Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-12-03

membered this is section Of fine wool there
are but few better within the United States.-
The quality of this Article here ranges from
three -fourtIfs Meriho to high graded Saxony.
and is generally cleansed in the best manner.
| find the average price paid fir these eight
years to be AZ 1-8 cents per pound; the ave.
rage weight of feeces is pounds giving IA
3-4 c. per head for the feeces. In addition to
this every flock of the ordinary proportion of
ewes well provided for, will produce annually
one-third as many lambs as there are sheep IN
the flock. In many hocks the increase is much
greater: but taking this as the average, and
allowing the moderate price of one dollar per
head for the lambs (Which is below the ave-
rage value for succession ofyears) itinereas-
es the income per head within a fraction OF
$1,79. The cost of wintering sheep is al
lowed to be IS cents by our best farmers, and
80 cents for snmmering, which must be added
10 cents for washing, shearing and furnishing
with salt, and cents per head for the interest
of capital invested in this stock, and for losses
by escapes from pasture and the severity of
winters l6 cents per head more. Thus we get
the whole annual expenses, viz: $l,45 per
head !; which leaves net yearly income OF So
dollars on every hundred sheep for the last
eight years. period franght with almost eve
cry description Of embarrdssments, a reducing
tariff, Bank suspensions, vast foreign COM
petition, evasion of duties, and total derange-
ment of the currency.
Now would ask my brother farmers what
have they, or what could they lave done with
their lands to have obtained better return =
Has the fattening OF pork, the dairy, or even
the morus muticaulus been more successful
From our sheep we get our returns seml-annu-
alv our heeces are in the market early IN the
summer and nothing will command ready cash
quicker. la the autumn the drovers are at our
doors slcting US for our tat lambs and wealth
ers, and we have not the expense and trouble
Of going hundred miles to seek market, nor
the perpleXity Of finding a purchaser. And
who of any experience does not know that
home market is always the best!
How the business may prove when the ad-
valorem duty OF 20 per cent. on foreign WOODS
takes effect, time will soon determine. re-
ducton Of the specific duty of cents per lb.,
and about Is per cent. advalorem which must
take effect on the lst of next July, unless some
act of the next session of Congress should IN
terpose. will undoubtedly bear hard upon the
domestic woods. am no great stlckler for
strict adherence to the compromise act. regard
less of consequences. believe there is yet
wisdom and foresight enough in our national
Legislature, if exercised with prudence and dis
erection to effect something to save this great
staple of the North from humiliation. But
6 the chivarous South are not all like the late
knights of Roanoke who ''would goiwenty rods |
out Of his way to kick sheep" We do not
ask for a return Of the tariff Of 1928, that per-
A for
tal or extravaganza protection. All we desire |
is. that when the foreign capitalist enters our
market with the raw material or the wrought |
fabric, that he shall be subject to the payment
of tax that will prevent his underselIng our
own commodities at price that will give us
fair return for our investments and our labor
With this we will be satisfied And should
the compromise act in its operation prove IN
adequate for this purpose, believe there will
be such revision as will give US this reason
able protection.
see no Just cause why we should hastily |
abandon the business Of growing wool. My |
flock of sheep now numbering four hundred, |
shall increase rather than diminish it, and trust
to events for the result. Wool and wolIens !
are so essential to human comfort, they never |
can for any length of time be kept down below |
the average of the other productions of our |
farms.
At some future time may give my views as |
to the best breed Of sheep for our northern re-
gion, or name the kind with which have been |
the most successful. For the present have |
said enough. perhaps too much, and do not ASK
you Mr.. Editor, to insert this to the exclusion |
of other and more useful matter. 1t may need |
many corrections. | am sensible of my def
cheney in all that constitutes writer for the |
press, and regret that others, far better quallfl-
ed, have not treated more upon this subject in
the coums of the Visitor.
]. w. COLBURN.
Morris Flats, Springfield, Vt. Oct. l6.