11th. Harriague, San Antonia and Lavalleja Colonies. In the Department of Salto exist the colonies called, "Harriague," "San Antonio," "Lavalleja," "Cosmopolita" and "Estrella" that have all been founded a short time ago.
The Harriague colony has an area of 1860 square cuadras, or 1372 hectares. The principal culture is wheat and maize.
The San Antonio colony was founded by the government. The land was divided into small estancias or chacras, or farms of 20 cuadras, more or less, each, that were given to some old servants of the state and settlers and are now consecrated to the sowing of cereals.
The Lavalleja colony was founded in a field of government land, and occupied by many native families. The government ordered the land to be divided into chacras, every one of them being given to the first settlers and some old servants as a reward for their services.
12th. Paullier Colony. In the department of San Jose is situated the colony of Paullier Brothers, founded in the year 1883. Its extension is 6,298 square cuadras or 4,647 hectares. In 1884 its population was 400 inhabitants; now it may be calculated to be more than 500. The quality of the soil cannot be better. The cheeses of this colony are the best made in the country, and constitute an important industry. The cows are all of good breed, and besides them the colony possesses a large number of valuable animals imported directly from Europe and bred and fed under shed.
13th. Rio Negro Colony. This colony is situated in the tenth district of the department of Tacuarembo, between the Rio Negro and the rivulets Cardozo and Cacique grande. It has a superficies of 38,216 square cuadras, (28,198 hectares, 8,602 metres), out of which 1,249 square cuadras, (921 hectares, 6,133 metres) form the district of the village called "Teniente General M. Tajes"; the remaining part is divided into 361 chacras or farms.
The area of each chacra varies from 29½ to 88½ hectares.
A third part of the chacras are already occupied, and although the colony is of a quite recent foundation the results obtained by the settlers cannot be hoped to be better. The colony possesses already six dairies. It is sure to become, very soon, one of the most important agricultural settlements, on account of its good situation, which permits the easy exporting of its products by the railway, not only to the interior of the Republic but also to the very frontier of Brazil.
The land is very good for plowing, on account, also, of its situation and of the many rivers that run through it, and is quite fit for the sowing of wheat and maize, and also for the culture of tobacco and the grape vine.
The village "Maximo Tajes" that belongs to the same colony has a railway station, a fruit market, a public square, a postoffice, a police-office, and very soon they are going to build a church and a school.