Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-02-18
AGRICULTURE SCIENTIFIC,
EnoM the SOUTHERN PLANTER.
AMERICAN VS.. EUROPEAN SHEEP
LuS8AApRL.

Sheep breeding must now be considered
leading branch of American husbandry.
There may be found at the present day
high bred Merino aocks in New York,
Vermont and Pennsylvania, excelhng by
far the Spanish mother breeds originally
imported from the sunny plains 'oi Estre-
madura and Valencia. Our monthly'' WOOL
Growers Register bears ample witness Of
the superior management Of some choice
Saxony docks in Ohio, Kentucky and Ten
Ressee. The prairie States are rapidly fill
ing up with improved stock from the East
The South is waking up to its true interest
Colonel Randelps letters have produced q
wonderful change in public opinion, and
ell for the better in those regions. There
is perhaps, no country m the world more
favorable for the raising Of grade sheep
than the highlands Of Texas and New
Mexico In fact, wool growing is on the
ascent and viii continue SO for years to
come in spite of all the political or fnan-
clal changes that may occur from time to
time in the administrative policy OF the
country. 1t has been frequently proved
through the columns Of this periodical that
the demand for wool exceeds the produc.
ton not only in this country but in all parts
of the civilized world. But we NAV stretch
our point to larger extent, when we con-
tend that the United States are designed
by nature, and finally must be the great,
and principal wool producing country, for
the Eastern and Western Continents. Va
rious circumstances coincide to corrobo rate
such en- assumption. Ii is well known
tact that Germany. the largest W col grow
ing country IN Europe, producing hardly a.
ny other kinds Of wool than the hqh and
middle grades OF SaSony and Merino, or T.
Iectorial and IntaRtado wool, is mainly de-
pendent on English, French and Belgian
manufactures, for the consumption Of that
product.
Now, there are several causes which tend
to place 1t almost beyond any reasonable
doubt,that fine wool growing in the middle
parts OF Europe, must meet with repul-
SIZE & retro5radins check ere long. These
causes are both OF physical and political
ns'Hre. IN regard TO the first, we know that
the breeding offne sheep is mainly and
entirely IN the hands OF the owners of the
large landed estates, and that the small far
mer Is wholly excluded from any partici
patton IN that branch Of husbandry. As the
population OF these countries is becoming
more dense from year to wear. natural pas9
tnFe Is growing scanty, as they are wanted
tor the necessary supply Of breadstuaS. Ar
uncial Pasturing has to be resorted to. and
lor the last thnty or forty years has been
the only support Of these extensive Aocks
OF hne sheep. But in spite of the rapid ad-
Vancement agricultural science has made in
recent times, the principal levers of this
artificial system Of feeding have proved to
be entirely inadequate. Clover, which fur
nlshes the main clement of summer pas
ture, has become tried out in most places,
ana the potato rot, growing more postife-
rouS from year to yearis steadily depriying
THESE sheep owners of the very power of
maintaining the existence of their sheep
during the winter.
It would lead us too far from our subject.
70 inquire INTO all the particulars of these
well established facts. They are matter
OF bitter complaint and great anxiety for
the future with many wool grower in
those countries. But hard to overcome as
theSe difficulties may be- the science of re-
VlgoFa'lng Worn out lands, and manufactu-
ring 0ountltul crops, has attained such an
emlnence IN later times that there is hope
lett to remedy these evils.
The political danger awaiting the future
deshny OF fine wool growing in central Eu-
rope, Is, however, OF a far more dangerous
character. No man, in the least acqua Mt
ed with the present political state of Eu-
rope, will deny that they are deficient of E.
very element of STABILITY.
buL THIS revolution, or rather this general
overthrow OF matters, existing for the time,
VIII De deadly strife against the present.
distribution of real estate. That it will end
m the destruction Of all the privileges of
the large land owners, and in the division
OF these large tracts into smaller lots for the
oeneht OF the masses, there cannot be the
least doubt. This viii be the death blow to
fine wool growing in the middle parts of
Europe. There is but one country which
may escape this general Observation-Disclosures
STA, country which presents many advan-
tagel to sheep breeding on an extensive
scale But its vast population Is consuming
nearly all 1t produces of the fiji grades of
wool, and the coarSer kinds, which are
manly raised in the South, and mostly ex-
ported from the port of Odessa, where they
fad their way to the United States, are on
ly tit for the manufacture of the most infe-
r!or kinds OF WOODEN goods, and will never
DO any injury to our own production.
The next future and long years to come,
present, therefore, most cheering aspect
to the cause of fine wool growing in this
country, and will undoubtedly tend to the
development OF renewed exertion, and use
tui enterprise in this important branch of
national industry.