Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-22
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varied. In the northern part OF. the
country 1t never rains. In the central
tervals, but down here in the south
they have Il rainfall OF 100 inches and
upwards per year. Naldivia has l03
inches, and further south there is more.
In some places the rain ia said to fall
thirteen months every year. This is
not true. still there are seasons when
the water pours down. and other
months when the sky Is clear. and
there is no rain at all. The latter
condition has prevailed during my stay.
Northern Chile is treeless. Central
Chile has groves OF eucalyptus and
South Carolina poplars, and its irrigat-
ing bitches and streams are lined with
magnificent trees. All of the trees OF
that region have been planted. The
central valley has naturally no trees.
although the land is so fertile that IL
YOU set out an oak II would grow
within fifteen years to the Neigh of
the virgin oaks OF our forests. a
eucalyptus Will reach TO "a height OF
aevcnty-tivc feet in II decade.
Southern Chile is Just the reverse OF
the north. 1t is Il land of forests, and
almost as we'll 'timbercd as was the
eastern part of the United states when
our nrst settlers came. Il has so much
wood that Chile Notwithstanding the
in proportion TO its area more forests
than any other country OF the world.
] rode through green fields with stumpS
scattered through them oil the way
from Conception to Temuco. Further
south men were cutting farms out OF
the woods, and here and there the
wheat was growing among the burned
timber, some OF which was SIN stand
ing. Here was 4 forest where the trees
had been stripped TO their bark close
TO the ground, ana there was one rundc
Of the skeletons OF trees killed in that
way. In the latter instance the bark
had dropped OF and the trunks and
branches were az white rs SO many
bones.
Al nearly every railroad station are
lumber yards containing piles OF fence
posts ties and building materials
stacked up awaiting shipment to thc
north Tho lumber is not good In com
parison with ours. IT is full OF knots
and cracks. The boards are narrow,
and they urc nothing like the fine wood
which comes to chile from California
and oregon and Washington. The
most OF the trees here are Antarctic
beech and pine. There are also hard
woods The forests are thin, and there
Is much underbrush among the trees.
II l.; Impossible 10 clear the land as We
do. on account of the trouble In getting
rid OF the Stumps Some OF the
farmers are now importing stump pull
crs from the United States, and not
u few are using dynamite. Ringing
and burning the trees leaves great
deal of dead timber, and the cultivation
cannot be we'll done until the dead
trees are on, by the roots.
After the land is cleared ii looks
nothing like similar land I'm the United
States. The fences are or barbed
wire. but there are large fields
n clean cultivation and fine barns and
houses AS In the United States. The
most of the buildings are log cabins
Of one story. rooted with straw or
slabs. They are put UP in rude way,
and but few OF them have gardens or
flowers. There are some good homes
owned by the Germans. but the native
Chlcnos live but little better than
s;,vages. They seem to he camping
out, rather Than settling down to build
up Il country.
The most o: the new land is devoted
10 wheat. This is the chief cereal Of
chile. the country producing some
thing like 100000 bushels per year.
Some cattle are raised. but here in the
south the animals arc ragged and lean.
and their meat IL chiefly used for max
ing charuuc, or dried beef. In the CEN
trail valley the animals are much bet
ter. and here and there you find Here
fords and Durhams.
The heavy work OF the farms. both
north and south, is done by oxen. Tie
team being Increased according to the
character Of The labor. 4 half dozen
Nokcs of oxen may he used in hauling
out timber, and it takes n long team
"a drag the wheat on carts over tho
mud roads TO the stations. The oxen
are yokcd by the horns. and they push
rather than pun. The yoke IS fast
pushing against the yoke the cart III
forced onward The animals in front
OF the first yoke. which pushes the
tongue. have ropes reaching from their
yokcs 20 the cart. This method OF
voril'nt; seems cruel, although The
natives claim IL liz not. When yokcd
Up. the oxen cannot move their heads
from side TO side. and they are driven
with long loads. which end i'll sharp
spikes. These Eoads are often go MGR
cilcssly used that the blood runs down
:he sides % the beasts.
The cultivation of the farms here is
now largely done with American ma
chincfy. see American wiad'nills
and American plows and reapers and
rhrashcrs almost everywhere. The
wire for the fences is furnished by
Orr steel trust, and there is scarcely
- farm that is not now using more or
less tools imported from tho United
states.
At The same time the old methods
move along side by eide with the new
Muoh OF the grain is still thrashed out
by mares on thrashing floors IN this
process the ground is pounded hard
and the shcavcs OF wheat are cut open
ana spread over II. Then drove Of
mares is driven around and around to
tread out the grain. The w;nnowing
IS done by throwing the straw into
the nir, ana The Uapging il by hand