The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924094658048 DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUEE, TICTOEIA^ ^ Being of white hair and skin, they have the reputation of not being able to stand a warm climate so well as the Poland-China, and at times show a tendency, the same as all other white breeds, to become liable to skin diseases, especially mange. The Berkshire is too well known to require a description. In the United States, the same as Australia, the Berkshire is distin- guished for producing a fine quality of pork, and for its great vigour and hardiness. In some states they are bred extensively, but the Poland-China appears to be the generally universal favorite. HOUSING AND HOG PADDOCKS. The American farmer, as a general rule, pays attention to the erection of good comfortable buildings for the care of his breed- ing .sows, and for quarters for the drafts of hogs he has selected 8 for fattening. The most successful men, and those who mako most money at it, provide warm substantial buildings ami cixpacious yards about them. The general plan, in erecting buildings, is to build them so that there is a good passage up the centre for laying a set of wooden rails, on which a trolly can. run for conveying barrels of cooked or slop food or water wbe:i necessary to the various pens or styes along either side. Tlieaa pens are partially open on the outward side to yards provided for each. Good attention is paid to proper drainage, and the floors, if not planked and battened to prevent slipping, arc paved with wooden blocks or stone. A high site, giving good drainage, is generally selected for these buildings and yards, and attention is paid to the keeping of them clean, as hogs will not thrive in filth and dirt the same as they will when their quarters are kept clean and warm. Generally the farmer has water laid in pipes from his well or windmill to the hog pens, so that plenty of good water is available for them. When carrying their young ones, the sows are separated from the other hogs and placed in small paddocks of an acre or so iu extent, in which is a comfortable shed for sleeping in. Here they have ample room for exercise, and are given plenty of food, but not too rich, as it does not do for them to become too fat, which results in small pigs, and in the sows doing badly in farrowing. The American farmer generally endeavours to have his crop of young pigs come in April, the first warm days in spring, attention having to be paid to this owing to the severity of the cold on young ones earlier in the season. When the sows are near their time they are removed to the comfortable pens in the building described, and provided with sufficient (but not too much) bedding. There is a danger of the young ones getting crushed or smothered with too great a depth of bedding. In the majority of breeding pons a rail or scantling is fastened, 6 inches from the floor, and the same distance from iho sides, to prevent any chance of the sow crushing any of the little one between the wall and herself. Great care is taken at this time to prevent loss of any of the litter if possible. The sows receive careful attention, and are given ;o of mere experiment, the great value of wheat for hog raising and fiittening, and by using it in this way the present loss attached to its pro- duction is greatly minimized. SLAUGHTERING AND CUEING, The farmer's hogs, when ready for market, if not sold locally to dealers and drovers, are consigned by rail to the nearest large stockyards, to be sold there privately or by auction. All selling is done by live weight. The present average price realized is about 5 dollars per 100 lbs., or as nearly as possible 2 J,d. per lb. The enormous number of hogs arriving daily at the larger stock- yards is a sight to witness. At Chicago, on a single day, 66,000 hogs have been delivered by rail. At the time of my visit 36,000 were in the yards. Nearly all the grer.t slaughtering and packing houses are sit- uated in close proximity to the stockyards, so that the hogs can pass on into their final stage or condition without much moving about or further handling. The various drafts sold each morn- ing areat once tiansfcrred to the yards attached to the packing houses. I visited two packing houses, the first being Cudachy's, at Omalia, Neliraska. At thii house 1,500 head of cattlo and ^,000 hogs were slaughtered, cured, and packed daily, 2,000 men being employed at it. The other establishment visited was Armour's, at Chicago. This is the largest iu tlie world. At the time of my visit 5,000 hogs and 3,500 head of cattle were being 15 slaughtered daily, and 5,000 people were employed on the works. When busy, the manager informed me, up to 6,000 employe* were at work on the place. They had also slaughtered and treated as many as 1 1,000 hogs in a single day. The hogs are passed from the yards, outside of the building, into a pen, holding about 100, inside of the establishment. Tliis- is continually being refilled as the hogs aro taken out of it. In this pen, in among the hogs, there is a man who catches each one by a hind leg, and slips the loop end of a chain up over the knuckle, where it cannot slip off. This chain is attached to run- ning gear overhead, and in an instant the hog is hoisted in the air, and, the gearing overhead being fitted with rollers, the pendant animal moves on past a man on a platform, Avho with a knife sticks it, and the rollers passes the slaughtered hog onward in the direction of the scalding vats. The pendant carcass hangs for about three minutes against a long string of others in their death throes or dead, and which aro continually being unhooked and dropped into a long wooden vat filled with hot water. As fast as the man in the pen can attach his continually descending chains to hogs' legs they are being hoisted, killed, and passed on, and the rapidity may bo judged from the fact that tho killing of 5,000 can be accomplished in three-quarters of a day. Very few visitors care to remain long in this portion of the building, the continual squealing fiirnisliinif a hog orchestra of a deafening character, this, added to tho S'lngninary appearance and surround- ings of tho bovine shambles, makes this tci'lion of the building if not a chamber of horrors at least a horrible chamber. Tho hogs on being dropped into the hot-water vat are stirred about with poles, the men working these to secure thorough im- mersion, and with them turning their bodies around, so that they are floated towards the bottom end of the vat at right angles across it. In the water, at the lower end of the vat, a revolving apparatus, with projecting arms like those on a paddle-wheel, lifts each floating carcass out of tho water on to a long inclined table. A man here attaches a hook into the wound in the hog's throat