Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-10-15
- From the Chicago Agriculturist.
sHEEP FOR TIE WEST

10 the prairies, IS question fast increas>
ing in importance. The thriftiness OF
sheep on the prairies, is remarkedb by eve.
~ observer; and wool-growing commends
itself to the interest Of every farmer I'm
the first place, because of the home mar
ket furnished in the west; and in tine next
because of the triaing expense OF getting
wool to the principle market.-Compared
with wheat, the cost of transportation is
bat small per cent. OIL the value. The
expense to New York from this place is
but little more on a hundred pounds OF
wool, than on hundred of wheat, but
one would be worth there more than thlr-
ty dollars, and the other less than two
The per cent, on the value of the wool at
this place would be less than four, which
would be more than twice covered by the
rate of exchange, as tits at present between
the east and the west; whereas on wheat
it would be from 70 to 80; and the farther
in addition the product has TO be transpor-
ted by land to get it here. the greater sldl
is the disproportion of the cost of trans
portation till it costs more to get the
wheat to market than it is worth at the
farmers door.
This latter advantage, the wool-grower
will ever possess; and for many years, the
former also.
Another advantage, the western wool
grower possesses, is the low price OF his
land. He can more easily compete with
the eastern farmer in wool, because of the
small cost of transportation, than almost
any thing else; and for the present, while
his Aocks have the unlimited range of the
praries without expense, there is no doubt
but he can deliver his wool in New York
City at a cost much less than the eastern
farmer. And for many years. the greater
interest on land at the east, will more than
cover the cost of transportation.
1t is then of importance that we judge
correctly as to the breeds best adapted to
our prairies that in commencing the wool
growing business, those breeds be intro>
duced which will be the most profitable.
Having conversed with several who
consider themselves qualified to Judge, we
can say it is generally believed, that own
ing to the warmth of the climate, the fine,
short-wOoled varieties-as the Saxony,
Merino, Sou,hdown, etc., will deteriora,e
unless very great pains are taken. They
require cooler, more mountainous region.
1t is therefore generally thought, so far as
we have been able to ascertain, that it is
better to commence with those breeds, ma
tural bearing a coarse wool-as the New
Leicester, Cotswold, Old Leicester or
Lincoln etc.-all of the long wool valie-
ties though with these also there would
have to be constant care to prevent deter
iora,ion in the quantity of the wool.
OF the long. coarse wooded varieties, the
Lincolns and Colswolds yields the best
heeces while the New Leicester, Bake>
well or Dishley breed, falling little shor.
in the quantity of the wool, exceed all
others in carcase. Wool, it seems 10 us,
must be the great object There will for
a time, be market for mutton ; but when
several farmers in neighborhood get to
raising their thousand sheep, the carcase
will be of little value. For this reason we
have been strongly preposessed in favor
of the Lincolns and Cotrwolds. Which
will prove best, experience alone must de-
termine.
Col. Oakly, of fremont, Tazwell co.,
has this spring imported from England
some genuine Costwolds ; SO that ere long
it will be known how they will answer for
us. He is now again in England, and will
doubtless make farther purchases not on
Iy to his own profit, but vastly TO the bene-
fit Of the beloved west. .e$
Our readers will a, once see the great
importance of this subject: and we hope
each one will do what he can in furnish
ing Information. There are many who
have had more or less experience but.
except Mr.. Elston's communication, there
has been nothing very particular upon
sheep.
BRlrlsH EXPLORING Observation-Disclosures
of letter received at Lloyd's, from Hobart
Town, dated April II, 1871:
by the last list you will have perceived
the return to this of Her Majestys ships Ere
bus and Terror, Captains Ross and Crozier.
Nothing officially has as yet transpired, but it
is generally understood that the Expedition
has been very successful. and that British ships
proceeded l l degrees farther south than the
As,rolabe or Zele, and four degrees more than
any other has ever yet reached that they were
enabled to fix the exact position of the south
magnetic pole at 100 miles distance from thence
and that some extraordinary mistake seems
to have affected the calculation of the Ameri-
cans who approached those regions.
1.-THE Erebus and Terror entered the main
part of the ice, on their voyage of discovery to-
wards the South Pole, on the 9Th of January