The region of South of Minas, that today knew as principal coffee area of the country, was detached zone of the diversified agriculture in nineteenth century. The cattle breeding and the food production were main regional economic activities. The coffee, introduced in second half of the nineteenth century, promoted gradual modification in the regional scene. However, this transition for export agriculture, that occurred in the turn for twentieth century, is yet little know, specially in reference to transformations in the agrarian systems and in the composition of the proprietors' fortunes. The analysis this process in Alfenas municipality is the aim of this paper. The founts utilized are inventories and registry documents.
diversified agriculture; rural proprieties and fortunes; Alfenas; south of Minas
