Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-03-25
85e farmer.
q 0m tie Soa9letH Caltlpator.
Wool G roEilng in the United States

- hDYA StOH SA3 hf /
i0@ . near Nashville, T enn., Sd Us:
"Fhere is traditional belief, en-
fertained by the grea ter porE lion of
the world, that sheep By nature be>
long to cold climate and that when
removed from cold to warm
climate the wool will grow coarser
and coarser. My observation and
refectionon this point have satisfied
me that when the latitude is not
below so degrees North ther n verse
Of this tradition is true. | believe
that the improved. Saxony sheep
brought from the SHOWS of Russia
to Texas will prodqce finer, even
er and fuller leede than whilst in
Russia | think that the evidence
is pretty conclusive that the Merino
sheep are natives Of the orange
groves, and fitted by nature for
warm climates generally. Climate
is law Of nature and her laws
are in harmony. The elephant,
lion, camel, ass, and the negro are
organized to bear with healthful ill.,
fluences, the intense and lorg con
tinued heat of Africa, and the white
bear grows fat on the ice Of the
Arctic seas. can with confidence
ay to the husbaDdmen of the cot
ton districts Of the United States
that they have nothing 10. fe ar from
climate. [ consider Texas an ad-
mirable location for wool-g rowing;
as there is a scarcity of timber, it is
not SO well adapted to 9th er agri
cultural pursuits. The prairies are
productive ID grass without the labor
OF man. The winters are mild,
open and warm. furnishing green
food, with regularly GROWN g fleece
throughout the year; population is
sparse and lands cheap requiring
but a small capital to engage profit
ably in the business, provided bucks
are bought in the United States at
$50 each, instead of $500 each
in Germany, as. recommended by
MIR. Fleichmann.p
Our first impression on visiting
the Southern States was that wool
growing could not be SO profitable
there as on the praires of Illinois,
Wisconsin and lowa-a region Of
country with which we were pretty
well acquainted. The general APP
pearance of the few sheep TO be
>ecn in the cotton-growing States
is unfa vorable. and it is clear that
more money cannot be made by
neglected flock Of sheep, than by a
volunteer crop of cotton. If what
you get in wool costs nothing, it is
worth as little
We have no idea,of commencing
wooI-growing or stock-rearing, be-
fore the farmer is sure that he has
an abundance of forage for his sheep
or other animals, the year round.
There is lying on our table a com
munication from MIR. Z. Ford, of
Spring College, Marion Co, Miss,
in which sheep>husbandry in the
piney-woods of that State is spoken
fayorably Of. Some commentators
have expressed the opinion that the
uncle of Columella introduced Me-
rino sheep from Africa into Spain,
and that this race of sheep were
first improved in the region about
Carthage. from which the Romans
got SO much of their knowledge Of
farm economy.
We arc inclined to believe that
the opinio on is well founded, and
that the production OF fine wool at
the South will one day rival in value
that Of cotton. Men Of moderate
means can start sheep husbandry
without going into debt; and mil
lions OF. acres now Welding noIhing
to agriculture, manufactures or com
merce, can be made eminently use
ful to each Of these great interests,
by af1o riding sustenance to millions
of she p. They multiply with ex>
traordinary rapidly under the most
favorable circumstances. Food,
shelter, water and salt, are the ele'
ments OF success. In addition to
grass and turnlps,peas can De gro" n
auxiliary to the farmer. as most
agreeable nutriment to tlocks. Nor
will the expense of their cultivation
be objectionable, when their power
to enrich the soil Tor cotton and
grain crops is fairly tested, We
are looking for aFplain and feast.
bile system Of combined tillage and
husbandry, that will still improve
all the arabic lands at the South