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ZACATECAS MATTERS.
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to the Spaniards. The soil was little adapted to the cultivation of wheat, maize, or even fruit, excepting the Indian fig, the cactus apuntia covering the neighborhood in every direction. Nevertheless its location had many advantages. The climate, though changeable, was healthy, being never excessively hot or cold. In the vicinity variety of temperature favored the cultivation of different agricultural products. Cattle-raising became an important feature at an early day, and besides silver, copper lead and other metals were found in abundance.'[1]
City of Zacatecas.
The three or four persons in charge of the treasury, and the corregidor, appointed directly by the king, were the only officials who were paid a salary at Zaca-
- ↑ The veins around Zacatecas city yielded in 1608 an average of more than two ounces per cental. There were 20 haciendas de minas, whose owners were worth from 30,000 to 100,000 pesos each, and employed about 100 Spaniards, the same number of negroes, and 1,500 Indians. Each hacienda worked about 80 centals a day. No smelting was done, and only mule power was used. Zacatecas, Rel., in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., ix. 182-7. At San Andrés General Mendiola tore down his stone buildings, the material yielding three marks per cental. The product of the mines at Zacatecas had declined considerably in 1732; there were only 24 reduction works; the expenses 1,300,000 pesos per year; and the king received 257,350 pesos. Bernardez,
