Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-08-11

HOW SHEEP FARMING IS CONDUCTED
ON Al LARGE SCALE

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sz
Fastural Leases Granted BY The fss,vsv~s
r,~.t-,r,,,. s..,... ia g. -.
a
D"sy t'"e ~ sne s'afien nree't e
sneep'
Tho A,,str,,;,,, 49,. 49, s.
- -. - a '''0s e
sea'e usually rents tract OF several squase
.'a'sss troan tns government at rent caicu-
lated according to the number OF sheep the
land il capable Of t'carrying.r He Il cs1led
. sssquatter : becansc In ear1v y1nvs Il.
simply took up, or sauatfea IN. nv m.
occupied land. Some III thu wa.itk{uet
men in Australia are squatterz Tbe eu,,at-
ter who becomes wealthy often co., Il
live on his station, and comes TO the f..,,itsl
city of his colony, whore be bsaiI1u him.
self handsome house, becomes q member
OF the legislative council ard Of the HWelI
city club. The Melbourne club, the most e.
giant club in Australia, consists chiefly Of
sanatters. But such a man LOOKS very difYer-
ent when you sec him in the s'busb. y weerino
rough clothes, and not irnprohably snokinc
short clay pipe.
The great danger TO which the souatter q
exposed is drought. There is a great want az
rivers and perennial streams, an unusually
dry season or two may rcduce q man from
aflluencs to poverty.
In South Australia pastural leases are
granted for twenty-one years at q rental of
% cents per head on the average number a
cattle, and Of cents on the average number
Of sheep. At the end Of the term. the land
reverts with ell improvements to the crown.
The government, on resuming the land &c the
"a faf In
tanks and wells Of permanent character.
Round a head station are numerous build-
ings put up at various times as occasion has
arisen. These comprise mems huts. forge.
kitchen, stables, etc. Not far of are wen
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 4
similar beam above. For the roof. Ralvau-
ized iron, or bark, kept down by d heavy
wooden framework is used The new chrm
viii be set at first to do odd jobs about the
station, but will soon be called on to act as !
| shepherd Once year all the sheen arc
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 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 ssbushmenn
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. 1t
I fsf17,r ain inf,
nected with agriculture and the breeding and
care o. 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 a sermon by some eminent divine,
Tor the b1slman has but few opportunities
OF awaiting himself of the ministrations OF
any religious teacher. Sometimes culti-
waited bushman may be found who still keeps
up the Latin no learned at school or college
AMI reads and rereads well worn copy of
Horace or some favorite Roman poet
As q rule the bushman drinks tea, for he
! fiads this the most wholesome and refreshing
drink and also the most portable OF
course on occasions large quantities of whisky
are consumed, but bushrnen as class a.
temperate. The horses used on a station are
rough looking, but possess great endurance.
frequently carrying their riders 100 to 40
miles IN 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 craftsmanship comes into play.
Some of the Australian trees grow Ynos1 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 the cardinal
points and to steer his way correctly where
the ordinary person would be hopelsssIy
''bushed.n Occasionally a man fails to re-
turn to his hut or to the station, and then
black crackers 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 sheen station is shear
ing time, for on a large run SC, coo sheep NAV
have to be shorn. The sheep are washed a
few days before they are shorn, in order that
their aeeces may be dry and the .syelkr NAV
have time to rise On some stations elaborate
arrangements, with hot water spouts. are
found; but often only a portion of a creek is
III their tleeces are clean The shearers re-
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