The Portland daily press., 1868-07-25
Wool.

Maine has never been remarkable for wool
raising. In old times our farmers kept small
focks of sheep just enough to grow wool for
domestic use. They were coarse wooled
sheep and made excellent mutton,-much
better than after the MerinO blood was intro
duced. Some farmers always kept one or
more black wooled sheep in their fiocks so
that the "women folks" could mix the white
and black wool, and make a very desirable
grey cloth for their husbands and boys. The
finest of the white wool was spun and woven
into cloth which was sent to the "Fulling
daughters gowns. "London brown" as it
was called, was the fashionable color and
prevailed for many years.
We can remember when we thought these
daughters looked very beautiful in such
dresses. They generally had new ones every
fall. And what is more worthy of notice,
they 'spua and wove the cloth for themselves,
and asked no favors from foreign countries.
Flax was also raised in considerable auanti-
ties, and, mixed with cotton, made excellent
made from flax alone, and durable cloth it
was. Every household had big and little
spinning wheel and towards autumn the fair
daughters made lively music on these instru-
ments. Times have changed and we have
changed with them.
To return to our subject. As time passed,
the merino breed was introduced, and our
farmers began to raise wool to sell. When
this breed was first introduced into the State,
there was a good deal of excitement upon
the subject, and all who were able and had
enterprise enough engaged in the business.
Since that time Maine, Vermont, and the
Western States have raised large quantities
of wool, and yet we do not grow all the wool
used, Notwithstanding the greatly increased
production of the last few years. But the
low price has partially checked this increase,
and prices may eventually rise unless some
outside cause contracts and disturbs the gen
eral course of trade. "When wool is very
low in the markets of the world,' says a
writer in the Country Gentleman, "and the
supply so large as to seek market in every
possible opening, we can hardly look for very
high rates. That wool can be grown in
warm climates so as to pay the present tariff
and compete with our own woods, whenever
prices are much lower in foreign markets or
they advance to fair paying rates here, there
is little room for doubt"
Wool can be grown in warm climate,
where sheep need no feeding in the winter,
and where few shepherds can take care of
many thousands, much cheaper than it can
in the Northern States. Land, too, is cheap
er in warmer climates than. it is with us.
The Mark Lane Express says; "The great
island continent Of Australia and the ada
cent islands of Tasmania and New Zealand,
have as yet but the fringes of their territories
occupied" and yet the reports of wool from
Australia are very large. From 1913 to 1853,
20 years, the increase of the exports was
from II ,433, ,7sO pounds to 77,173,446 pounds
a year, or nearly 400 per cent. South Ameri.
ca too, raises large amounts of wool which
finds its market here and in Europe. Two
| gentlemen OF our city keep on plantation ol
some 10000 acres, one hundred miles from
Buenos Ayres, South America, from 5o,ooo
to $4,000 sheep from which they shear every
October large amounts of wool which IS ex
ported to the United States. We believe
they have a large amount now in store, wait
ing for more activity in the market.
According to the Department Report fol
1865 the United States have used of dcmes
tic growth 115,OOOOOO pounds and OF importe'
87,917,O3l pounds making 1872, 2,917 ,O3O pounds
This is very large amount to use in thi
country. Last year, in England, the WOO
used is estimated at 152,0OO,OOo. 1t IS tru
some of the wool was imported by our mer
chants in 1866 in anticipation OF a higher ts
riff. Our recent war led to high prices an
consequently to a large increase of manufat
turing establishments. The natural cons,
ouence of that is tendency to an accumul'
ton of woolen goods rather than of the ra
material.
The American wool-grswer is most inte