The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-11-13
WORCESTER COUNTY .AGRICUL.
TUR.aL SOCIETY
Report Of the Committee on Sheep.
concluded.

sophistry of the selfish or the prejudices
of the ignorant cannot connect. The
raw material is the product, and for the
most part the annual product of the soil.
Whenever the manufacture of any arti-
Gle has increased to any considerable
extent, the demand for the raw material
win make it an object of cultivation
The extent of our woollen manufac-
lures is now such as to create no incon-
siderable demand for the article of wool.
More than three-fourths of the quantity
wrought, is, however, the product of
foreign soil. This circumstance alone
ought to awaken the attention of the
farmer, and Danish all the apprehensions
he may have felt respecting market
for his wool. Considering the rapid
progress of our manufactures, in oppo-
sition to publick opinion, nnaided by
government, and rising in spite of the
ers and American mporters-consider
ing too,- at this period of their infancy,
that, with all this powerful opposition,
they have been able to maintain sue
cessful competition with foreign manu-
facturers, and, in many articles, have
supplied the market to the total exclu-
sion of the foreign fabrick, the Amer
lean farmer need no longer doubt of our
being manufacturing people, at least
to the extent of our own wants
To know in what estimation this
branch of agriculture is generally held,
we need only recur to history and the
practice of other nations. Throughout
Europe, it has been the object of the
most assiduous attention-in almost ev-
cry part of the continent, it has been
fostered by individuals and patronized by
governments. Spain, Sweden. Germany,
France, and England, have all viewed
their f1ocks as source of individual
profit and national wealth. In Spain,
the native country of the Merino, the
expectation of Sheep was prohibited,
until within few years, by the severest
penalties, and none could be obtained
without special license from the Span
ish Monarch. Sweden, after the intro
duction of the Merino into that kingdom.
paid high bounty for their encourage
ment--and the government of France
expended 100000 of francs for the
sole object of improving her Sheep
In England, this branch of rural econo-
my has been the peculiar care of her
government, and the object of special
legislation. The attention of the En-
glish farmer was not first awakened
by the Introduction of Spanish Sheep
IN that country. On the other hand,
the Sheep husbandry is almost coeval
with the Monarchy /; and to such pitch
Of perfection have they arrived by their
attention to this subject, for series of
years, that their native Sheep had be-
come separated into several and as dis
tinct breeds as their cattle or horses
Nearly all the wool, manufactured in
England, is the product of her own soil.
The whole amount of Spanish wool,
imported into the kingdom, is not more
than fifteenth of the whole quantity
manufactured. England and Wales
have 100000 of acres of land either
cultivated or covered with useful tim
Der: more than third part of which is
arabic land; and she possesses 26,O0O,-
600 of Sheep, almost Sheep to g. a
cres of land-the annual produce of
whose wool is estimated at 6 200. OOOl
sterling, equal to about 6 27.OOO,0O0.-
Her expectation of woollen goods, ex-
elusive of home consumption, amount
ed, from the year 1900 10 1910, from
5,000,o00l to 1000, 0Ool. sterling per an
nun. most of which was exported to the
United States. Her annual exporta-
ton, therefore, is at least equal 10 the
annual product of her wool. The con-
sequence is, that her fiocks connected
with her manufactures, after clothing
her own immense population, pays to
her. from her foreign customers, the
full cost of the raw material. Well
might one of her writers have remark
ed, t" That wool has long been the sta
Pile commodity of the British island.
giving bread to thousands, who are en-
ployed in manufacturing it into innumer-
able articles for home consumption and
foreign Importation"
TIE importance of this subject in a
political point Of view, ought not to be
overlooked. The Committee, howey-
er, do not deem it proper to discuss the
question, whether Legislative interfer-
ence would be wise or impoIitick.-
They would content themselves with
observing, merely, that it is as much
for the interest of people to raise the