and a chain fastened to the hook run:dng in a groove in the table, worked by steam, dr.aws the hog down tho iuclino so that it passes through a series of revolving stool-blade scrapers, working at different angles so as to rub as much as possible tiie whole of the surface of the body and scrape tho hair oil it. On gctlin;? through those scrapers nearly all of the hair has been taken off, and, being unhooked, the carcass is passed on through the hands of at least twenty men, sfandii'.g on cither side of the still inclined table. These men have knives, and each cleans a portion of the body quickly as it passes onward. At the end of the table a man with marvellous rapidity removes each Iiead, and ■while so doing another one has slipped an iron gambrol through the ham strings, and a descending chain and hook elevates the headless body, and it by means of rollers on an inclined steel 16 beam overhead, passes onward through between a long line of men, each of whom does something to it. The first wash, the next clean by scraping, then further on the bodies are opened, and the insides removed, then cut down the back by the next man, and chopped down the backbone by others. The two sides re- mnin hooked on the one gambrel, then, by means of the inclined steel beams overhead and rollers, pass onward into a drying chamber. Here they liang for one and a half hours to dry, and are then moved onwards along the continuous inclined steel beams into a great refrigerating room. In this they have to remain for 48 horns to become thoroughly chilled. The refriger- ating chamber at Armour's has a hanging capacity for 15,000 hogs. From the slaughtering room to the refrigerator chamber, all the time, there is a continual stream of pork passing, no hog pausing more than a few seconds in any ono place, in the distance described ; each one passes through the hands of over 100 men, all working with the quickness and dexterity acquired from long and extensive practice. So perfect are all the labour-saving appliances throughout this portion of the building that the carcass of the hog never once requires lif i ing or moving by manual labour. The slightly-inclined overhead beams and the travelling rollers, which bear the w^eight of the pendant carcass, cause it to move along solely by the momenlura given by the weight of the body. From the refrigerating chamlier the overhead sleel beams lead into the cutting-up room, and the carcasses of pork, when chilled, are passed along them into it. Here are rows of long, strong tables, and the beams referred to pass directly over these. The carcasses on being pushed along, are unhooked from the gambrels and dropped on the tables, Avhcre they are rapidly dissected by expert butchers into hams, shoulders, sides of bacon, and other sections of hog products required. Alongside of each table arc the mouths of wooden shoots, which lead, at sloping angles, to the floors beneath. Into each of tlieso the various cut-up portions are placed, and each part slides away to its separate department below. In the salting department, in the basement, the hams, shoulders, and sides, on being salted, are built in separate stacks on the floor, immense quantities here being piled up undergoing this stage of curing. The basement is intersected with rails, on which low flat trollies run for conveying and removing the pork. It is unnecessary to describe in detail all the processes in opera- tion in the manufacture of hog products in these immense packing houses, the doing of which would necessitate the writing of a very lengthy article, which would be of little benefit to the Victorian farmer until the industry is further advanced in the colony." Everything about these great packing houses is carried ou on such a gigantic scale, and machinery and labour-saving appliances used, so as to reduce all cost of working to a minimum, that a descrip- tion of the details of their operations would furnish nothing that 17 onr fjirmers could benefit by at present. I may state, however, tli.it tliore is not a particle about a hog which is not made use of and converted into money in these great packing houses. Starting at first on a small scale all these great packing houses have gradiiall)- increased and developed their business and trade until the result is seen in the gigantic operations referred to. Great fortunes have been made by many of these packers, and their operations have also, at the same time, materially aided the advancement and progress of the farmer. Armour, the founder of the great p.icking house in Chicago, and who has also another large establishment, employing over 1,000 men, in Kansas city, commenced operations as a pork butcher. He is also one of the largest grain operators in Cliicago, and the princip.il shareholder in tlie Armour Elevator Company, which has eight elevators in the city, having a total storage capacity of 15,000,000 bushels. Ciidaliy, the founder of the packing house referred to in Omaha, was at one time in the employment of Armour, and afterwards started on his own account. These firms, also a number of other large ones, who in addition to hogs, slaughter and cure and pack beef, build, and own all the refrigerator cars used by them on the railways for conveyance of their meats to tlie seaboard or distri- buting points. Each firm has its cars painted a different colour, and the company's name painted in large letters thereon. The Aimour company has several hundred of these refrigerator cars running on the railway lines. By owning their own cars their operations are never hampered or inconvenienced for want of rolling-stock. It also furnishes an example of the energy and enterprise of the American people. In this report I have given as concisely as possible a statement of the position of tlie hog-raising industry in the United States. Its importance as a wealth-producing factor, both to the individual farmer and the nation, will be perceived. What has been accom- plished by the United States farmer in this direction is also quite possible of - achievement, on a smaller scale, by the Victorian farmer. The prices mentioned, both for the live hog and the cured product, indicate that with proper attention, care, and management by our farmers a good margin of profit exists to induce them to enter extensively into this enterprise. I may state that several gentlemen connected with the packing business made inquiries of the writer as to whether theie were any such establishments in Victoria, and also about the number of hogs produced in the colony. They stated that if a sufficient number were raised to warrant it that there would be no difficulty in getting an establishment in operation to handle them. 18 LIVE STOCK AND FROZEN MEAT EXPORTATION FROM THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. The successful and profitable