The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-05-22

With many farmers, just now, there IS mich
doubt as to their future course Wol iscori-'
paratively low. all kinds of grain are high
So also with animal food-beef pork and NUT
ton never commanded such high prices. and
both butter and cheese have paid the dairy
farmer better than ever before. We propose
to consider the question whether. with all these
facts before him the farmer can do no better
than to continue to grow wool. or raise shoep
as his circumstances will permit.
And in the frat place let us see whether
grain growing is likely to prove as profitable
for nny length of time, as Vt now is. ~
While wheat brings such prices as it has for
the last two years farmers will SOW though tho
mdgs does destroy more or less Of the crop
for tho high price warrants the riskl A par
tisl failure, ever will yield profit. IL is har-
dIy possible however that wheat will command
such prices for any leugh of time. Yet j, is
equally certain that il will bring higher prices
upon the average for the next ten years, then
rho last ten. A permanent rise in the price
of wheat must follow the increase of gold, and
is one Of the results Of the California acqtisi
tion. Tho increase of gold will enhance all
Liuos Of e.ieuitu urai products which 60 to the
support of human life.
Ii society be divided into producers and non-
producers including in the former only those
who till the soil, il will be sur 2rising TO see how
rapidly the non. producing are gaining in popu-
lstion upon tho farmer. And herein is ono
solution of the distress that has every whore
prevailed in cities and VILLAGES, and which
nnst continue until the bslance is restored to
its proper level by the surplus power becoming
productive.
1t NAV bo safely assorted of tho whole conn
try, that productive labor has out run capital
that is agriculture sells more than il buys. and
tha 10 ia IN ha t,ta
of the fsrners. and does not finw back rapidly
to The mechanic or manufacturer The coun
try is erowinglrich but not so with the cities.
High prices, then for grain, must prevail
until the surplus labor of country has gnne to
raising grain. and this by full supply the
market IS lowered. A result that will take
place, but rather slowly. The high price for
grain will as, secure good price for meats.
and will make the raising and feeding of cattle
hogs and sheep. both safe and profitable. In
cairy products there cannot well be any fall
ing off in price. from tho fact that tho section
OF our country best suited toihat business is
con paratively small, go that while tho popula
tion rapidly increnses, the means of supply are
not increasing, the same proportion. The con-
sumption in milk by the cities and villages.
forms no inconsiderable item in tho consum-
p,ion Of dairy products All kinds of farming
will pay we'll. if devoted to the production of
human food.
But wool will not command as high a price
comps ra'ively, as other products. Still il will
be profitable TO keep sheep, rs profitable a.
any other stock. 1t is hardly possible that
good CONDITION should range below an a, erage
of 35 cents per pound, we think for years il
will go higher. But taking it OF that price, and
tho average product at pounds per head, ii
gives for The use of the sheep .Sl,4o. to say
uo,hing OF tho lambs Merino lambs in good
condition. a, six months old. will sell readily
to the butcher at from sSl % 10 81, 75, say the
average is & so. At this price few farmers
now in the habit of saving their males, except
some that arc very choice and many of the
bcs, breeders will not do that, unless they can
commOnd good price for them for stuck
The result is, that very few males are or should
re winteied. Making all reasonable allowan-
cos for casualties and the farmer gets annually
S2.75 per head from bis sheep.
While. therefore. wool is not, and probably
will no; he lower than il has averaged TOR th-,
last ten years. sh"op have moro han doubled
in value OF carcass, by reason of tho great do
mapd for focd: mutton being the cheapest as
it is The mo Il hralthful of oil meats. is coming
more and more into use. and the demand Tor it
is increasing at rapid rate. It will he found
by the farmers who continue in the business
TO be. as il always has been for tho capital in
vested by far tho most profitable of any branch
that he carries on. And over large PARTON Of
the Union. mere money can be made from the
acre. by growing .lnptton for the ma'ket than
beef. We tank it will not be more than twen-
" years before tho raising of sheep. @ill be
largely on the increase. Up to this time vol
has been moro an object than tho careass.--
From his time forward the carcass will be
more OF an object than tho wool.
The future therefore. has nothing in it that
need be- at all gloomy to tho wool grower. and
we hope tho many good aocks which now ex-
ist in the country, will not be sacrificed by the
seeming low price of wool. Good sheep will
pay tho farmer who takes good care Of them
land IL he 'es not, poor ones are TOO good
for hm.-[Wool Grower and Stock Register.