadistica. Besides the Anuario the Dirección publishes a bulletin with commercial statistics (last number consulted 181, "El comercio exterior Argentino en los primeros trimestres de 1918 y 1919," Buenos Aires, 1919). Boletin 176 contains a review of Argentine trade from 1910 to 1917.

The statistical department of the Ministry of Agriculture, under the direction of E. Lahitte, publishes the Boletin Mensual de Estadistica Agricola (last volume consulted, xxi, 1919).

4. General Descriptions.[148]

The scientific study of this part of South America may be traced back as far as D'Azara. His observations are collected in Don Felix de Azara, Voyages dans l'Amérique méridionale, published by Walckenaër (Paris, 1809, 4 vols. in 12^mo and atlas) and Descripción e historia del Paraguay y del Rio de la Plata, published by D. Agustin de Azara (Madrid, 1847, 2 vols. octavo).

The Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale of Alcide d'Orbigny contains his observations on the Paraná, the province of Corrientes, the Pampa (Parchappe's voyages), and Patagonia (1828). (Historical section, vol. i, Paris, 1835; vol. ii, Paris, 1839-43; vol. iii, third part, geology, Paris, 1842).

Darwin also visited the coast of Patagonia and crossed the Pampa (1833): Narrative of the Surveying Voyage of H.M.S. "Adventure" and "Beagle" ... vol. iii, as Journal and Researches (London, 1839).

Sir Woodbine Parish's work, Buenos Aires and the Provinces of the Rio de la Plata (London, 1838), is remarkably well-informed, and is based upon a thorough study of previous publications and archives.

W. MacKann's Ten Thousand Miles' Ride through the Argentine Republic (London, 1855, 2 vols.) is interesting, and the work of a close observer.

Martin de Moussy, Description géographique et statistique de la Confédération argentine (Paris, 1858, 3 vols. octavo and atlas), is unequal, but full of information.

The work of H. Burmeister, Description physique de la République argentine (Paris, 2 vols., 1876), is of little value, and has been overrated.

Richard Napp, Die Argentinische Republik (Buenos Aires, 1876, I vol. octavo), includes a valuable chapter by P. G. Lorentz on the flora ("Vegetationsverhaeltnisse Argentiniens," pp. 87-149).

The second volume ("Territoire") of the Second recensement de la République argentine (Buenos Aires, 1898) includes a joint geographical study by a number of writers.

Géologie, by J. Valentin.

Climat, by G. G. Davis.

Flore, by E. L. Holmberg.

Some attempt at a general consideration of our geographical knowledge of Argentina has been made by E. A. S. Delachaux, "Las regiones físicas de la Republica Argentina" (Rev. Mus. Plata, xv, 1908, pp. 102-131).

Our physical knowledge of Argentina has been greatly promoted by the work of the Dirección de Minas. The results are summarized in the Memorias de la Dirección general de Minas, Geologia, e Hidrologia, published from 1908 onward (Anales del Ministerio de Agricultura, Sección geologia, mineralogia, y mineria: last volume published for the year 1915, Buenos Aires, vol. xii, No. 2).

Special works are published in the same section of the Anales del Min. Agric., and in the Boletines de la Dirección de Minas, Geologia, e Hidrologia. See, especially, series B (Geologia). These reports and the accompanying maps are the basis of all work on the geography of Argentina. They already cover a great deal of Argentine territory. The work of Keidel, in particular, which is an essential contribution to the geological history of the South-American continent, and that of Windhausen, are largely concerned with physical geography, the study of the relief, and the influence of the climate on the landscape.

A summary of the history of study of the soil of Argentina will be found in E. Hermitte, La geologia y mineria Argentina in 1914 (Tercer Censo Nacional, vol. vii, pp. 407-494).

As to climate: Buenos Aires Ministerio de Agricultura, Servicio Meteorologico Argentino, Historia y Organisacion, con un resumen de los resultados, preparado bajo la dirección de G. G. Davis (Buenos Aires, 1914, quarto), dispenses one from consulting any previous works.

There is a very complete bibliography of works on the botany and geographical botany of Argentina in F. Kurtz, "Essai d'une bibliographie botanique de l'Argentine" (2nd edition, Bol. Acad. Nac. Ciencias Córdoba, xx, 1915, pp. 369-467).

There is a convenient summary of our knowledge of the primitive population in Felix F. Outes and Carlos Bruch, Los aborigenes de la Rep. argentina (Buenos Aires, 1910).