A brief summary of the report submitted to the Minister of Agriculture will give a general view of the field of observation.
For the purposes of description, the following division of soil is recognized: Volcanic earth, (terra rocha,) red land, (terra vermilha,) dark land, (terra preta,) and light land, (terra branca.)
A further distinction results from the predominance of clay, sand, shell, and decomposed vegetable matter. These are combined in various proportions with other elements, in different specimens of soil examined.
The territory is divided into original forest, (matto virgem,) secondary forest, (capoeira,) and open plain, (campo.)
The soil of the forest is superior to that of the plain, and yet has many grades.
Fruits and medicinal plants found to a large extent in some of the open plains.
None of the native trees of the United States are found growing in the forests examined.
The province of São Paulo may be divided into four different sections, as follows:
1st. Coast land, including the land lying between the sea and the neighboring serra adjacent to Santos, Conceicão, Ignape and Cananea.
In this the soil has rotten-shell combined with sand to a large extent. Rice is the chief product of this region.