Daily national Democrat., 1859-01-14
lailu Nattoual 4rmotrat.
xvool-Growlng In CnlIforn,o.

WOOI-GrOwing In California.
EDIroR DEMocRAT:-If very few remarks
Of real value or interest to the wool-growers
Of California are to be found in what have
to say, will not have wasted my time or
yours, and therefore will state what have
seen and experienced in the matter of wool
growing, myself, in Europe.
Up to 1888, Spain produced some Of the
hest and finest wool--the best then bought
at about 10 frs per pound. Up to Is43,
France, also, produced the same kind of WOOL
and remember to have paid even so high
asia frs per pound for the very best grade
Germany went still farther, and Saxony, Sile.
sia and Hungary furnished for many years 10
Germany, France and England the finest and
best wool for the manufactory of fine cloth,
and to-day, even, | positively deny that
there is any country in the world where wool
of the same intrinsic value can be found the
same fineness may be, but not the same char.
acter and intrinsic value for the manufactur
Inc of fine cloths Less informed readers
will not understand me. but it would carry
me too far to give full explanation To day,
wool in Spain is Of the most inferior kind to
b. found-it can only be used for the manu-
facturing Of blankets or other common stuffs.
That of France, to day, is not much better.
Germany holds on little longer but it is
easy to be seen that, some day or other, it
will share the same fate Russia, and princi-
pally in the Crimea, advances and produces
already some very good wool Australia is
not behind, aud that brought 10 London as
,'Sydney Wool" is already better than that
of the Crimea, and some of it can be used for
manufacturing tolerably good cloths.
The reasons for such a change in Spain,
France and Germany, is only the high price
of lands and meat. Sheep husbandry gener
ally cannot be of any real advantge in coun
tries where such high prices are paid for ev-
ery foot Of land, as are paid in Europe.
Fine wool-producing sheep are generally
poor looking animals of no value to butchers (;
those, however, producing common wool are
strong aud healthy, furnish more wool, meat,
and manure, and require less care.
California, 10y its geographic position and
cheap lands, is just the country where sheep
husbandry must be of the very greatest ad
vantage 1t is lying exactly in those wool
zones, (30th to 45th lattude) and when prop
er care is taken no mortality is to be feared
even for those feeble animals producing wool
Of the best grade.
Meat, within a few years from now, must
necessarily become very cheap in this coun-
try, and the only advantage for wool growers
consists in crossing with better breeds. There
is but one breed in the world entitled to a
moments consideration: this is the Merino'
Pure Llooded rams from Europe, however
cannot be had without very great expense
and risk; we must, therefore, be satisfied
with best Australian breeds, at least for the
present. Wool of our Mexican sheep, as
they now are, has very little or no intrinsic
value, and at 10 cts. per pound, even, very
much doubt that it can be used with advan-
tage either in the Eastern States or Europe
All those who buy it, may be disappointed,
and believe they are. Our SO called Amer
lean sheep. coming to us across the plains,
produce certainly wool of some intrinsic val
ue, but this wool should never be mixed up
with that of Mexican sheep, which has Meth
er character nor elasticity. The real value
of the American wool, to-day, is not very
high. but can. within few years after cross
ing with the best Australian rams, fetch high
and well paying prices.
Australia is subject to the recurrence of pc
riodical drought, sometimes for two, three
and four years, and is often without single
shower during this period. California has
nothing of the kind to fear The Australian
fiocks numbered, in 1852, about twenty mil
lion sheep; California, hope, will soon not
be far behind
Sheep husbandry. therefore, deserves our
most serious attention and consideration
world is our market, and, within few years
from now, wool. to the amount of millions
and millions of dollars, can be exported.
vM.