exportation of the surplus stock of Australia to the old world markets of Europe, whether in the form of frozen meat or by shipment in a live condition, is a matter of supreme importance to it at the present time. No colony has greater interest in the successful development of this trade than Victoria. Apart from finding a market for the surplus stock within her own territory, a very large area of the pastoral country of New South Wales and Queensland is owned by Victorians and worked by Victorian capital, thereby giving her a deep interest in solving the problem now engrossing the attention of those colonies. By some means markets must be found for, and our surplus stock transported thereto, in a manner wbicli will leave some margin of profit on the operation to the producers. Failure to accomplish this simply means ruin to a large section of the community who have their all invested in stock rai;-i'.ig. To the farmers of Victoria who combine grazing witli agricultiu'al operations, and depend on the profits derii'ed from tbe former to counteract the unprofitable results attending the latter during the past three seasons of low prices, the question referred to is one of serious import. The price now being obtained for frozen meat on the London market leaves neither shippers or producers any great margin of profit, and if something cannot be done in the way of opening up new markets for it on the Continent or else- where, or ill shipping our stock in a live condition (in wbicli form it realizes a higher price) profitably to Europe, it will certainly fall in value with us, so as not to pay the cost of raising. One of the countries coming into severe competition with Australia in the exportation of its surplus sheep and cattle is the Argentine Republic, and perhaps at the present juncture, some information, gathered during my recent visit to that country about its trade in this direction, and of its pastoral resources, may be of use to Victorian graziers and farmers. Australia is quite capable of holding its own with the United States or Canada in producing and exporting meat, the severe winters in those countries, and the cost of stall-feeding cattle and artificial feeding of sheep (an absolute necessity with them) counterbalancing tlso benefits derived from the lesser freight paid for the shorter passage across the Atlantic. Farmers iu Canada and in various parts of the United States informed me that when the cost of feeding was considered, the prices now paid them by buyers for Europe loft them no profit. The Argentine Republic, however, enjoys a climate similar to that of Australia. Stock raising is carried on under conditions 19 much the same as with us, and she occupies the position of being our most formidable competitor in producing extensively and cheaply. In my article on grain production in the Argentine Republic, a general description was given of the physical character of the territory embraced by it, and further repetition will not be necessary. The area of it was stated to bo 1,212,600 square miles, or a little more than one-third that of Australia. About 800,000 square miles of this area are open level or gently undu- lating pampas or plains. These pampas, generally, are well suited for grazing and stock raising. Large areas in certain provinces have a coarse wiry grass growing on tliom not good for fattening, but on the other hand, innuenso tracts of country are covered witli good, sweet, nntritious native grasses, excellently adajited for fattening sheep and cattle. Lucerne, or alfalfa as it is termed, grows well almost anywhere on the pampas, and with especial luxuriance in certain parts of the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, aud Cordoba. The total number of cattle in the Argentine Republic in 1888 was stated to be 22,870,000, and the present number must bo largely in excess of this. In 1860 the total number of sheep was but 14,000,000, and in 1891 there were 85,152,700. A consider- able addition to those figures would require to be made in stating their present numbers. The province of Buenos Aires, containing 120,900 square miles, is tlie mo.st important pastoral territory in the republic. The figures of Mr. Gibson, the best writer and most eminent authority on stock breeding and raising in the republic, and whose family have for 70 years occupied one of the largest and best-managed estancias in Argentina, may be quoted in order to show the grazing capabilities of the province referred to. He shows the grazing areas of it classified as follows, with the num- ber of sheep on each section, and the average number carried per square mile. PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES. Carrying Capacity fok Sheep. Pastoral Area in Number of Average Number Square Miles. Sheep. per Square Mile. Sec. 1 ... 48,415 ... 48,144,000 ... 995 See. 2 ... 36,840 ... 14,279,000 ... 388 Sec. 3 ... 18,260 ... 2,417,000 ... 132 Sec. 4 ... 6,770 ... 523,000 ... 77 Total 110,285 65,363,000 592 Cattle ... ... ... 10,422,000 Horses... ... ... 2,020,000 B 2 20 Mr. Gibson states that it must be remembered " that the cattle and horses mentioned are also grazing on the area of 110,285 square miles referred to. Further, that the land devoted to agri- culture, about 5,000 square miles, and the land taken up in town- ships, &c., has not been deducted from the area calculated as pastoral land. Assuming that a cow consumes as much pasture ftS five sheep, and a horse as much as seven, the natural pastures of the province of Buenos Aires maintains stock at the rate of 186 slicep per 100 acres." Many estancias carry two and three sheep per acre. It will thus be seen that this province must have excellent natural pasture land to carry the large amount of stock referred to. Droughts occur at times, also visitations of locusts, and large numbers of stock then perish ; but, looking backwards, these do not seem at any period to have had any effect in giving more than the slightest temporary check to stock raising. Lucerne grows so well almost everywhere that a great deal of the loss of stock, by drought, could be prevented by sowing this mora extensively. Good fresh water is obtiiinable everywhere by sinking to a depth of from 15 to 50 feet. Where there are no streams, numbers of wells are put down in different jilaces on the estancias, and the water is drawn up with large buckets and a wire rope, by a horse working in the same manner as in a " whip" in shaft-sinking to certain depths in Victoria. Troughs are provided for its recep- tion, and for stock to drink out of. A man and horse can, in this way, water 1,000 head of cattle per diem. This primitive manner of water-drawing for stock throughout the republic, and the absence of windmills for doing the work, is very striking. The reason assigned for the continuance