Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-07-08
AGRIOULTURAL
valuable suggogtions to Wool Growers.

Na1uaDl6 DuBS0BLlOuS 70 WOO4 N1oWSEA
The address of Hon. Henry S. Randall. de-
livered before the Weol-groWers' Association
of Ohio, at Columbus, January 6, 1864, has
just been published in pamphlet form, in con-
junction with the proceedings of the conven-
ton. The address is a most interesting and
instructive paper upon wool-groWing and the
interest of wooLproducers in the United
States, and we should be glad to present it to
our readers entire, they must be content with
few extracts. Speaking Of the prospects for
remuuerative prices for wool in the future, Mr..
Randall says:
"In my opinion, we are to have year Of
low prices and panic among wool-growerH
when peace is restored, and when it throws
the cotton, which will then be in the South
ern States, in body into the market. There
has been much more smoke raised over, than
actual fire employed in its conhagration. The
amount remaining in the South is estimated
by those most cOnversant with the subject at
three millions and half of bales. The tenn
porsry supply will be mistaken for a perma-
nent one; and while it is glutting the market,
and while, perhaps, all commodities are sub
siding to the gold standard of price, we shall
hear as many of those superficial observers,
who always Judge the future by the present,
croaking over an imaginary permanent down.
fall OF wsol production, as now see in it the
best, if not the only high road TO Ell Dorado,
Then the inexperienced men, the spectators,
and those rolling stones who continually roll
from one pursuit to another, according to the
fashion 'or fever of the day, will betake them
selves elsewhere. They came as fleet as for
est deer'-they will be driven back as tame
"To the wool-growers, the future is full Of
rational hope. Everything goes to show that
his industry will be better rewarded in the fu-
ture than it has been in the past, The gener-
al tariff policy of our country is better settled.
That long struggle is over between the ex-
treme protectionists and nom prOtectionists,
which kept up agitation and uncertainty, and
led to those sudden vacilliations In legislation
which are so fatal to protected industry. The
extreme protectionists have learned that the
consumers-in other words, the body of the
people-will not long endure their policy
The non -protectionists dare not urge a tariff
below the standard of revenue, or one without
determinations; and henceforth the revenue
standard will admit of all necessary pro-
lection.
Another highly auspcious circumstances for
the future of the American wool-grower ia the
solidity and success attained by the wool-man,
ufacturing interest. There has been former
class of fmanufacturers-hyb hybrids between spec
ulators and politicians and stockholders in leg
islation--to whom we owe little. Their maneu-
vers kept the markets unstable and feVerish.--
They overacted and fell. Their successors are
generally practical, straightforward men, who
seek their gains in the legitimate channels of
business, Their prosterity is therefore certain,
and the steady expansion of their business is
equally certain, opening still wider markets
| for our wool. Let the latter fact not be for
gotten when we ask changes in the woolen
tariff If in those changes we could obtain a
particle of undue advantage over the manafac-
turer--if, to recur to my former simile, we do
not leave him full half of the bed-it is worse
than barren victory, for we iDjure both him
and ourselves. His decay is our decay. His
death is eur DEATH"
Respecting the payment Of high prices for
full-blooded sheep, Mr.. Randall remarks;
"Am asked, if, after such an elaborate ar
gument against extravagant expectations
against bubble blewing-I am also willing to
declare that my Judgment approves Of those
extraordinary prices which have been paid for
fu-bloodsd sheep within the past year? re-
ply: That depends upon circumstances. lex
traordinary prices have been paid for ordina-
ry animals then the buyer has not only been
deluded out of his money, but out Of his anti
cipated improvements. But great actual i'm
provements justify great prices. Let me cite
an example A friend OF mine owned flock
of ewes, of mixed Saxon and Spanish MerinO
blood, which yielded, on an average, four
pounds of wool per head. He purchased
what was then considered very high-pricsd
American Infantado ram for the purpose Of
improving his flock. He found, quite contra
ry to his previous experience, that be could
raise nearly one hundred per cent. Of lambs
In the spring of 1868, his three-year old, two
year old, and yearling ewes numbered upward
of two hundred. The three year olds unfor-
tuuately had their wool mixed, at sheaFing
with that of some of the old ewes, so that
their seperate product cannot be determined.
The twO-year old aad yearling ewes, one hun
dred and ffty-seven in number, yielded one
thousand one hundred and nineteen and Que
half pounds of washed wool, or seven pounds
two ounces per head, exclusive Of tags and
with wool averaging over two inches in length
d tagging down 70 the skin necessarily subtraotG
a considerable amount. The entire heecel
would have exceeded seven and one-quarIeE
pounds of washed wool per head. The sheep
. had been well kept, but not in the least degrOe
i pampered. The well-knoWn woOl merchant
who bought the wool informed me that ii wal
fairly washed, and the manufacturer wbC
worked it up expressed peculiar satisfaction
with its qualities, and declared that he haC
) never manufactured more profitable lot. Al
- the preceding facts, OF which / am not per
sopally coguizant, rest on the explicit testimO
ny of well known men Of as unsuspeOte'
:, truthlulness US any in the State Of New York
To show the public appreciation Of the sheep
l will add that the three-year olds and two
i, year Olds would have sold last winter in a 10
! for thirty dollars head. The dams, If Pu
~ back to the same ages, would rot probabl
have sold for eight dollars q bead.