The farmer and mechanic., 1915-03-23

Patagonia and Terra Del Fuego. |
Great Factories Which Freeze Nut
ton and I4amb-Hcw the Animals
Are Killed and Transported 10 EI-
roD,, at a Cost OF One Cent Pound.
tCoDyright, 1915 by Frank q. Car
Dcnter.)
BI7ENOS AIRES.
The war III Europe is seriously al
fectiny the wool market of Argentina
The. mills Of Belgium ere idle ana
those OF France are running at only
fraction OF their capacity. The eA-
ports 70 Germany are entirely cut OH.
and the only markets left are England
and the United States. Before the war
began France, Belgium, Germany and
Austria were taking about twc-thirds
If the wool clip, and the government
here is now asked to aid the wool
growers in increasing their business
with us. The clip OF this year will
amount 10 more than 25o, o,0O0,oo0
pounds, and the Mercado Central de
I'rutos is already packed with bales
waiting shipment abroad.
The Merc9do Central de t'rutoS IS
the largest wool market Of the world
Ia connection with Bahia Blanca, the
great port Of southern Argentina, 1t
handles practically AL Of the wool
crown ir the republic and something
like 100000, 900 pounds pass through
IL gfttl year. llC l1ldIhtl lS wv llSti
by q stock company, which has cap
ital II S., 1000, O0O in gold, and which
Tor 8 number OF years has been pay
ing dividends from 3 to Is per cent.
1t has buildings which cover acres,
ana ii is said to he the largest market
anywhere under one roof. The main
building Is of brick with q vast iron
roof supported by iron pillars, Of
which there are more than 2,50o. 1t
h1G I goo windows and H0 600
loaded with freight come into it every
Year 1t iS situated on the banks of
The BiaChuelo river, surrounded by q
network Of railways, and at such a
place that freight can come in by
ship from different parts Of the re-
public and go out on ocean vessels to
all parts Of the world The business
of the market is enormous. Something
like thousand ships load and un-
toad at its wharves every year, and it
takes care Of hides, grail, skins and
wool to the hundreds Of millions Of
DO' udS.
At 5heari time the Woo comes in
both on trains and on ships. There
are not enough cars to haul the crop
and the vast market is so packed that
You can hardly get through it. It>
three floors are stacked high with
bales of dirty, greasy wool, and the
carts and wagons that carry the WOO
from to-. trains and boats Ill the
streets. Much Of the work is done
with dyCraulic cranes, and the ar
ransomelt l. such that a great par
Of the clip goes from tho cars anC
ships direct - its place in the mar
k.t. Each mans wool is in pile b.
itself and So arranged that the buy
erS can easily examine it. The woo
Is sold unWaSncG. II L. said TO los
fifty per cent of its weight by bein:
cleaned, end the exporters say that
crosses the ocean better in an un
washed state The clip OF this yea
contains 80 much grease that when
thrust my hand in one Of the bales
came out shining as though l ha
dipped 1t in vaSeline, and I had to pu
on q cotton coat to save my clothc
from thc dirt
1he Avsentine wool crop is CROWN
In value. The quantity is not as grea
As II has been in the past. but IN
quality is steadily improving, ith
amount per sheep growing, and toda
The average fleece is one-third agai
As large AS il was in 1850. This
due u tn" Improvement brougf
about by the importation OF lin
stock
Every day or so there is an auctio
sale Of imported rams here, and NJ
long ago California Merino sold fe
5000 in gold. There is one esta1
S,ero VINO recently paid $4,000 +,
$50 imported sheep. and during n
stay In the country have seen a hui
dred rams which would sell at au,
tcn Tor $500 and upward apiece.
1he WOOL clip OF 1885 was sold f,
about $3S,OoQ,000, and since then
has risen as high in one years as s5s
poo, 900. In 1872 the amou..t recei
cd tor wool was s5s, 100000, and a
together. during the past generatio
the country has gotten q billion and
ha!1 dollars from its wool crop al
something like $500, 100000 from t
SheepSklns. This does not take in t
enormous receipts from frozen mutt
and lamb, which amount 70 hundre
81 millions more
II Is said that the sheep Of the woI
are falling Of IN number. l dou