The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-03
Ghe Gntetliiqelrer,
SHEEP AND WOOL.

SHEEP AND WOOL.
The Gradual Extension OF this Great In
dustFy tn the United states.
Boston Commercial Bulletin. .- --...
The business Of wool growing, although
extensively pursued in the United States
does not keep pace with the manufacture
ing demand, or anywhere near the wants
Of q population Of nearly fifty millions Of
people, which. depends largely upon for
eign supplies OF manufactured goods, de-
spite high tariff. We may roughly est.
mate the wool production OF the United
States at the present time at 200, 100000
pounds, and the manufacturing demand at
from 20 to 80 per cent in excess Of the
home supply.
Although the business Of wool.growing
has increased very rapidly In late years In
the United States, 1t Is doubtful, with .
rapidly increasing population, and with
all the protection Of tariff, and opportuni'
ties OF profitable returns, II the business
will keep pace with tho demand. We
have noticed within the past four years 8
notable diminution in the quantity Of
wool grown in tho Middle States, and q
large Increase from the Western regions,
particularly in California, which now
supplies nearly one.third Of the total pro.
duct OF the country.
While Texas with its immense area has
steadily increased in It's supply, II has not
from the attention given there TO cattle
raising and cotton growing, made the adj
vance In wool growing equal to the gem
eral expectation, or comparatively as fav'
orable as the increase witnessed in the
more northerly region OF Colorado, and 1t
NAV be doubted, 1.-THE southern part OF
the United States can successfully compete
with the middle or northern parts In
quantity while 1t certainly connot in
duality in entirety.
WOOL GROWING IN CALIFORNIA.
In fact we observe marked distinction
in the quantity OF the product Of the State
OF California which occupies a lititudinal
limit Of between 600 and 700 miles, and
while we accept marked distinction In
that State Of superiority OF the extreme
northern, over the southern, we may as:
sumo that for profitable returns the central
point OF the State offers the most induce.
ment. This arises from the economy Of
management, where the winters are mild,
aud where the summers are not too op.
pressiye, where no artificial feed is neces-
sary in winter and where sheep can sub
sist without shelter.
While the Eastern and Central farmers
may continue profitable growing OF wool
in connection with other business, 1t Is
evident that we cannot expect from them
any considerable increase, and that We
must look TO regions further west TO sup
ply our constantly increasing demand.
We may look for the region north and
south OF and along the thirty.flth parallel
from Western Kansas to California,
through the territories Of New Mexico
and Arizona, as the region at the present
time offering an extensive field for the
prosecution Of the wool growing business,
and peculiarly adapted to 1t, particularly
in New Mexico, at the present time, when
the railway system being completed has
entirely changed the system before exist
ing, and when the great difficulties arising
from the want Of transportation and In.
dian visitations are forever removed.
Here an area twice as large as the
New England States, laid open TO the en-.
terprise OF the wool grower, Is capable OF
supplying an amount equal to one half OF
the present yield OF the United States.
No portion OF the Union has q climate
more favorable for manor beast, and in
this respect, the territory, when its merits
are known, will rank beyond the average
Of Colorado or California.
The territory, as a whole, does not pre-.
sent 10 the Eastern visitor the agricultural
aspect OF the Atlantic or Middle States,
and In reality las put comparatively
limited area applicable for cultivation with
out irrigation and has long annual seas
on OF drought. Nor will the average pro.
due Of the land In food for sheep equal
that, or in any way compare with the
Eastern States.
This condition Is also applicable to Cali:
fornia and Australia and other successful
wool bearing regionsj nor will the grazing
lands OF the territory excepting in highly
favored districts ever see q holding in val:
ne, equal to that OF lands in Kansas and
Iowa, but for wool growing lands will
have value commensurate with the mar.
ket value Of the product given.