The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-23

1 An Interesting and valuable paper has been
Presented 10 The Royal Agricultural Society of
England, on the subject of the production Of
peep IN that country which led to a discussion
the relative merits of the coarse and fine wools.
he number Of sheep grown in the United King
pm is given as 3OOOO,OOo, producing annually
HOOOO,OCO pounds Of wool, or an average Of four
'unds per head for the year 1860 la 1859 the
PpOrtation Of wool into Great Britain amounted
33OOO,OOO pounds, of which her own colonies
qrnished So 600, ,OoOpounds. But Notwithstanding
vast increase in importation, It is said "the
Ice Of British wool has not only undergone no
vminution, but its production continues to be
e of the most profitable branches of our agri-
ltural industry" The explanation of this
ult is that there is an increased demand for
h homegrown wool, both for domestic and
heign manufac;ure-France and other conti-
ntal countries having taken from Britain, In
30, no less than js,OOO,OO0 pounds of long
oli while some Of the finer varieties of British
Pol brought, formerly, much higher price per
nd than the long wools, but now there is
y little difference in price.
Now the reason of this seems 30 be IN part that
II wealthy country gentlemen of England have
de It fashionable to wear the coarser cloths,
3de Of the long woo's, instead of the fine broad
hs Of former days, which seemed essential to
Hentleman's dress. In the course OF the discus
" Of the subject before the society, o member
that fIom information he had obtained in
tnce ana other countries, /; appeared TO him
II the day for the finer qualities of wool was
EsiDg away. 1--WE know" he said, "that none
Eus wear the fine SGxony cloths which we
- to wear when the Merinos were cultivated
III wool was sold at a high price 70 manufac-
He an expensive material to be worn by the
II The great object of the day, now. is to get
Eeaper article that can be worn by the many,
Bradford, Leeds, aud all those parts of York
He, testify to the fact that the manufacture Of
4 loOser goods, that are made from long wools
Rapidly increasing; while the manufacture of
n goods, from the short woods, is as rapidly
Nrep sing; AID the consequence Is that clear
tded farmers on the Continent see that they
II not that demand for the expensive and not
vly cultivated short wOOls; and that IL will be
policy to change, as rapidly as they can,
r Merinos to breed of sheep that should
b. them more mutton and larger quantity
cheaper description of wool"
Vhe chairman of the meeting said 1.-THE
it, Of the people had greatly changed. When
Vas young man. person would bo afTronted
s tailor offered him cloth at any thing less
24s. or 25s. (S6 to S6'2j) a yard-hnest
NOny. Expensive cloths were hardly ever
N at the present day, and hence the necessity
woolgroWers to change their mode OF ope-
Big
c know very well too, how we have, in this
htryl followed the fashions Of our English
inS in the use OF coarser cloths and that the
II cloths have comparatively gone out of use.
, Wdes the increased consumption of coarse
les for mems wear, it appears that other
SriptiOns OF goods composed of similar mate
n have been introduced TO such an extent that
. Wnsiderable demand has arisen for the coarser
! H..
, nultaneous with this demand for coarse
Y IN hos ha. aV.aI
1Of mutton in preference to other meats, and
e fDsequent demand for the sheep which will
II the most mutton. This is the English
Ese wool sheep. 1t meets in wool and flesh
5 Uouble demand upon this kind of stock and
@ British sheep-grower makes double profit
, Eis focks.
4 Ne litte fine-woolled Saxony and Merino sheen
r never grown 20 advantage on the British
Ids. The smallest sheep, and of the finest
i that have been found profitable in the i'm
pa condition OF agriculture there, are the
!: Val varieties OF downs; and these have been
a greatly improved within twenty-five years
q Ias to press hard upon the larger breeds in
e ~ OF carcass and fleece. In the hands of
} tpreeders as Mr.. Jonas Webb and his COM
!, prs, the Southdown is a very different animal
e what II was in former years; their hoeks
}; hge, we do not doubt, four pounds 20 the
. n, which is said to be the average of the
Of O,OOO, composed, IN very great measure, of
d large valteties-LecesteTs, Cotswolds, Lin
&c. 1t is because IL has been found profit
y TO increase the weight of the carcass and
n at the expense OF fineness of wool that
sheep have been so diligently fed and bred
70 p their present condition; and because a
IN and coarser sheep suits better the circum-
II kes Of the improved state Of agriculture of the
he ds, the rich pastures, and the habits of
e tased care.
Do ese considerations suggest to us that the
er circumstances which have led to the rejec-
g y the smaller and the introduction of the
~ breeds, bear upon our practice in the highly
70 hated portions Of the old States. Mutton Is
is ne years In greatly increased demand In oar
~ and growing markets. 1t 10 so good and
Is tsOme meat, that II is much TO be desired
II; tuld be furnished abundantly, aud at lower
nc The large sheep suit us with this view,
e. no profitable for their carcasses alone. But
up kcreased price of the coarse wools, relatively
IS, inner, and the greater weight Of fleece,
Az additional Inducements to grow them.
es tould be mistake, however, 10 undertake
Nc Produce them into barren or badly cultivated
M Ves' The smaller and more active MernO
~ I'VE where Cotswold would starye and if
rs c 70 find sufficient food, is able to roam and
lle pr it The larger sheep demand good sup
SsSS Rand they are too heavy and inactive 10
them up. They must be put, therefore
to kn the better class Of lands, such lands as
% improved Maryland, Pennsy yYania, and
he ia farms afford. For all the fine wool
it pa Tor our manufactures, We may look 20
L., urrtory lying away from the great markets,
tes 10 regions OF abundant and cheap lands,
he r. II may cost too much 10 take the carcass
ith tket. There, great hocls Of the Merino
ne, love at little cost but the looking after to
III them rom the dogs and wild beasts
8 a pas not been observed by Americans, as Il
ed leen by the sklltul and careful breeders of
iie 1nd, how much the character Of the fleece is
: 1ined by the manner Of feeding, as well as
- lality Of the food. If sheep are well fed al
Ine and starved 40 another, the wool will be
u in staple, will be weak, and will neither !
iell nor make good cloth, Sheep fed on
lake are said 70 produce the strongest and |
Roolj and oily kinds of food generally
hen and increase the weight OF the wool !
inpart lustre to 1t. While store sheep
not be so fed as 10 make them quite fat, |
han be no doubt, from the result of careful |
hments, that il will ordinarily be found pro-
in one climate 70 feed them daily with a |
hte supply Of grain throughout the winter. |
talth and strength Of ewes that are to have
the superiority Of the lambs and the in
!. quantity and improved quality Of the |
.; will all contribute to such result.