The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-04-01

the southernmOSt political d.
vision of the republic, is an ex-
cellent field for stock breeding.
u This extensive territory, COM
prising about one-fourth of the
total area of Chile, contains, approx
mately, 100000 acres of land, and
owes its present prosperity princi-
pally to sheep breeding and the work
ings of its placer mines.
The climate of the territory of Ma
gellan varies greatly. being cold in
the far north and temperate and in
MIGRATING in the middle and southern
zones. Parts of the territory, espe-
cially the southern portions, are heav-
lily wooded, and the damp, humid eli
mate of this part of Chile produces
an abundant, vigorous and luxuriant
vegetation and causes the formation
at some places on the coast Of con-
siderable deposits of turf. The south
ernmost points of Chile, with the ex-
ception Of some dry lands near the
frontier of the Argentine Republic, is
unsuited for stock raising, but the
southern, middle and northern sec
tons Of the mainland of the Territory
of Magellan are well adapted to the
raising of stock.
The breeding of sheep, which is now
the largest and most prosperous in
dustry of the territory, dates back to
1876, when Gov. Duble Almeida bought
from the Falkland islands the first
consignment of sheep for breeding
purposes to this part of the republic.
Notwithstanding the unpromising re-
suits Of the earlier efforts at sheep
raising in the Territory of Magellan,
this industry was soon established on
a firm footing and has been increasing
by leaps and bounds from that date to
the present time.
In 1884 the government conceived
the plan of leasing to private persons
or companies tracts of from 1000 to
10000 hectares (5,00A or $4,000 acres)
of government lands for terms of from
five to 20 years to be devoted to stock
raising and 531,267 hectares Q,312,.
600 acres) were leased during that
year. Subsequently new concessions
were made, until, in 1896, about 3,00o,-
900 hectares (7,413,0OG acres) were
disposed of in this part of Chile to be
used in the stock raising industry. In
1903 a law was passed permitting the
sale of government lands in the Terri.
tory of Magellan and the first sale at
public auction of 100000 hectares
Q,976.000 acres) brought an average
price of 5.41 pesos (s1.97) per hec.
tare (2.471 acres). The remaining
public lands in the Territory of Magel
Ian, consisting of about 1,756,S62 hec.
tares (4.341 600 acres). and which
were sold at public auction from 1904
to 1906, were disposed of at an aver.
age Of 7.27 pesos (S2.65) per hectare
can acres).
| 1t is estimated that there were
| 1881 head of sheep, 37,S04 head OF
horned cattle, 23,SSS head of horses
| 827 hogs, 122 mules, and 33 goats in
the Territory of Magellan in 1907. The
exports of wool through Punta Arenas
in 1905 consisted of 5,2S0,745 kilo
! grams (11,616,000 pounds, valued al
| 5,197 800 pesos ts1,s97 ,000), as com
! pared with 7,495,190 Kilograms 16,
100000 pounds),. valued at S,244,7O9
pesos (s3,009,317) in 1906. Practically
all of the wool and hides shipped from
southern Chile in 1906 went to Great
Britain, Germany and Belgium, the
| former country receiving about four
fifths of the entire output of these two
| products.
Several industries closely allied tc
and depending upon stock raising are
at present being exploited in the Ter
ritory of Magellan. In 1906 there were
seven tallow factories in the aforesaid
territory, having capital of 425, 00l
pesos (s155. 125}, With an annual out
put valued at 1,93a,O00 pesos (s704,
405). There are two refrigerating
plants In the territory. The one a,
Rio Seco has a capital of 1,500, 00(
pesos ($547.500l. In 1907 this plan,