Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-20

very carefully. Cattle are used as rat
exterminators. They are driven over the
ground and the rats in their burrows are
trampled to death by them.
The sheep farms OF TERRA del Fuego
are much like those OF Australia. They
are fenced with wire, and the sheep are
kept in large paddocks some of which
are as big as an average American
township. The ordinary flock contains
about 1000 head, and each flock has it's
own shepherd, aided by dogs The dogs
are Scotch collles, so intelligent that they
seem almost human. They will pick
any sheep from flock at the command
OF their master. who directs them by
motion OF his hand, which way to go, II
he waves to the front, they know they
are to go ahead. II he throws his hand
to the rear they come back. and the
holding up OF his hand in the air brings
them TO a standstill.
Ierders Are scotch.
The most OF the shepherds are Scotch
men, who came to the Strait Of Magel-
Ian on five-year contracts. They re-
ceive about $50 to $40 a month, and have
in addition house rent, fuel and meat.
Their houses are two or three-room
shacks scattered over the farm. The
fuel comes from the woods, and their
meat is mutton from the flocks they
herd. On the whole, the farms are al
most self-supporting.
| The most Important part of the year
at the Strait OF Magellan. is when the
shearing is done. This season begins in
January. and on the big ranches 1t may
last for two months. Much of the work
is done by professional shearers. al
though the shepherd comes in to help
handle the animals. On some Of the
farms this work is paid for by the
fleece. The present scale OF wages
fixes the rate at s413 per 100. or a
little more than 4 cents per fleece
When a man begins 10 shear he Is given
a booklet. in which is recorded the num-
Der Of animals he shears during tho
week and the amount of his credit. II
any dispute arises It is to be settled by
committee composed equally OF the
owners and employees. The company
furnishes the shears, and every man
gets three pairs OF shears at the start
and an additional pair for each ZOO
animals. At 4 cents a sheep the man can
make very good wages.
The average fleece OF wool now pro-
duced in TERRA del Pruego is much larger
than the average fleece 81 the United
States. II runs at seven and a hall
pounds and upward. The wool is OF good
quality, having a staple length OF three OF
four inches and selling at the same price
as the wool OF New Zealand. The sheer
are not washed and the wool is exported
in its greasy state. The most OF It goes
20 Great Britain. and the remainder to
Germany, Belgium and France. 1t IL
shipped in bales Of 4SO pounds net
Metropolis of Region.
i The capital Of the Chilean territory OF
the Masellans is Punta Arenas. Thls
place has now 5000 inhabitants and It Il
the metropolis Of the strait It Is stu,
ated on the mainland. facing the great
island OF TERRA del Fuego, Just about
half way between the Atlantic and the
Pacific oceans. II Is more than 100 miles
north OF Cape Horn. and IL has the whole
length Of the continent between It and
!. Panama.
Punta Arenas IL the southernmost cit,
OF the world. South America extend,
more than 1000 miles nearer the south
pole than Africa and Punta Arenas Il
LOO miles further south than Cape Town
There Is no city OF any size within 100
miles OF Il. and 1t IL now reached onl,
BY the steamers that pass through IN,
} Strait Of Magellan In the far future 4