of this system is that horses and men can be obtained so clieaply for the work. Large tanks excavated, the same as in Australia, for water storage are not met with, and evidently would not answer, as all water seen in swamps or depressions on the pampas, during the hot weather, was in a state of stagnation, owing no doubt to the absence of lime in the surface soil, and the presence of so much "humus " or vegetable matter. Perhaps one of the largest stock-breeding estates in the world is to found in the southern portion of the province of Buenos Aires, 60 miles from the port of Bahia Blanca. This is called the Curamalan Estate, and is owned by a company. It has an area of 700,000 acres, and out of this 160,000 acres are under cultivation, having been disposed of for this purpose under the "colony" system to Russian, Italian, and French colonists. On the balance of the estate the stock kept amounts to 300,000 sheep, 50,000 cattle, and 18,000 horses. The clip of wool on the estate for 1892 amounted to 1,410,000 lbs. The railway from l^ueuos Aires to Bahia Blanca passes through the estancia. The land on the estate was obtained as a concession from the Government seventeen years ago, this portion of the Argentine Rei)iiblic being 21 but little knowa then, frequent raids of the Patagonian Indiana making the life of the early settlers of it at that time a very dangerous one. An ordinary estaneia has about 10,000 head of cattle, and these are divided into herds of 2,000, two men attending to each herd. The wages of men amount to about £15 per annum and found. The " gauchos," who are the stockmen of the pampas, are chiefly half-breeds of the Spanish-Indian races, many indeed being pure Indians. They are rery good horsemen, and use the lasfo to perfection. In the j)rovince of Entre Rios, between the Parana and Uruguay Rivers, containing 31,600 square miles, there were in 1890 i, 100,000 cattle and 4,900,000 sheep. A portion of this province being rather low lying, is splendid cattle country. There are in it nineteen " saladeros" (establishments for drying and salting beef, chiefly for Brazilian and West Indian expor- tation) wheie 400,000 cattle are killed annually, and 13,000 tons of beef exported. The Konimerioh factory for meat extract commenced its oper- ali'ins iii 1891, gradually extending its operations until 1892, in which year it slaughtered 110,000 head of cattle. This company had a capital of £360,000, and is capable of treating 200,000 liea'l of cattle per annum. Its nnuual output is 300 tons of meat extract, 9,000 tons of salt beef, 900 tons of boiled beef, and 15,C00 tons of meat-meal. The company owns estancias having an area of 250 square miles and 60,000 head of cattle. Recently this company ainalga- niatcd with the Liebeg Company, of Tray Bentos, in Uruguay. This latter company, whose extract of meat is so well known, in the season kills up to 1,000 head of cattle daily, nearly all obtained from the Argentine Republic. Siinta Fe, the principal agricultural province, has 2,330,000 cattle and 2,920,000 sheep. In this province many estancia- owners are finding out the advantages of growing lucerne exten- sively for stock fattening, the soil being specially adapted for its growth. In no part of Victoria have 1 ever seen lucejiio grow so luxuriantly without irrigation as in the province of Santa Fe, and the appearance of immense fields of it, thickly dotted over with cattle and sheep, was a sight to remember. The general practice is to purchase drafts of 3^ to 4 years old store bullocks from other parts of the country, and place these on the alCiilfa pastures, and so fatten them up for shipment to Europe. From time to time representatives of the firms in Buenos Aires engaged in shipping' stock go around the estancias and purchase drafts of fat cattle and sheep, sending their men afterwards to take delivery of them, and load them on the trucks at the nearest rail- way point as soon as a ship to receive them is put on the berth. In this way they are put on board ship fresh and sound from the pastures without undergoing the deterioration inseparable from a long journey when driven. 22 In the vicinity of Las Rosas I visited one of the finest estancias in the province of Santa Fe. This was called " California Estancia," and was owned by Mr. J. Benitz, an American gentle- man, a native of the Golden Slate. The estancia consiatC'l of three leagues (or 20,000 acres) of undulating pampa country, all excellent soil. Finding it well adapted for lucerne, Mr. Benitz let the property out in small sections to "colonists" to grow wheat upon for two seasons, so preparing it for sowing witli lucerne the third year. He has now got 18,000 acres of the estate under this fine fodder plant, anil in a short time will have the balance sown also. The land is subdivided into six paddocks, and the stock is transferred from one to the other as feeding-ofE is required. Last season Mr. Benitz informed me he had fattened 12,000 head of cattle on the lucerne, and, in addition, had on the same land 7,.;iOO sheep, 260 brood mares, and 500 pigs. The sheep and cattle fed together in the same paddocks, and I was informed that there never had been .any necessity to keep them separate. The sheep were of the Hampshire Downs breed, a class found to do very well on this pasture. Even where heavily stocked the lucerne was not less than 9 inches high, and in other paddocks 2 feet long — wonderfully strong and luxuriant. Locusts were very bad at the time of my visit, the leaves of the trees and vines in tlio homestead garden being all e.aten by them, yet their damage to the Ir.cjrne was hardly noticeable. Mr. Benitz stated that they did not seem to care about eating the lucerne where it was feJ olf, only damaging il when it attained a high strong growth. They then barked the strong stems. After passing over it the lucerne soon recovered its vigorous growth, more especially if receiving a shower of rain. In the neighbourhood of Las Kosas and north- wards, areas of alfalfa on estates of from 1,000 to 4,000 acres are frequently met with, and the smaller agriculturists everywhere appeared to be going in for growing it. Before proceeding further, it may be as well to refer more fully to the production of alfalfa in the Argentine Republic, as it promises to become a great factor in aiding stock raisers there to fatten for the European markets, and in addition furnish a good cheap food for feeding stock on ship-board when forwarding them in a live condition to Europe. When sowing lucerne down on new land, the cost per " square " (an Argentine land measurement consisting of 4 English acres) is stated to be — Breaking up soil ... Cross-ploughing Harrowing and sowing Covering in seed and rolling 25 kilos of seed at 75 cents. ... Value, dols. cents. ... 5 ... 4 50 ... 45 ... 