Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-10-04
Profits OF wooI Growing.

Profits Of Wool Growing.
In a previous number we undertook tn
show that, is double the quantity of wool
was grown that is now produced in this
country, it would still find profitable
market; and we promised 10 show that,
in proportion TO the risk and capital in
volved, there was no kind of farming
that was as profitable for series of years
as wool growing. We now proceed to
redeem our pledge.
In this country (by which we mean
our whole glorious union, stretching from
the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, there
is but little land that is not adapted to
sheep husbandry that is at all suscepti-
bic Of cultivation. Wherever herbage
will grow, provided the land is not wet
or marshy, there sheep will thrive; and
they will thrive well where larger stock.
like cattle or horses, would starve il
kept in numbers large enough to yield a
revenue. There are, therefore, large
tracts of land where the comparison can
not be made, so much is it in favor oi
sheep. But we propose to make the
comparison in regions where land is al a
high price from its proximity to market
and of great fertility, and to draw the
comparison between the dairy and grain
growing, supposing farmer 10 devote
his attention to one or the other of these
branches. We will assume that thirty.
five acres of land will keep one hundred
sheep year. summer and winter; TWEEN.
ty acres for pasture, ten for meadow,
and five for grain. The interest being
the same in each case, | shall not take
that into account, nor the expense o.
feeding, or value of manure, while CON-
pairing with cows.
100 sheep will give $50 lbs.
wool, at 35c sc
Value of annual increase 75,0(
Annual income from sheep $l97, ,5(
Ten cows can be kept upon the same
ground that will keep one hundred sheep.
Ii in cheese or butter the annual income
per COW will average about the same
ten cows will give, say upon an average
three hundred pounds of cheese. 1t i.
true that there are instances when much
larger yield has been obtained, but the
average is below the quantity we have
assumed. Allowing the cheese to bring
five cents per pound, it will give SIS fol
each COW, or
For the ten cows $l5C
Whey, per COW, 50 2(
Annual income from ten cows SIG
We have not taken into consideration
the milk used in the family, as we con
slder that as more than balanced by the
extra expenses incurred in the dairy
This then shows that there is difference
in favor Of sheep Of S29,50, or almos
l5 per cent.
Thirty five acres of winter whea
will average, outside, for series oI
years, not over twenty bushels per acre
with a drawback Of failure, at leas
once i'm five years. Allow for prepar
ing the land for seed, harvesting, ant
threshing, that shall cost but five dollar:
per acre, and that wheat will average
75c per bushel, il would give them Ter
dollars per acre net; for the use of thu
land for two years, thirty-five acres o
wheat at $40 per acre would be $3.50
half of that would give annually for The
use of .hirty-fve acres Of land $l74
making difference in favor Of sheep ol
S22 80, or about eleven per cent. The
real difference, we apprehend, especially
at the west, will be found altogether
greater than it appears in this estimate
We think farmer can grow six pounds
of wool easier than he can raise bushe
OF wheat one year with another, any
where west Of this city. We have made
no allowance in this estimate for the con
slant wear of the land if continued te
wheat-nor Of the great advantage to The
land Of the manure made by cows ane
sheep. In the one case the land at tho
end Of twenty years would be much en-
hanced in value, because of its increased
fertility-in the other, al the end Of ter
years, as general rule, il would bear
but light crop at best-and at twenty
it would be worn out. Neither have we
adverteG to the very small amount o
labor it requires to take care of sheep, ms
compared with the dairy or wheat grow
ing We think however, we have shown
enough 10 make out our case. If any
body can make out better lei us hear it
for we are anxious for facts. Give US
facts, we do not care what shape they
come in. One fact is worth bushel oil
theory, though theory is soil wherein
facts do germinate.--Wooi GrcWer.