Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-10-24

TH WOOL Growing. Tl
NO. XIII.

We have no reluctance in avering that
there are but few sections on this CONT
nent superior to East Tennessee as wool
growing region. Nor are we alone in this
opinion. An intelligent manufacturer of
WOODEN goods, of New York, takes the
same view after travelling extensively over
many of the States expressly for the pur-
pose of investigating this matter. He is
of the opinion that there is no section bet
ter adapted to this business than that belt
of country stretching from Gordonsville,
| Virginia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee. He
says: "The land is rolling, well fenced,
well watered, good climate, and ranging in
price from S. to S25 per acre, with good
improvements" -s l.ss.-
There are several considerations why
East Tennessee is so admirably adapted to
wool growing, which we will now proceed
to unfold. In the first place, it costs but
trife to rear and take care of sheep. Let
us begin with their pasturage There is
enough of this to support millions of sheep
with nominal cost. We have two ex-
tensive ranges of mountains, the Cumber-
land, on the northern boundary Of the
State, and the Smoky Mountains, on the
| southern boundary. In addition to these
there are intervening ridges, equally as
valuable for grazing purposes. These
mountains and ridges throughout the sum-
mer and fall seasons are covered with
grasses and species of weed which
all sorts of stock eat with avidity.
Sheep may be driven to these ranges as
early as the first of April, or the latter
part of March. Here they will remain
until the first of November, during which
time they will get i'll fine order. They not
only revelin luXurient grasses, but they en-
Joy a cool and healthful breeze which is
always prevalent in the mountains. They
find an abundance Of clear water, and ev-
erything around them conspires to prolong
their lives and to maintain and perpetuate
vigorous constitution. The only ex-
pense attending the matter is, the employ
ment of q careful hand to watch over them
and to salt them. There are neither
wolves nor dogs to destroy them. One
man could readily manage from three to
five hundred.
How different are our advantages in tn
respect, from Ohio or any of the Eastern
States. There extensive cleared lands
must be brought into requisition, and the
very best lands at that, for the purpose OF
grazing them. This makes the business
expensive, for these same lands have to be
put into grass, while they are worth, for
grain and other purposeF, far more than
for sheep husbandry. In East Tennessee
our farming lands are not interrupted.
We 90 to the mountains where we can
Craze almost for nothing.
But how is it in the winter season?
Are the winters hard on sheep? We
answer emphatically, no. Our winters
are short and exceedingly mild. Our
severest months are December and jan
uary; and these, compared with
the same months, farther North, are mild.
One special feature of our winter seasons
is, that we have no such piercing winds
as are known to prevail throughout all
that region north of the Ohio river. All
who are acquainted with the delicate con-
stitutions of sheep are aware that such
winds are death to these animals. They |
undermine their health, give them the |
"rot' and soon kill them. We have known |
them, on this genial climate, to remain |
outdoors all winter without any covering |
and fed on small quantity of shelled corn |
or beans and fodder. Indeed, it is aston |
ishing how Very little food of any sort they |
consume - .-|.#. .-.W Et. |
1t will, therefore, be seen from these
facts at what a small cost sheep may be ia
ken care of in East Tennessee, and how
large the profits in the production of wool.
We boldly assert that there is no business
that would pay better according to the
amount of capital invested. Let us take
an example. Mr.. A. buys, we will suppose,
500 sheep. The account stands thus: