Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-06-15

The season of sheep shearing Is now
upon us, and with it comes the question
Of what shall be the price of wool. Hav-
ing spent most Of the past month at the
public shearings and meetings Of the
wool growers, this question has been con-
stantly asked me, and [ have answered it
as. according to the best of my informa-
ton, would subserV the truth. 1 think
no person can say confidently just what
wool will be worth a month hence, or
what price farmers ought to insist upon,
but so far as / have any opinion to- eX-
press, I will give it, under the above
qualification.
In the first place, as to the causes which
will affect prices this season, The pend
ing tariff measure agreed upon By the
Joint Committee of the National Wool
Growers and National Manufacturers
Associations can operate only prOspec-
lively The bill has not, at this writing,
been reported to Congress by the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, so that the
nearest possible time of its passage Is too
far In the future to have very direct IN
fuence in determining the price which
shall rule for our woods IN y June or y uly.
But the prospective and collateral 1nhu-
ence Of this measure Will be considerable.
Let us calculate With an impOst duty
Of ten cents per lb. and ten per cent. ad
valorem on foreign wOOls-of which for
eign woods it takes two pounds TO be equal
to one of American WOol-tO the AmerI-
can wool grower twice ten cents per h.,
and twice ten per cent, say tWenty-three
cents; add to this the cost OF the foreign
wool, say, at fifteen cents per pound, equals
thirty cents, making In all htty-three
cents, besides exchange, storage, &c. and
the American wool grower Will have his
own market at an average Of some sixty
cents per pound. Even under the present
delusive tariff, it is stated in the last re-
port of the Boston Board of Trade, by
one of the best informed wool dealers In
that city, that even at a cost OF twenty
four cents per pound, the importation OF
Mestizo woods the past season had not
been remunerative; and this while Ameri-
can wool is quoted at htty to hfty-hve
cents. If this calculation is correct,
think the American wool grower has
abundant reason to be satisfied with the
prospective condition Of the WOOL market.
Another and more immediate cause af
fecting the price of wool In 1866, Is the
fact that the eastern wool houses are un-
usually bare, not only of foreign, but of
entire and desirable lots Of domestic
wool. The operations of manufacturers
within the last few weeks have cleared
the eastern wool houses to an extent be-
low that of any other time, at this season,
I
the machinery of the wooden mills has
been increased full fifty per cent, requir-
ing a supply of one third more than all the
wool raised in the United States, to keep
! it in even moderate operation,
These two main taots-ViE the un-
proftableness Of importation, and the
/ necessity for domestic wool, fix the status
of the market at its present opening.
The wool buyers are already IN the
I E-1I 81 n a
take the new clip at a range Of from forty
five to fifty cents. Formerly it was the
custom. Just before the sending out of
orders to purchase wool in the spring, to
get up a sham sale in Boston or New
York. and send out false report Of prices;
but as this practice can no longer deceive
intelligent men, the spectators have re-
sorted to a system OF decrylng the condl-
ton Of our woods, and for this purpose
have held meetings in Michigan and Ohio,
adopting rules both impraoticable and un-
lust and putting forth declarations con-
cerniug the practices of wool growers
whose impudence Is only equaled by their
falsehoOd.
But the farmers have wool to SELL and
these men will come to buy 1t. Every
farmer must decide for himself how he
will dispose of his wool and the price at
which he will hold it. 1t is always most
! Satisfactory TO buG AUAAoA W AAaE4a~ W
MS stuff at home for cash in hand, and
when a satisfactory offer of this kind Is
J made, [ should say, take it. But let nc
; farmer be deceived byspeoioUs arguments
} as If the bottom was about TO fall out OF
the market. There can be no prediction
, In trade at this time more certain Of ful.
, filment than that wool must advance from
present quotations, and although the pub.
f iished rates are from forty-hve to hfty
cents, know of considerable purchases
. already made in Ohio at 1ifty-five 20 sixty
D cents, and I know of no good reason why
) all the better class of good conditioned
. Ohio wool should not command the out
) side figure within the next two mopths
] Believing this, as / do, from the can.
, vass of the whole field Of production and
5 consumption, send forth this statement
= to the public for the consideration Of such
S wool growers as are constantly inquirinl
J of me-What are the prospects Of th'
! wool trade this season
D S. D. HARRIS,
e Secretary Ohio Wool Growers Assooia
? ton, and Agricultural Editor OH
= Farmer, Cleveland, June 5th, 1866,