THE WOOL INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA
The sheep in that section look after themselves all the year round. In very dry seasons, however, a little hay is given to the young sheep when they are teething and cannot cut the dry grass. The Victorian sheep stations are fenced with smooth wire, except in the volcanic country, where stone walls are used. The paddocks average about 800 acres in extent, although some are large enough to support 2,000 sheep. Some of the stations include 20,000 ewes, lambs and wethers, which are kept in separate flocks.
In 1891, however, machinery was introduced for this purpose, and in the first two years of its use, 50,000,000 sheep were thus shorn. After shearing, the fleece is sorted, combed, bound, pressed and baled,—the bales being 2 feet 6 inches, by 2 feet 6 inches, by 4 feet, and weighing about 400 pounds. THE CANNIBAL TREE OF AUSTRALIA One of the most wonderful forest trees in the world is the "Cannibal Tree," of Australia, which grows up in the shape of a huge pineapple, and seldom attains a height of more than 11 feet. It has a series of broad, board-like leaves, growing in a fringe at the apex, which remind one of a gigantic Central American agave. When standing erect these broad, thick leaves hide a curious looking arrangement, which appears to perform the same functions as those of the pistils in flowers. Naturally, these board-like leaves, which are from 10 to 12 feet long in the smaller specimens, and from 15 to 20 in the larger, hang to the ground, and are strong enough to bear a man's weight. In aboriginal times, in the antipodean wilds, the natives worshiped the "Cannibal Tree" under the name of "devil tree," the chief part of the ceremony consisting of driving one of their number up the leaves of the tree to the apex. The instant the victim touched the so-called "pistils" of the monster, the leaves instantly flew together like a trap, squeezing the life out of the intruder. Early travelers declare that the tree held its victim until every particle of flesh disappeared. On this account it is called the "Cannibal Tree," appropriately. In the Central American Agave, mentioned above, the apex of which is similar to that of the Cannibal Tree, the stem is short or altogether lacking, and the leaves are formed in a close rosette, mostly stiff and somewhat fleshy, the margins usually being armed with teeth, and the apex tipped with a more or less pungent spine. It flowers in spikes or panicles. Some species flower but once and die, others occasionally, while others flower from year to year. The number of species is about 150. LACE MAKING IN PARAGUAY The art of lace making is well developed in Paraguay. It was taught the natives fully 200 years ago by the missionaries, and has been transmitted from generation to generation, until it is now quite general throughout the republic. Some towns are devoted to making a certain kind of lace. In one town of 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants, almost all the women and children, and many of the men, make lace collarettes, handkerchiefs and ladies' ties. Another town makes lace embroidery, and others, drawn thread work, such as centerpieces, tray mats, tea cloths, and doilies. The designs used for making the lace are taken from the curious webs of the semi-tropical spiders that are so numerous. On this account it is called "nanduti," an Indian name which means spider web. This industry may be of service to American trade. There is scarcely a dealer in Paraguay who would not purchase American goods, if it were not so difficult to get a draft on the United States. As yet the lace-making industry is not developed in this country, the "Zion" enterprise at Waukegan, Illinois, being the first attempt. CHINESE RICE PAPER |
