The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-05

breakfast, and not another moutnful VII
he get until he returns to dine at D p. M
The meal is of roasted wheat, ground on
the small hand mill with which every
hacienda is provided. We saw the men at
their sunset dinner, and q moro contented
and healthy-looking lot could hardly be
imagined-crowded around table OF rough
boards without any cloth upon it The
repast consisted entirely OF
BEANS AND PEAS sTEwED TOGETHER;
but the administrator informed me with
pride that all the laborers on this model
farm are treated to meat and potatoes
twice every week.
We went out into the wheat-feids on
cart, topped by y very high and narrow
bay rick made Of canc-poles dashed together
with thongs, drawn by bullocks. The cart
was driven to place where the cut sheaves
were thickest, the cattle were taken from
the tongue, and tied 10 a wheel, and the
work OF gathering commenced. Each man
seized bundle and carried 1t to the cart,
until all the nearby sneaves were loaded
1t did not occur to anybody to make the
bullocks remove the cart to another part Of
the field; the bundles were still laboriousiy
carried to the same place, however the dis
lance leng thened and the noon-tide heat In
creased and perspiration streamed down
each swarthy face.
When the enormous load was complete,
y
the wheat was carelessly dumped IN heaps,
without the trouble of stacking 1t, for there
it rarely rains during the summer months,
SO there is little danger OF the grain spoil
ing Meanwhile threshing was going on,
slowly but surely. A spot OF hard ground
had been swept, and upon 1t were pitched
few bundles, then horses were driven over
and over them, until the wheat was shelied
from the straw. The straw was then re-
moved, the wheat raked to the center, and
more bundles thrown down. When con-
siderable quantity CT shelled wheat was
collected, a windmill was introduced to
blow away the chaf.
NO WHEAT COULD BE OF BETTER QUALITY.
The plump. sound grains were fully one
fourth of an inch long, and / was told that
an average yield here is twenty bushels TO
the acre. The corn crop is smaller, because
the seasons are too cold. Oats return about
sixty bushels to the acre, but, unfortu-
nately, there is no market for them. Or
anges, lemons, figs. peaches, apples, pears,
grapes. melons, etc, are always sure
crop, because, though the summers OF
Chill are seldom warm enough 10 make
thin clothing necessary, there is never
frost enough in winter to Kill flowers. All
kinds OF vegetables thrive remarkably, and
whenever native plants Deets, ne ties a
knot IN the end OF each growing plant to
bounds.
The plows in general use are primitive
implements-a beam, wltnoone long, stout
handle extending far enough downward to
attach hat piece of iron which has been
hammered sharp on stone. Or course
with such q rude machine the earth can
barely be scratched. Wheat is sown broad
cast and covered by dragging it over with
a weighted plank. CORTLAND is furrowed
into rows, in one direction. Holes are
made at regular intervals in the rows with
sharpeaed sticks, into which the corn is
dropped and then covered with the foot.
Tue hoes are about fourteen inches high by
i've inches wide, and each weighs not less
than eight pounds
Every well-regulated hacienda has its
vineyard, and that OF Senior Smith Includes
one hundred acres The crop Is always
abundant, and the grapes sell in market for
about cent per pound. They make good
raisins as well as wine. superior quality
OF the latter costs about cents per quart,
but is too new to be desired by anybody
but Chilians.
EVERY NATIVE, OLD OR YOUNG, DRINKS WINE
at all times of day and night, at meals and
between meals. He may not afforda more
luxurious dinner than common puehero
(which is composed of all the seeds and
vegetables the cook can lay hands on,
yored, If possible, with few links OF saus-
age), but he must wash IL down with a
glass or two of wine, and so must his wife
and children. There is never a word heard
here of the temperance question; yet
drunkenness is far more rare than in the
United States.
BD dint of diligent questioning CLEANED
the following facts relative to farming in
Chilli Nowhere is agriculture more profit
able, because labor Is cheap, prices high
and crops certain. 1t costs less than one
dollar 10 raise three bushels of wheat, and
it sells for about sl.2o per oushel. What
little can be grown this year, since the
laoorers have mostly rushed of to the war,
will bring much higher price IN market
Wheat and barley, however, are about the
only profitable crops, there being no foreign
demand for anything else. | enquired of
the gentlemanly administrator if all his
harvests were gathered in with reap-hooks,
and threshed by being trodden upon as We
had seen that DAY. stBless my soul, nor'
replied he. ~ have twenty-five of the
latest improved reaping machiness, right
from the United States. and two good
machines The reapers cost me
$3.50 apiece and the threshers 80, 200 each
The duties, freight and exchange make
such things frightfully expensive, because
we have no direct line of communication
with the United States. Most all the Chill
implements in place of their reap hooks
and wooden plows; but they cannot afford
the enormous expense of transportation.
not to mention the duties, which on agri-
cultural implements are about 40 per cent.
OF their original valuation.
1--WE HAVE AMERICAN MACHINERY
and il gets little out of repair, from six
months to year are consumed In sending
il back to oe mended. Were there direct
communication. the clumsy carts of Chill
would soon give place to American farm
wagons The timber of the country,
though beautiful for furniture, is not nit
for wagons, being too porous and swelling
badly in weather. All we use for that pur-
pose mas to be imported. These huge carts
with their ponderous wheels are necessary.
III made smaller, they would twist out of
shape before the rainy season was over, |
and the wood is so brittle that the wheels
would fall to pieces on the first Journey" |
In reply TO the question whether taxes
are exhorbitant the gentleman said, LAS a
general thing, no. OF course during these |
war-times everything Is out OF joint. But
1 would gladly pay three times the amount
to feel as sure of life and property here as
in the United States. Rich men residing !
in the country are regarded as Lawful prey |
for every lazy rascal inclined TO steal. Re /
mote from cities. they are not under the I
eyes of the police. and therefore robberiss 1
OF every description, but especially OF
horses aud cattle, are very common. The |
haciendedo cannot even be sure OF his life |
from one day to another, and that is the |
reason why they so generally reside in the |
city,"
The reason why
HORSES AND MULES ARE NOT MORE COMMONLY