Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-01-26
From The Ijo0l Gro1rer.
Future Prospects CT W0OI, and how
to Grow il.

II IL i1Ct worthy OF Tue lHOS' I'i"iN"i'N'
consideration by every grower OF wool, that
his occupation for the next ten years prom
iSeS rich returns for invested capital anc
Tabor. During the last decade, there has
been. IN MANY of the old wool growing
States, large falling off IN the number OF
sheep raised and pounds of wool grown
Tn 1910, New York had upwards Of 5000.
900 sheep, being some over a quarter OF all
In the United States. Vermont then had |
over 500 900. Now New York has only /
$500 600, and Vermont only fraction over
900 900, and by January 1858, her Aocks
will doubtless not exceed 900, 600 The
causes which have led to this result are
various, but it is foreign to our purpose to
speak OF them. In many other States there
has been similar decrease or falling Gil,
For ten years, the increase Of sheep
throughout the Union has been only one
and alfmillions, while the population has
increased from eighteen to twenty-tour mil
lions. The American population doubles
in about twenty-five years, without the and
of foreign immigration and it is moreover
tr c, that the annual Increase of our Popu-
lation requires the feeCes of 1000, 600 Of
sheep. Six pounds of wool to every man,
woman and child in the United States is
the estimated average amount required
yearly tor their comfort and use. ConSe-
quently, they would consume $50 0G0, GOO
lbs. OF this amount we grow $4,000 600,
or trihe over two pounds for each lndi-
vidual. Now, we actually consume annu-
ally three times the amount we grow, and
this compels us to buy of foreign nations
100, 900 900 lbs. Of this, $4,000, 600 is
bought in the raw material and the remain
der IN manufactured goods.
If it be correct estimate that the inhab-
itants of the northern and middle ATTITUDES
require annually the wool of two sheep to
each individual, Their it follows that in many
of the wool growing countries of Europe,
we shall look in vain for exports, in conse-
quence Of the large gain of population over
the gain Of their aocks.
France with population of $4,000 600,
keeps only fraction over SO, 000 900 sheep.
Austria, with population OF 36,000,00O,
has only 100000 sheep. Great Britain
and Ireland, with population Of 29, 600, 900,
keep only 100000 sheep. The sheep
of Russia number 100000, while the
population is 60,000,000. Spain does bet
ter; population Of 100000 keeps 49,
000,0 900 sheep. Prussia has $4,000 900 in
habitants and 100000 900 sheep. Turkey,
with a population of II, 900, 900, keeps H.
800, 000-whlle Sweden and Denmark keep
less than 100000, with a population of
over 5, 100000 In short, in seventeen Of
the largest nations Of Europe, the sheep
number only POI, ,S51 while the sum
total of the population of these countries is
over 225, 100000.
1t appears clear that these nations can
not export wool, for III many of them wool
growing has reached its utmost limits, and
yet do not raise enough for their own con-
sumption The Australian colonies since
1913, have never exported less than 49,
100000 lbs. annually, and often as high as
10000, 900. Since the discovery Of the
gold mines, however, which has caused
great neglect of the Aocks, England has
suffered materially in her receipts of wool
from that region. 1t appears that there is
deficiency of sheep and wool throughout
nearly all OF the great wool growing Sec
tons Of the globe and hence we infer that
wool, especially good wool, will command
high price for series Of years to come.
Heavy drafts are being made upon the
old stocks of cloths in market, and when
these are exhausted we NAV expect per-
manent rise in the manufactured fabric
Many Of the countries that once exported
fine woods now export none. The South
American States still export large amounts
of wool, but it is of the coarser grades and
cannot enter into competition with wool
grown in the United States. From what
ever point we view the subject, we must
utter it, as the strong conviction of our best
judgment, that the inducements to grow
more wool present stronger claims upon the
attention and enterprise of the American
farmer than those OF almost any and every
other Of the varied pursuits OF agricultural
wealth.
But" says the reader, 'to enable me
to grow more wool, must not purchase
more sheep?' | reply,-nOt necessarily.
You can grow much more upon the same
number than you ever have, doubtless
Every one knows that the same acre of
tillage land may be made to produce from
80 to 90 per cent. more than its usual yield,
by the aid Of fertilizers. So may flock
OF sheep be made TO shear from 80 to 80
per cent. more of wool, by the aid Of fer
tilIzers, or in other words by adapting their
feed to the make and growth of WOOL
One Of the constituent parts of wool is al
bumen hence those grams which contain
the largest per cent Of abumen, make the
most wool when fed to sheep. Wheat and
rye contain largely of it,-peas and beans
have 20 per cent. Of it,-oats TO- per cent.
only.
1t has been ascertalned by actual expcr-
iment that the following are the results of
feeding different kinds of roots and grains
for the production of wool:
1000 lbs. Potatoes, raw, with salt make 81
lbs of Wool.
Do Mangle Wurtzel, raw, make 81 lbs.
Wool.
Do Wheat, make II lbs. Wool.
Do Oats, make 10 lbs. Wool.
Do Rye, with salt, make ii lbs. Wool.
Do Rye without salt, make 121 lbs Wool.
Do Barley make IL lbs. Wool
Do Peas, make AZ lbs. Wool.
DO Buckwheat, make 10 lbs. Wool.
These results (and they are the same by
different experiments show that peas,
wheat and rye, produce the greatest in
crease OF wool, and give about twice the
number of pounds Of wool that roots do
when in equal weight. Corn meal oil
cake, and such gross substances are the