Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-01-22
For the Standard.
WOOL GROWING IN NORTH. CAROLINA, OR

II the question were asked how We shall first and
most severely feel the pressure Of this war, almost
every one would answer, in the want OF clothing,
particularly of WOODEN fabrics" We are able to
supply ourselves abundantly with provisions all
the necessares of life at least but to the matter
of clothing, we have already nearly exhausted our
stores and, although we may be able to supply our
soldiers tolerably this winter by the help Of the
large stock of ready made goods which we had on
hand, how shall We do next fall?
And the difficulty lies not much in the want of
machinery to manufacture wooden, as of the raw
material The hand looms which clothed our fathers
can he again called into requision to any needed
tent But how are We to get the wool: 1t is said
there is wool in Texas. But what even two
millions of pounds, surprising the Texas crop to
reach that figure towards supplying the deficiency
of the whole Confederacy, of which no other State
makes one-thiId of what it consumes? Then the
question arises since we have nearly year to 90
upon cannot this state Of things be met and provid
Ell for by the calm foresight and enterprise of
people? Is there no means of supplying this great
want? Can we produce wool in sufficient quantity
and in time? Why have We not done SD hereto
fore? The answer ought to make any North Caro-
linian blush. And yet there not two intelligent
farmers in the State that would give different an
swers to the question. Ask the next ten int aigcnt
farmers you meet in any neighborhood in TIE State,
answer something like this: Well, did have about
ahundred head two or three years ago. but the dogs
broke in on them one night and left ME about
dozen, and so gave it up. But why did you not
have the dogs killed and try again? Yes, that is
easy enough to say, but it is another thing to do it.
] did attempt it, but nearly every dog in the
neighborhood was concerned, my own among the
rest, 0hey congregate and make a frolic Of it,
you know | had all mine killed, bu. as to
fho 9TH IF poiphhorS liI1n1
two, and another insisted that his dogs never
chased sheep, although they had been seen in
the fact) and third promised to have his killed if
he could be convinced that they were guilty. but
that was the last of it. and on to end of the chap
ter. Almost every farmer has tried it. and all have
failed. This sort of conversation have heard over
and over again, in all parts of the State east west
and middle. Dogs then, is it! Nothing but dogs
For the glory and profits of dog-farming, we have
given up the whole matter of sheep.husbandry, ard
have been content that Others and those foreigners
and enemies should reap all the advantages Of one
of the most profitable and now indispensable branch
es Of agriculture, and one, too, for which our coun
try has peculiar aptitudes and facilities. And in
doing this, let's see what we have done. Ours is
sometimes called the age of statistics. And it is
cminently practical and factual age. And surely
nothing can teach like column Of figures. Let
then appeal to the Census tables Take first for
example, the ease Of a single county, Mecklenburg.
We have not the tables for 1860, and only know
the general result that the population of the State
is little over 1OOO OoO Calculating for this NUN.
Der from the tables for 1885, We find The number Of
families in this county to be about 1000. Allowing
three dogs to a family as fair average. we have
5000 dogs. Any farmer will tell you that the food
which dog consumes will keep hog in more thar
an average condition, and will make at least zoe
lbs. of pork. This gives 100000 pounds, or a,
present prices $780, 600 annual loss to the country
But further, any farmer will tell US that but fo
dogs, the number of sheep would be increased tel
fold, and that sheep husbandry would be larg
part of our regular agricultural system. The pres
ent number Of sheep in Mecklenburg county, calcu
lated above from the tables for 1850 is somethin
less than 10000. Setting it down at that, tn
above statement shows that it would be and ough
70 be 100000 At the moderate estimate of s
90 cents per head, this would give an addtio
to the wealth Of the county Of $25O,0OO. And
we add to the annual income the value Of the woo
and the yield Of mutton would be at least slOO, 90
we shall have SOC, 900 pounds, worth now 1926, 90
making an annual gain Of $sa5, 600, and adding f
the pork IS above $3.50 600, we get total of ga.
600, an annual result equal to the whole prese
value Of all live stock in the county. And let