Wichita eagle., 1888-03-09
LIFE IN AUSTRALIA.
HOW SHEEP FARMING; IS CONDUCTED
ON A LARGE SCALE.

ON A LARGE SCALE.
Pastsral Leases Granted by the Govern
menr-The Solitary Life of Shepherd.
Sheep.
The Australian sheep farmer on large
scale usually rents tract of several square
miles from the government, at rent calcu-
lated according to the number of sheep the
land is capable of carrying" He is called
"squatter," because in early days he
simply took up, or squatted on, any IN
occupied land. Some of the wealthiest
men in Australia are sauatters. The squat
ter who becomes wealthy often ceases to
live on his station, and comes to the capital
city of his colony, where he builds him
self handsome house, becomes a member
OF the legislative council and Of the swell
city club The Melbourne club, the most Gle
CANT club in Australia, consists chiefly Of
sQuatters. But such man looks very differ
ent when you SEQ him in the ''bush, )" wearing
rough Clothes and not improbably smoking
short clay pipe.
The great danger to which the squatter is
exposed is drought. There is great want Of
rivers and perennial streams, an unusually
dry season or two may reduce a man from
afiuencc to poverty.
In South Australia pastural leases are
granted for twenty-ons years at rental Of
Is cents per head ON the average number of
cattle, and Of cents on the average number
Of sheep. At the end Of tho term, tho land
reverts with all improvements to tho crown.
The government, on resuming the land ct the
expiration of the lease, pays for all dams,
tanks and wells Of permanent character.
Round head station ore numerous build
ings put up at various times as occasion has
arisen. These comprise mems huts, forge,
kitchen, stables, etc. Not far off are well
fenced yards, into which tho 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 o
similar beam above. For the roof, galvan-
lied iron, or bark, kept down by a heavy
wooden framework is used. The new chum
will 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 tho head station to
be counted, shorn and branded.
Solitary as the life of shepherd in sole
charge Of flock is, many men become much
attached to the freedom and healthy nature
Of the work, and would be most unwilling to
exchange it for any other. The 'bushnen"
are not infrequently great readers, and it is
for their especial benefit that the large
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. It
contains information on oil matters con-
nectcd 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 It usually
also has sermon by some eminent divine,
for the bushman has but few opportunities
Of availing himself of the ministrations Of
any religious teacher. Sometimes a culti-
waited bushman may be found who still keeps
up the Latin he learned at school OF college,
and reads and rereads we'll worn copy Of
Horace" or some favorite Roman poet
As a rule the bushman drinks tea, for he
finds this the most wholesome and refreshing
drink and also the most portable. OF
course on occasions large quantities of whisky
are consumed, but bushmen as class are
temperate The horses used on station are
rough looking, but possess great endurance,
frequently carrying their riders 100 to 140
miles in day. Men wear riding brooches
top boots, flannel shirts and soft felt hats.
Bushmen frequently have to find their way
il parts OF the bush where tracks either never
existed or have become obliterated Then it
is that their craftsmanship comes into play.
Some Of the Australian trees grow most on
the side exposed to the sun, and By noting
this and tie condition of the bark, tho ex-
perienced bushman is able to fix he cardinal
points and to steer his way correctly where
the ordinary person would be hopelessly
''bushed." Occasionally a man fails to re-
turn to his hut or to the station, and then
black crackers are employed. These mani
fest 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 50, 900 sheep may
have to be shorn. The sheep are washed a
few days before they are shorn, in order that
their f1eeces may be dry and the ''yelk" may
have time to rise. On some stations elaborate
arrangements, with hot water spouts, are
found; but often only a portion of q creek is
fenced in, and the sheep are soused in this
till their leeces are clean. The shearers re-
ceive s. per 100, and can shear from so to 40
sheep in day. They are also found in as
much mutton, bread, tea and sugar as they
want. The shearers live in a 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 4 trapdoor and examined by
the manager, to see whether it has been cut
or badly shorn. The feeces are taken out by
boys into the wool sorting she'd 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 bale
and compressed by a heavy screw press.
When the bale is full canvas cover is sewn
on and the bale hustled away by crane, to
be branded with the station mark and have
its weight and quality noted on it.
The principal breed of sheep is the merino,
the wool of which fetches the highest price
in the market In 1883 there were q, 900
sheep in south Australia, but in 1881 they
had increased to nearly 1000, OO0.-South
AnS Ito Eropcicoo Chronicle