1 25 ... 17 25 Total ... 28 75 23 Willi gold at a premium of 250, this amounts to £1 14s. 6d. per " square,'' or 8s. 7Jd. per acre. If sown with the last wheat crop, as it generally is under the "colony" system (referred to in the article on wheat production), it is estimated to cost only 18 dollars 75 cents (£1 Is. 2d.) per "square," or 5s. 3^d. per acre. Tlic cheapness of land and its quality have also been referred to fully in another article. The area under lucerne in 1893 was stated to lie 3,000,000 acres, and has undoubtedly increased largely since then. Lucerne liay is exported largely to Brazil, and cattle shippers find that any Rurplns of it, at the termination of the voyage to Liverpool or London, cau always be disposed of profitably. One stock shipper iiifuimod me that he found it repaid him to have from 10 to 20 tons shipped ou each steamer in excess of actual requirements to tlic ports named, as it always sold readily. The adiiptability of the Argentine Republic for its production would seem to indicate that the export of it will yet take next place to that of wheat and maize. The cost of cutting, baling, and delivering it at a railway station, say, 7 or 8 miles distant are stated to be 17s. 4d. per ton. The general average price is about 35s. to £2 per ton. The most improved American presses are used for baling it, and, when in good condition and well cured, it cau be subjected to an immense pressure, so that the bales occupy but a small space for lailway transit or in shipment. From four to five crops of it can be reaped each season. It. has become a common practice in the province of Santa Fe for agriculturists to cultivate lucerne and then let it out for depastur- ing to large stock-owners or cattle dealers, who buy up forward stores and then fatten them by this means ready for shipment. The rent paid for alfalfa pasture for this purpose varies, but is generally Is. to Is. 4d. per head of cattle per month in summer, and 2s. 8d per head in winter. One " square" (4 acres) of well- established lucerne is expected to carry on an average four animals iu summer and two in winter. In summer, however, after heavy rain, as many as fourteen or fifteen animals are put on per "square " to keep down the growth of this wonderful fodder plant. The piovinee of Cordoba has 1,300,000 cattle and 1,386,000 sheep ; Corrientes, nearly 2,000,000 cattle and 650,000 sheep ; Santiago, 600,000 cattle aud 800,000 sheep. The other Andean provinces have smaller amounts. The pampas to the west and south of the province of Buenos Aires, including the partially- sctlled portions of Patagonia, are stated to have 9,000,000 sheep and about 1,600,000 head of cattle. The extensive Chaco province to the north contains some splendid cattle country, the climate being similar to the downs portion of Queensland. Mr. Bcnitz, the owner of the California estancia referred to, informed the writer that he Iiad recently purchased a large tract of pastoral country in the Chaco (some 300 miles distant from his other 24 property) with, a view of raising cattle tliore, anil afterwards trans- ferring them to his alfalfa-sown estancia to cooipleto their fatten- ing for the Enropcan shipment. The foregoing description will convey some idea of the extent of stock raising in the Argentine Eepublic, and its poisiblo develop- ment. General reference will now be made to the class of stock raised, showing the change taking place (more especially in sheep breed- ing) through efForts being made by the Argentines, to adopt themselves to requirements of European markets. Sheep were Introduced to this portion of South America, by the Spaniards, 345 years .'igo. The history of their subsequent deterioration to the level of an inferior type of partially wild wool-producing animal need not be referred to liere. In the beginning of the present century eflbrts were commenced to improve matters by introducing bettor classes of sheep, chiefly merinos, frosn other countries. The early inferior breeds even- tually became supplanted by a fair, and in many places, excellent class of merino. The merino was tlie universal breed througiiout t'le republic until about 1882, when the merits of tlie Lincoln began to be recognised by many of tbe principal breeders. A. better demand for long wool helped greatly to cause a movement to take place in the way of crossing the Lincoln with the merino. In 1883 two largo establishments were built, one by Messrs. Drabble, at Carapana, on the Parana, the other by the Sansinena Company, near Buenos Aires, for freezing mutton. These were followed by others, and at the present time there are five immense establishments in the Argentine Republic for freezing mutton, having a capacity for treating 3,000,000 carcasses per annum. Consequent on the demand for freezing purposes of a larger carcass than the merino could supply, also the ready sale for long wool referred to, a great and rapid change in sheep breeding took place. Mr. Gibson, in his work on sheep breeding in the republic, slates : — " It is probable that at the present time nearly one-half of the total sheep in the Argentine own to one cross or more with the Lincoln or Leicester breeds, chiefly the former. The fine merino or mestizo, that is those entirely free from contamina- tion with the long wools, arc chiefly to be found in the north and north-west of the province of Buenos Aires, in the provinces of Cordoba, Santa Fe, and Entre Eios, and the Pampa Central. A few runs are still to be found in tlie east and south of the province of Buenos Aires, where there are pure merino flocks, but these are generally standard farms, which have obtained celebrity for their produce, and command a market for their rams and increase. Judging from the continued and still increasing demand for Lincoln sires, it may be presaged that, in another four or five years, the pure merino or mestizo slock left in tlie Argentine will be a very small fraction of the whole. The years 1888 to 189 1 are 25 witnessing the conversion of 50,000,000 sheep from one typo to anotlier. A conversion profitably without parallel in the ann Is of the sheep-breeiling industry. He further states — " Not only doss the Lincoln cross supply a saleable fleece of excellent quality and weight, but it also gives the European market the carcass most in favour of the public — a medium sizo of sweet flavour. " Tho cross si ill preserves the flavour so well known in all the merino broods, and at the same time possesses, by re.ison of its Lincohi blood, a capacity for fattening not enjoyed by the pure fine wool. When, however, the cross becomes of a foo pro- nouiiced Lincoln type, the rantton loses Its quality, gaining ton- sldorablo weight in its place. The home markets look upon frozen mutton so inferior to that produced in the old world, that they have not