The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-06-08
MIDDLEBURY,YT.
Tuesday, June 8, lS47.
WOOL DEPOT

AS the time approaches for shearine the nex,
clip it becomes our wool growers to consider well
whether the depot system as presented to ne bv
Mr.. Blanchard for the sale of their great stape il
not the surest for obtaining the highest price
Let them look back upon the experience of for.
mer years. and carefully enquire whether their
losses are not attributable more to the mode in
which their wool has been sold, than to the mar.
ket where it has been disposed Of
This brings us to consider whether in the sale
OF his wool the cooperation of an individual
whose interests cannot but be Unidentified with
that oil the wool grower, and whose resources Of
information may well be supposed to be exten.
siye, thus enabling him to exercise a wise fore
sight in determining the present demands of the
wool market, and its future prospects, is not the
desideratum by which alone growers can shield
themselves against the sharp and selfish policy Of
the manufacturer and his agents to obtain the AZ
ticle at the lowest prices.
And it would be equally perilous for the far.
mer who Is generally confined at home to decide
upon the present or future value of an article
which depends upon a thorough knowledge Of
supply and consumption, and especially upon the
amount of foreign importation as to yield to the
representations of interested buyers.
But another important advantage to be derived
from theDepot system is the manner in which the
wool is exposed for sale, the fleeces being closely
examined and assorted into four or five sorts &C.
cording to their quality and condition. The alb
surdity OF selling wool upon an average, and to
the purchasers who so limited in the prices
which they can offer to preclude an adequate
discrimination in the qualities of the article b,,
already proved nearly fatal to the wool growipr
interests of Vermont. The monstrositv of TIM,
marketing wool is made apparent by the fact tia,
a few cents variation in the price, is all the i,
elimination made by the purchaser between The
coarse and fines about the same between that
which is light and clean and that which is con-
taminated with foreign substances. The consc-
quences have been that our largest flock master,
who are generally our finest wool growers find
ing their Of production prOfitless have been
Systematically endeavoring to degrade the char
acter of their flocks by crossing them with the
heaviest flecced animals they could find, regard
ing less the fineness than the weight of clip.
No more fatal result could have happened 10
the wool growers Of Vermont than this, as in the
great competition which for years to come will
be carried on in raising this article their hopes Of
a successful rivalry must rest almost wholly upon
the production of the most improved qualities.
Nothing could 50 effcctuaiy check This retro
grade movement as the establishment Of lie.
pot where the wool is sold as near as possible in
conformity to its quality and condition. Such 4
depot it is true would have very slight attractions
to those slovenly wool-growers who have never
aspired to n standard Of improvement above thu
ordinary level, and who can no longer depend
upon the superiority of the clips of their neigh
bors to enhance the price of their own.
But our remarks have been so far EXTENDED
that at present we shall farther only say that We
seriously doubt whether the market for fine wool
has ever been overstotked, or ever viii be for
series of years and had it not been for the utterly
preposterous manner in which sales have been
made, the higher grades would ever have COM
manded fair remunerating prices.