A Fazenda Miranda em Mato Grosso

Abstract

            In this paper, Prof. Clarence F. Jones describes a large, typical farm of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso.

            He describes, in a succinct way, the topography, types of soil, the climate, the annual floodings, the fauna and the flora of the region.

            The surface is level, in some places undulated but the altitude is not greater than 50 meters over the Rio Paraguai, near Pôrto Esperança:

            The soil varies from fine clay deposited by the river during the flooding season to coarse sand, there existing various intermediary and mixed types.

            The climate is generally hot and varies during the day and seasons.

            The annual floodings constitute a characteristic and the whole activity of the farm is

adapted to them.

            The author speaks of the mosquitoes, plagues which attack the cattle and of local plants, including grasses, essential to cattle raising which is the principal activity of the farm.

            He then describes the economics of the farm which sells from September to December, annually about 10 000 cattle part to the "charqueada" (dried meat plant) in Aquidauana and the rest to the markets of São Paulo.