yet prononnced In favour of any special breed ; but the day cannot bo far distant when this v/ill cease to be the case, and then tho course-grained pure Lincoln will fall in disfavoiu- with the freezing establishments. " Further remarks by Mr. Gibson on the difference In prices of Argentine and New Zealand frozen mutton, also on the com- mercial aspect of the freezing bnsinoss, may be quoted : — " The reason why Argentine mutton averages an inferior price to that of New Zerdand has a threefold explanation. In the first place, New Zealand possesses to-day a mutton-producing breed superior to that grovi'n on tho Plate. In tho second, ti.e New Zealiin ler feeds his stock during the winter time with extra forage, whilst In the Argcntino the sheep are allowed to graze upon the same bare pampa during the dead season. The result of this is that the New Zoalander produces an even well-grown carcass, whilst there Is sent homo from the Argentine one upon whicli a hasty covering of fat has been put during the spring months of the year. The difference between the two caicassos will readily be noted by any one who cares to pay a visit to Smitlificld. Thirdly, the freezer in New Zealand fieezes the mutton on account of tho breeder, and In Argentine the freezer buys from the breeder. The disadvantage of the latter system, so long as the breeder has no knowledge of the requirements of the market, is apparent. The New Zealander selects his wethers with care, rejecting any which will give an inferior waiglit, or which are insufficiently fattened for the butcher. He remits (hem in small droves to the freezing establishments, and tiikcs every care that they arrive in perfect order. The Argentine breeder, on the other hand, makes a contract with the represen- tative of the freezer to sell a given number, and the latter binds himself to remove them within a certain date. The breeder endeavours to sell the greatest number possible, and it is easily comprehended that the buyer who selects from a farm, carrying anything between 10,000 and 100,000, must, perforce, rcnnve many wethers unfit for the meat market. The freezer l.a- 26 probably extensive paddocks, but lie cannot fatten up the great quantity of store stock which arrives together with the fat wethers ; they must alike go to the butcher's knife, and so the mutton whicli comes to tlie European consumer is of inferior quality, and more uneven than that imported from New- Zealand. " Nevertheless, the conversion of the freezer into a mere commis- sion agent is not the most felicitous solution of the frozen meat question. There must exist some intelligent observation of the market to determine when to remit supply and wlien to withhold it. The breeder is not iu a position to do this, and the individual eHect of iiis own produce would not materially influence tlie price list either way. Tlie freezer should assuredly be an interested party. The best system, therefore, and one already in some use in the Argentine, is to establish a scale of prices proportionate to the dead-weiglit return of the slieep sent in by the breeder. This would stimulate the sheep raiser to turn out wethers of an even weight and quality, and secure to tlie freezer remunerative prices at home." From the foregoing statement, made by one of the most promi- nent sheep breeders in the Argentine, it will be seen that sheep breeders in that country liave endeavoured, as promptly as possible, to adapt themselves to certain altered requirements in the wool trade, and also provide an animal suitable for freezing or shipping in a live condition. That they are keenly alive to making tlieir export business in frozen meat a success, and ai-e endeavouring to profit by any better methods of detail in vogue iu New Zealand, is shown by the latter remarks made by Mr. Gibson for the benefit of Argentine sheep breeders. The result of this ready adaptation is that at the present time the Argentine Republic has a supply of the class of slieep required by tlie European consumer, and is able to maintain a place in the front rank as an exporter of tlicm, both in a frozen or live condition. The names of the large freezing companies of the Argentine Republic are: — The Sansinena Co., Nelson's New River Plate Co. Ltd., Messrs. O'Connor & Co., River I'latc Meat Co. Ltd., and Drabble Bros. The Highland Scot Tin Canning Co. Ltd., at Qiiilino's, 20 miles from Buenos Aires, is an extensive industry, established two years ago for canning beef and mutton. In addi- tion to handling upwards of 1,000 head of cattle per day, the factory can also treat 2,000 sheep per diem, freezing those carcasses suitable for exportation, and canning the smaller and inferior animals. The total exports of frozen sheep in 1892 amounted to 25,041 tons, and for last year — 1894 — 36,485 tons, a very great increase ill so short a period. Cattle in Argentina were at one time simply raised for the returns furnished by them in the shape of hides, bones, and tallow, 27 these, 50 years ago, constituting most important items of export from the republic. The animals were of an inferior breed, their chief characteristics being thick hides and ■well-developed horns. Large numbers of these animals are still in existence in some proviuces, and a considerable percentage of the cattle almost everywhere retain some of the bad points of their progenitors. Effort, however, has been made by importation of good stock to improve the bread, the result being that on many large cattle estancias the old typo has been entirely supplanted by a good large-framed excellent beef animal. Durham or shorthorns have been largely introduced, and special attention to further and more extended improvement of breeds is sure to be given in the future, consequent on the great development taking place in the export of live cattle to Europe. For many years a large export trade in live cattle from Argen- tina to Brazil has been carried on. The Brazilians 'wore never very critical in reference to the class of cattle shipped to them, only requiring a passable fairly-conditioned animal. The large business done with that country also in dried or jerked beef did not require any specially good class of cattle. For the wants of the European consumer good cattle must be supplied, and apparently every effort has been and is being made to provide them. When in the Argentine Republic, I met with a former Aus- tralian in the person of Mr. Daniel Kingsland, a member of a firm who are the largest shipper.s of live cattle and sheep from that country to Europe. Mr. Kingsland is looked on as the pioneer of the great live stock shipment trade from Argentina to Europe, having made a commencement at it seven years ago. By untiring attention to this business, travelling time after time personally on steamers carrying their shipments of stock from Buenos