, 1842-02-26
From the Missouri Farmer.
Wool Growing,

municatlon on wool growing. ! had prepar-
ed an article on that subject but did not COM
municats it, and | am how glad that 1 did
not; for Mr.. Flowers experience in the bust
ness, enables him TO treat that subject much
more satisfactorily. But still ] will beg
leave to add some additional calculations, as
Mr.. Flowers calculations do not entirely cor
respond with mine, especially the pnces of
his produce. From a calculation of mine in
the August No. of the ''Farmer," it appears
that corn will only cost l6 cents per buShel.
and that is as much as the average selling
price in this section of Illinois, and it will be
found that a reduction on that item is obtain
ed by substituting woods in part. which it
will be found will correspond with corn at
twelve cents, which will materially change
the result from Mr.. Flowers calculation.-
This difference is attributable to the differ.
ence in soil and climate. this difference though
small, when applied to ten sheep, must no,
be lost site Of Another item also will not
correspond with my sales. lhave never been
able to sell fat weathers for more than two
dollars; as to the sale Of wool in market.
think Mr.. Flowers calculations are entirely
correct, but one item in the yield Of wool
does not correspond with my experience,
my stock of weathers have always yielded
more than 3lbs. nor do my fine ones vield
more than coarse ones, but ] have one ram
that has yielded 6lbs. in the dirt. for three
successive years, this sheep is half merino
ano half of the common stock. have none
of the full blood merino. nor have | found
my finest wool most profitable FIR home con-
sumption, for the carding machines in this
country have uniformly massed the wool and
made it worse than coarse wool,
am entirely Of Mr.. Flowers opinion as
to the relative profits of sheep compared
with cattle and hogs: although | sold a cow
a few days since, for ffiy-fve dollars, but
she was no common article. | am fully con-
WINGED that We are neglec,ing a very impor-
,ant branch of husbandry, when we neglect
the wool growing business especially in this
prairie country, which is certainly the best
naturally adapted country TO grass in the civ
ilized world. If the farmers Of Vermont
and Maine can make wool growing prohta.
BILE where even pasture land rents for not
less than 81 per acre, why may not we.
where pasture is gratis, and roots and grain,
and hay, can be produced at half what they
cost there, and we connot complete with
them in beef to the same advantage because
they are nearer market, and beef is so much
heavier, freight, it costs half the price Of
beef TO take it to the eastern markets. while
II will not cost according to Mr.. Flower
and he should be a good judoe) more than
per cent to take wool to Europe; notwi,h-
standing the great disadvantages that the
farmers of Vermont labor under, we learn
from the last years census that Vermont pro-
duces more according 10 her population than
any State in the uninn. Her soil is poorer
than ours and her winters longer, what then
can make poor little Vermont The most flou-
rishing agricultural state in the Ur ion? The
A"S"e . siuIplf tHS SHe IS more engaged
in wool growing than any other state. and
wool growing is the most profitable business
now followed in the United States. We
may yet learn more from the report above
alluded to. By an examination, we find
Mississippi and Louisiana produce m,re in
dollars according to population Than Indiana
and Illinois or Ohio, or any other State en-
in raising meat and bread; and it will
hold good throughout the Union that those
states most engaged in the production of
are producing the most in dollars;
that was even the case in 1910 bv actual
and will he found to be even
more the case this year, when the meat mar
ket has gone down nearly one half. and it
will be found that wool, hemp, and cotton
are higher than last year; another view will
still further illustrate the subject and carry
,ut Mr.. Flowers position, take all the north ,
srn States from Maine to Missouri. and you ,
find that the proportional wealth of each
State corresponds with It's number of sheep,
and quantity of wool; perhaps we may ex-