Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-15
LIFE IN AUSTRALIA,
HOW STEEP FARMING is CONDUCTED
ON A LARGE SCALE.

Pnsturul Leases Granted by the Govern
ment-The SOLITARY Life of a shepherd.
A busy Time at the Station Breed oi
Sheep.
The Australian sheep farmer on II large
scale usually rents tract of several square
miles from the government, at a rent calcu-
lated according to the number of sheep the
land is capable of carrying He is called
"souatter, because in early days he
simply took up, or squattcd on, any I'M
occupied land Some Of the wealthest
men in Australia are squatters, The squat
ter who becomes wealthy often ceases to
1.-Two on his station, and comes to the capital
city of his colony, where be builds him
self handSoTc house, becomes n member
of tho legislative council and of the swell
city club The Melbourne club, the most ele-
CANT club in Australia, consists chiefly Of
squattcrs. But such man looks very differ
ent whom You SEQ linn in the blush, wearing
rough clothes and not inprobably smoking
a short clay pipe.
Tho great danger toNyhich the squatter is
exposed is drought. There is a great want Of
rivers and perennial streams, an unusually
dry season or two may reduce man from
atiluencO to poverty.
In South Australia pastural leases are
granted for twenty-one years at Il rental of
2j cents per head on the average number of
cattle, and of 4 cents on the average number
of sheep, At the end of the term, the land
reverts with all improvements to the crown.
The government, on resuming the land at the
expiration Of the lease, pays for all dams,
tanks and wells of a permanent character.
Round head station are numerous build
ings put up at various times as occasion has
arison. These comprise mems huts, forge,
kitchen, stables, etc. Not far off are well
fenced yards into which the sheep are driven
for the annual muster The foundations OF
the station outbuildings are large trunks let
into the ground and leveled on the upper
side. In one groove on this side the end of
the slabs fit, and are kept together by
similar beam above. For tho roof, galvan-
lied iron, OF bark, kept down by heavy
wooden framework is used. Tho new chuln
win be set at first to do odd jobs about the
station, but will soon be called on to act as a
shepherd Once a year all the sheep are
driven into the yards at the head station to
be counted, shorn and branded.
Solitary as tho life of a shepherd in sole
charge of a flock is, many men become much
attached to the freedom and healthy nature
Of the work, and would DO most unwilling to
exchange it for any other The "bushmen'
are not infrequently great readers, and it is
for their especial benefit that the largo
weekly editions of the principal Australian
papers are issued The Australasian is the
weekly edition of The Melbourne Argus and
is one of the largest papers in the world. 1t
contains information on all matters con-
nected with agriculture and the breeding and
care of sheep and cattle, articles on the poll
tics of the day, on horse racing, sport, whist
chess and reviews of new books. 1t usually
also has n sermon by some eminent divine,
for the bushlnan has but few opportunities
of availing himself of the ministrations of
any religious teacher. Sometimes q cult
vated bushuan may be found who still keeps
up the Latin he learned at school or college,
and reads and rereads a well worn copy of
Horace" or some favorite Roman poet.
AS rule the bushman drinks tea, for he
finds this tho most wholesome and refreshing
drink and also the most portable. OF
course on occasions large quantities of whisky
are consumed, but bushmen as q class are
temperate. The horses used on a station are
rough looking, but possess great endurance,
frequently carrying their riders 120 to 140
miles in a day Men wear riding breeches,
top boots, flannel shirts and soft felt hats.
Bushmen frequently have to find their way
in parts Of the bush where tracks either never
existed or have become obliterated. Then it
is that their bushmanship comes into play
Some of the Australian trees grow mosU on
the side exposed to the sun, and by noting
this and the condition of the bark, the ex-
perienced bushman is able to fix t he cardinal
points and to steer his way correctly where
the ordinary person would be hopelessS |
"bushed." Occasionally q man fails to re-
turn to his hut or to the station, and then |
black trackers are employed. These mani |
fest a wonderful sagacity in tracing the lost |
shepherd, and often save his life But in |
many parts melancholy stories are told of |
shepherds who were never found until too |
late
The busiest time on a sheep station is shear |
ing time, for on a large run $1,000 sheep may |
have to be shorn Tho sheep are washed
few days before they are shorn, in order that |
their heeces may be dry and the ''yelk" may |
have timo to rise On some stations elaborate |
with hot water spouts, are |
found; but often only portion of creek is
fenced in, and the sheep are soused in this
till their Geecas are clean. The shearers re-
ceive S. per 100, and can shear from so to 100
sheep in day They are also found in as
much mutton, bread, tea and sugar as they
want. The shearers live in u long, low
building, divided into two compartments one
Of which has berths along its sides and is the
sleeping room, and in the other of which
meals are taken.
As soon as the fleece is off the sheep is
pushed out at trapdoor and examined by
the manager, to see whether it has been cut
Or badly shorn, The 1eeces are taken out by
boys into tho wool sorting shed, where they
are rolled up and labeled according to the
quality and kind of wool. The bins into
which they are thrown are constantly
emptied, and their contents taken to the
press, There they are tumbled into a bale
and compressed by heavy screw press.
W hen the bale is full canvas cover is sewn
IN and the bale hustled away by crane, to
Dc branded with the station mark and have
is weight and quality noted on it.
The principal breed of sheep is the merino,
,he wool of which fetches the highest price
n the market. In 1888 there were 5000
sheep in south Australia, but in 1881 they
lad increased to nearly 1860, ,000. South
Australia Cor San Francisco Chronicle.