Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-04-26
Good Pr1cos Ahead for Wool,

Fl+N
Mutton sheep bring high prices
in all of the markets of the country.
For the first time since there has
been live stock market in Chica-
60, we believe, fat sheep brought
nine cents per pound, gross weight,
in the month ofMarch, 1872. Just
such state Of affairs was predicted
in these columns more than a year
ago, while abiding to the merciless
and indiscriminate slaughter Of al
most entire tlocks for little more
than the worth of their pelts. For
at least four years the number of
sheep and quantity of domestic
| wool have been steadily diminishing,
while the older factories were rum
nlng on full time, and new ones
were being built. Theaccumulated
surplus of wool, which had occa-
stoned stagnant market, and de-
pressed sheep husbandry for the
three or four previous years, was
daily being reduced, and for more
than. a year past has been much
smaller than those buying cared to
have the producers understand
AS prices of wool advanced, better
figures were offered for pelts; thus
butchers could pay more for fat
sheep without advancing the supply
oflmutton, and the supply was kept
up. In the year 1871 there were
slaughtered for mutton as many
sheep as in the year preceding
Thus it would seem that an advance
in the price Of wool does not affect
the supply of sheep for mutton, as
it might reasonably be supposed to
do. When the butcher is sure of
getting from three to five dollars
for a pclt, he can afford to offer 4
price sufficiently large to tempt the
farmer to part with his sheep.
We mention these facts as they
arc the grounds upon which we base
the opinion that the present short
supply Of wool and consequent ac-
tive inquiry and paying prices, will
continue for several years. The
increase Of sheep, the country over,
is much smaller than was generally
supposed. Fifteen to twenty five
per cent, with the average between
the two, is liberal estimate in that
direction. Many sections do not
show more than ten per cent. The
increasing demand for mutton will
be strong leverage in checking all
efforts at rapid increase. Of flocks,
and those who look for glut in the
market for domestic wool within
the next two or three years, will
most likely be disappointed. We
mention this to awaken a more gen.
eral disposition among farmers to
cultivate sheep as part of mixed
live stock husbandry. A few sheep
are sure to pay under almost any
condition OF the wool market; but
Just now they will be found unusu.
profitable. Because they will be
found so, however, we do not advise
any man to commence the business
on scale any larger than he cx-
poets to maintain for a period OF
years. A small flock well kept will
earn their owner more money than
twice the number not as well Ian.
died. A very strong, if not the
strongest, clement of the many indi-
yidual disasters in which attempts
at wool growing few years since
resulted, was the desire to do too
L;S bus;nncs- Mon ehonI.lnrnI
bigger loads than they could carry.
Flocks were crowded too closely
day and night for either thrift or
health, and thus became ready vic
tins to the ravages of disease and
exposure. We do not desire to sec
these mistakes repeated; but, on the
contrary, to have every farmer
whose means and surroundings will
admit Of it, make the raising of
sheep as regularly a part OF his
business as he does the raising of
hogs, or cattle, or horses. No ami
NAL dies in debt to its owner so sell
dom as the sheep. Even if starved,
it leaves pelt that would pay for
better treatment than it received,
and affords larger return than
it's owner deserves. = Western RE-
raj.