Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-11-17
Sheep and Weol.

and every fact that can be present
ed for the consideration of farmers.
shows that for the coming years the
sheep and wool industry Of our
country is to assume far greater pro.
portions than IN the past, and that
the prices of both mutton and wool
are to be such as will induce
a greater interest in sheep husband
ny than for some years. There
are several causes for this, some
of which relate more closely to our
home affairs, others affecting the
foreign aspect Of the matter, and
therefore coming to us somewhat in
directly,
In England, during the past win
ter, the oliver rot" a disease quite
unknown among the hocks Of the
United States, has caused the death
of hundreds of thousands Of sheep
and brought a loss to the farmers
which several years OF the most
breeding will not enable them tore
cover from. In Turkey, Persia,
Russia, India, and throughout the
eastern nations generally, the prev
alence of war, which has rendered
It necessary for vast numbers OF
sheep to be slaughtered, has almost
put stop to the production of wool,
so that in English markets there
is really danger Of "wOOl famine"
and prices of all grades of wool have
advanced to prices quite unknown in
the previous history Of the wool
markets at this season Of the year.
Moreover, the consumption OF all
grades of combing, delaine and car
pet woods has, during the eight
months last past, increased in our
own country fully forty per cent,
while England is demanding more
OF our mutton than ever before in
the history of our country; all OF
winch has given sheep husbandry
aad wool production such an impe-
tus as it has not before had for
years.
It is, in fact, a revival Of one OF
the greatest branches Of our nation
al industry, and one which is likely
to leave to it something Of perma-
nence, and be productive Of lasting
advantage. We have this opinion
upon the following, among other
facts: During the past year the
wool manufacturers Of the vicinity
OF Boston required far their wants
52,500,0OO pounds Of wool more
that was used by them in 1878,
while the stock of domestic wool
which they had or hand on the first
Of January last was the smallest,
with one exception.for the past five
years. and while it was also true
that the great west and the whole
interior Of our cOun.ry was never 50
completely cleared of wool on the
1st Of January as it was at the be-
ginning Of this year. Since last
November, wooden goods hsve beer
selling as they could be manufacture
ed-a thing which has not occurred
previously at the same season o
the year for many years. These and
other facts will induce an increased
attention TO sheep hnsbandry, and
when the keeping Of sheep comes
be made business tor wool, NUT
ton and manure, and for wool alone
it will then become a stable ant
permanent branch of farming.
One great trouble has heretofor
been, that sheep farming in thi
ountry, in the Eastern States es
pecially, has been carried on il
a somewhat spasmodic fashion
Farmers have kept sheep for a fey
years, then with an unfavorable tur
in prices, or losses on account {
bad seasons. have abandoned ii
business for something else. b.
We have yet to hear Of an instant
where a farmer has stuck to shes
husbandry as business for p
liod of ten or fifteen years, who h
not made money and kept his far
growing better from such cours
There is another important consi
Grafton, which as we have repeate
ly stated. gives to our country o.
otis greatest advantages for this Ii
of farming, and that is, the cor
parative freedom your focks ha
from any depicting, fatal, cOntal
Gus. This is one OF the great q
vantages of our country as a Sc