Aires to Eniiland, until he acquired a knowledge of every detail necessary to insure success, he has thoroughly marfcreJ all the difficulties connected with it. Every point and detail in connexion with fittings, feeding, watering, and attention to animals in course of shij)ment has been carefully studied by Mr. King.?land until he has been able to arrange everything relating thereto in the most perfect manner possible. By this means his company has been able to extend its operations yearly, so that at the time of my visit, during the height of the seiison, they were shipping 1,000 head of cattle and 5,000 sheep weekly to England. Mr. Kingsland furnished me with a considerable amount of information relating to live-stock shipment. He gave me, and I accepted, an invitation to accompany him on a visit to several large stock estancias in the interior to see the class of animals purchased for shipment, and to witness their subsequent loading on the steamers. All live stock exported from the Argentine Republic to Europe is shipped thence entirely on the decks of grain-carrying steamers. 28 Tlic deck space of all tliese vessels is chartered by live-stock shippers, tlie lower deck for cattle and tlie upper for sheep. If only the main deck is available it is reserved for cattle-loading, and a temporary upper deck is constructed of strong frame work bolted together, and close pine flooring nailed on this, on which pens aro fixed. Steamers load their grain cargoes at Rosario, then drop down the river to Buenos Aires, and enter the docks, where carpenters at once proceed to fit up the decks withstnlls, pens, &c., for reception of stock ; large numbers of men working night and day on each vessel in order to complete the work quickly. All deck space has been previously measured off, so as to allow an exact allotment for each animal. For each slieep 6 superficial feet of space is allowed, and for each bullock 8 feet in length clear, by 32 inches in width. The sheep pens are pro- vided with small trout;hs (formed by nailing three boards together) p;issing along the end of each for holding food or water. Larger ones are fixed along the cattle stalls. All the fittings required are of pine, and this being admitted duty free from the United States costs (including erection, &c.) only 7s. 6d. per head for cattle. Concerning the average number of cattle and sheep carried by an Argentine stock vessel, a faiily accurate idea maybe obtained. When in London I obtained from ilesr,;s. I'ritchard and Moore, of Smithfield (the English representatives of the Anglo-Argentine Stock Agency Company), a list of the ships chartered by them this season so far. These numbered 51 steamers, all of which had arrived and discharged their stock at Liverpool and London prior to 11th April. This fleet (all grain laden in addition) carried a total of 8,327 head of cattle, 43,853 sheep, and 127 horses. Of these steamers 45 were laden with both cattle and sheep, five with sheep, and one with cattle only. This -would give an average of 181 head of cattle and 954 sheep to each steamer, carrying both on board. The two largest cargoes were taken by the steamers llnrona, carrying 570 bullocks and 2,000 sheep ; and the City of Lincoln, with 630 bullocks and 750 sheep. Cattle and sheep for shipment are brought down by train from cstancias in the interior, and conveyed direct alongside of the shipping docks. The Enenos Aires docks, covering an area of 165 acres, have been excavated and constructed clear of the La Plata Kivcr (like those on the Yarra), aud are among the finest in the world. They were completed at a cost of £6,000,000, the stone in them having to be brought from Monte Vide in Uruguay. Excellent stock- yards have been erected at several places near them and within 80 feet of where the vessels to receive live stock lay. The stock is placed in these yards and loaded from them by means of a box-sling and a steam crane direct on to the vessels. The box-sling used has an open top, and swing doors front and rear. '29 The Imllocks are driven out of the main yard up a narrow " crush," from whence, one at a time, they enter the box-sling. Here expert gauchos slip and fasten a strong rope around the animal's horns for the purpose of securing the animal in its stall on the ship. The crane is set in motion and the sling elevated and swung quickly and easily on to the deck, the door is raised and the animal is soon in ils stall and fastened securely by its head-rope. Sheep are also loaded in the box-sling, and transferred quickly by it to their pens on deck. Notwitlistand- ing that many of tiio cattle received from large cstancias arc in- clined to be "lively," they are handled by men who know their work in such a manner that no hitch occurs. The bullocks shipped are crosses of tlie shorthorn or Durham, of an average live weight when purchased of 1,400 lbs. These cost the shipper, at the time of my visit, from £7 to £7 10s. per head on board ship. The sheep are crossbred Lincoln or Leicester, and have an average live weight of 135 lbs. each, and cost from 13s. to los. when put on the ship. The voyage for a grain steamer laden with live stock from Buenos Aires to London occupies on an average 30 days, and is generally a fairly smooth passage, especially in the months of January, February, and March when the bulk of the shipments take place. The principal feed used for stock on board these steamers is alfalfa hay, well pressed into handy bales ; the best quality only is u.scd. This costs on an average £2 5s. per ton f.o.b. In addition to this crnshed maize and bran are used, especially for sheep. The consumption of food by animals is 25 lbs. for each bullock and 5 lbs. for each sheep per day. The consumption of water is 10 gallons per bullock and 1 gallon per sheep per diem. An agreement is generally entered into between the shipper of stock and the shipping agents, the text of which, as it gives some information, may perhaps be quoted in extenso. The following is a copy of one : — " Shipping Agreement. " We hereby agree to let Mr. Thos. Brown, representing the Live Stock Company, all the deck space, &c., for the purpose of carrying live stock (cattle, horses, or sheep), on the following conditions : — '•' Place of loading— " Destination — " Price — "Fittings — "Animals to be placed on board by shipper ; ship giving use of winches and gear, if necessary. " Wharfage on account of shipper. 