The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-15
SOME GREAT FARMS.

We boast of the big farms and
ranches of the United States, but away
down in Australia they have planta
tions or stations" so big that many of
ours seem small in comparison. One
Australian, James Tyron by name,
says a recent visitor to the antipodes,
has about 1000, 900 acres, or a terri
tory nearly as large as three States like
Rhode Island, one and one half Dola
wares, or even one third the size of
Vermont, or one-seventeenth the size
of Iowa. He has nearly 1 O0O, 900 sheep
or the equivalent in cattle. Oae Mr..
McCaughey has one station of !, PA, 877
acres, with some 500, 900 sheep. James
Wilson has $40, 600 acres, or just 1000
square miles, in one station, and over
400, coo sheep. I have friend IA TIE
interior, whom visited recently, who
has 100000 acres and 100000 sheep.
One can drive 100 miles in a straight
line on his estate. Of this 500, OOO acres,
ZOO, 900 are freehold, and the rest is
leased from the government Of New
South Wales on long time, for a definite
annual rental. have another friend,
member of the New South Wales
Parliament, who holds 240, 900 acres in
o leensland on long lease, at an annual
rental Of one farthing, or One-half cent
per acre. Rece ntly the government
sunk an artesian we'll on this land that
flows 5000, 600 gallons per day, accord
ing to newspaper reports. Most of this
station, l am informed, is good land.
All these stations, like the petty duke
domg of EIrope, are named, and the
names, prOnounceable, are not easily
forgotten But their names serve a
better purpose than mere Ornem 9nt.
AS there is a considerable diff 9rence in
altitude, latitude, soil, vegetation, breed
or care of sheep, there is very notice
able difference in the wool, and the
reputation of the station has no little
influence on the price of the respective
clips. In the English trade reviews, or
prices current, the names of the stations
large business class as are the names
of the nations of the globe to the aver
age educated man.
The largest farm in this country is
situated in the southern part of L0uisi
ana. It extends 100 miles north and
south, and twenty five miles east and
west It was purchased in 1883 by a
syndicate of northern capitalists, by
whom it is still operated. At the time
of it's purchase it's 1, 800, 900 acres was
a vast pasture Of cattle belonging to a
few dealers in this county. Now it is
divided into pasture stations or ranches
every elk miles The fencing is said
to have cost $50, 900. The land is best
adapted for rice, sugar, corn and cot
ton. A tract, say half mile wide, is
taken, and an engine is placed on each
side. The engines are portable and op
crate a cable attached to four ploWs.
By this arrangement thirty acres are
gone over in day with the labor Of
only three men. There is not q
single draught horse on the entire
place, if we except those used by the
herders of cattle, of which there are
16 OOO head On the place. The Southern
Pacific Railway runs for thirty six
miles through the farm. The company
has three steamboats, operating on the
estate, of which 800 miles are navigable.
1t has also an ice house, bank, ship
yard, and rice mills.