The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-08-17

york aud IOndOn-The SOladeroS or |
Jrrkci Beef Factorics-Uruguay as
a Cattle Countrywide on the Is
tanciaS-Thc South American Cow
hoy-His Wages and Work.
i(copyright, 1915. by Frank c.. Car
penter.)
MONTEVIDEO. Uruguay.
The demand for meat by the ar
mites ia Europe has sent the prices
al attic Sky-high. The packing com
rluirs Of Uruguay are running at
trair fullest capacity, and the sales
rea held at Toblado. each morning,
arr among the sights of the world.
i1ubt if many of you have ever
hrttt If Toblado. 1t is the great at
tie market Of Uruguay. where steers
aul sheep by the thousands are
brought in for sale. The animals
come on foot and on the train from all
parts Of the republic. Some are
raised on the boruers of Argentina
and some on the edge of Brazil. 9th
or are from the heart of the coun-
IRIS. but altogether they represent the
picklugs of n stock country which is
more than twice as large oS indiana
and which now has something like
eight million cattle and twenty-five
uuiliun sheep. The live stock census
taken . year ago showed the domestic
animals to he thirty-five millions. The
country is a pastoral one. 1t is a roll
irs prairie with water everywhere for
tn stock. The soil is thin in places,
hut n has rich native grasses that
make excellent beef. The climate is
such that the vegetation is green all
tn" wear round and the cattle and
sheep feed out of doors from one
years md to the other. The lands
are awned in great eStanciaS or
ranches. some of which have as much
as two hundred thousand acres. The
average farm is more thar a thou
sand acres and there are single fields
Oi from one to five hundred acres.
u - from such regions that the ami
mails are now being driven to Monte
Yidco to he turned in to chilled beef
for the war.
In order to see the great cattle mar
ket | have spent the greater part OF
today at Toblado and have followed
the animals, bought there, across the
hills. to the big frigerifco owned by
Swift & Co, where they are turned
into beef. This frigerifco is situated
on the harbor at the Dot Of the little
mountain Oh hill from which Monte
video is named and the ocean steam
ers DAD beef there for the United
States and for Europe.
The frigerifico, which I shall de
scribe later. is by far the largest il
Uruguay. It's business is done undei
a native charter but it is run will
American capital and after American
methods. The nag are Ameri
cans trained in Chicago and othe
parts Of the United States and tn
same is true Of many Of the foremen
The bulk Of the other employees ar
natives.
| went out to Toblado in compan
with Mr.. Leo l.. DAILY, who is at tn
head Of the Uruguay branch Of Swift
& Co. We started very early in tn
morning for the sales begin at S a. m
and thousands of cattle are often sol
within a few hours thereafter. TIL
market is six miles from the city an
we o. out to it in AUTOMOBILES
Leaving the town we came right int
the open country. There were n
fences and we rode up hill and dow
the machines fairly flying over tn
reads.
Nearing Toblado we could hear tn
believing of the cattle and a Httl
later we were in the midst Of grea
herds of steers and flOcks of sheer
which covered a space of perhaps 10
acres. being herded by gauchOs. TIL
animals are not kept in Enclosure
There are no fences anywhere and tn
rolling country is covered with cattl
Some are in drOves of a few hundre
and some in drove Of a THOUSAND
Each drove is herded by gauchO
dark-faced men with pOnchos, divide
skirts and long riding boots. The
wear soft hats and each had a pole {
n whip. At the end of the pole is
hook to drag the cattle this way an
that. All the work is done upC
horseback. The men sit on great sac
dies with sheep-skins thrown ovt
Them and with stirrups as big arour
"a "A ~two-uuart tin bucket TT
horses go like polo ponies. wheelir
and turning at a touch of the knee.
The scenes are indesCribable ar
yet they represent the only real Gait
market of Uruguay. MOntevideO
thr Chicago of the republic and To
ado is the stock yards. AS | roc