30 " Ship to provide fresh water ; if condensed to be properly- cooled, at the rate of 10 gallons a day for cattle and horses, and 1 gallon per day for sheep ; ship to provide tanks or casks on deck for deposits of same ; shipper to provide buckets and other implements. " Ship to carry sufficient fodder at the rate of 25 lbs. per day for cattle and 5 lbs. per day for sheep for a voyage of days ; seven days' fodder to be landed free of freight, and any surplus over this to be paid for at current rates. " tons space measurement to be allowed under hatches for the stowage of fodder, and the balance to be carried on deck or hatches, but to be covered over with sails or tarpaulins by ship to prevent it being damaged by rain or salt water. " Ship to provide passage for a foreman cattleman, who is to live apart from his men, and also to receive a return second-class passage to Buenos Aires ; also to carry one cattleman for every 25 cattle or horses or 150 sheep, or part of same number. " Should the foreman cattleman require any assistance in clear- ing away manure to keep the ship clean, ship to give the necessary assistance. " Seven days' notice to be given by ship of her being ready to receive animals, and should she be not ready to receive within 48 hours from the expiration of the notice, ship to pay main- tenance of the animals at the rate of 1 dollar (equal to Is. 2d.) per day for cattle and horses and 50 cents (7d.) per day for sheep until they are loaded. " Twenty-four daylight weather working hours to be allowed for placing animals on board, time to count from when installations are ready and cargo finished, no broken days to count ; and twelve daj'light weather working hours for the discharge of animals. " If installations belong to shipper, twelve daylight working hours additional to be allowed to remove them and manure ; but if installations belong to ship they are to be cleaned on ship's account. " In the event of horses being shipped, if steamer is not going into a dock in London, she will land her horses at wharf, Black- wall ; Liverpool horses to be landed at the dock ship goes to. " In the event of steamer being detained by shippers, demurrage to be paid at the rate of per daylight weather working hour. "All other conditions as per bill of lading." Shipping freights for cattle range from £3 10s. to £5 per head. The latter is the price generally quoted, but owing to the plenti- tude of shipping offering this season at the River Plate, consequent no doubt on the grain crop of Argentina falling far short of pre-liarvest anticipations, a wide range of cattle freights are named. Sheep freights arc from 10s. 6d. to 12s. 6d., the average being probably about lis. per head. The persons sent in charge of cattle and sheep in course of shipment are selected steady reliable men, having a thorough 31 knowledge of stock. A class of these can now be found, who, from the frequency with which they have made ocean trips with live stock, are thoroughly trained to the work. Mr. Kingsland has had his head men so trained, and ail shipping details perfected in such a manner that the percentage of losses of stock in ship- ment has been reduced to a minimum as far as liis company's opc-rations are concerned. Ho informed me that their losses of cattle on ship-board amount only to 1 per cent., and of sheep 2 per cent. Heavy losses, however, occasionally do occur yet on sorao vessels. A few days before leaving Buenos Aires a steamer, named the Rolland, sailed for Liverpool with 250 head of cattle between decks. The German steamer, on which the writer travelled, encountered heavy weather and high seas between the equator and the Ciinarj' Islands. On putting into Las Palmas (a port in the Canaries) to take in coal, we found the Rolland just arrived there also for the same purpose, and ascertained that she had lost 44 head of cattle out of her complement whilst passing through the same bad weather experienced by us, The immediate cause of this great loss was stated to be insufficient ventilation, resulting in the animals dying. With a view of obtaining a full insight into the details of stock managoment and feeding in course of shipment, the writer arranged to travel from Buenos Aires to Liverpool on a live-stock steamer, and went so far as to partly secure a passage on tho Urmston Grange, a new vessel, built with certain improvements for stock-carrying. Owing, however, to certain alterations having to be made in her, and her sailing being postponed from day to day, I took my passage in another vessel. The Urmston Grange succeeded in getting away soon after us, with 418 bullocks and 1,600 sheep, and arrived in Liverpool prior to my departure from Loudon for Australia. Calling on her London agents to ascertain how she had fared, they informed me that tweoty head of bullocks had died on board of her during the passage, some rough weather having been mot with. The Urmston Grange has been chartered to load a shipment of live stock from Sydney to London, her next trip being to Australia for this purpose. She is au entirely new vessel, with more space between decks for cattle shipment and better ventilated than other vessels noticed as engaged in the Argentine live-stock trade, and shculd there.'ore prove to be a good steamer for taking au Australian shipment. Cattle shipped from the Argentine Republic to England are all slaughtered within ten days of arrival, at Liverpool or Deptford. An exceptionally good grass season in the Argentine liepublic this year and the consequent abundance of fat stock gave a great impetus to this live-shipment business. Eains had fallen from time to time through the summer, causing an abundant growth of feed, and stock therefore were in splendid condition everywhere. 32 Stock-owners in most provinces stated that it had been one of the best seasons for grass ever experienced by them. The total number of cattle shipped from the Argentine Re- public during the year 1894 amoun(ed to 220,490, aud sheep 122,218. Of the cattle, however, the larger proportion have been exported to Brazil, the number shipped to Europe only not being ascertainable. On putting the question to Mr. Kingsland — Do you think we can ship live cattle from Australia to Europe profitably? He replied that he was sure we could if tho matter was properly gone into, and we understood how to proceed about it. Having, however, recently been in England when a consignment of Auotralian cattle arrived, lie said a great deal had yet to be learned by shippers in Australia before success would be achieved. lie admitted that our cattle suitable for shipment were superior to tlie same class in the Argentine. It is, therefore, for our shippers to study the details of the live-shipment business, and so overcome any of the minor difficulties standing in the way of success. The foregoing report will give Australian stock-owners a fair idea of the resources of a couutry which is coming strongly into competition with them in the exportation of meat aud stock, aud will serve to show that we must be on the alert, if desiring to maintain a foremost position in supplying the wants of the old world with these things. A ». '^1, V *, .* ^ f V-l ^i > ^ i. -jAP"- - ^"C /^'« - -TV t'