The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-07-30

uUtS courier.
|, SHEEP AND WoOL.-Every indicatiop
OF the times, and every fact that can be
presented to the consideration of farmers.
show that for the coming years the sheep
aud wool industry of our country is to as
sumo far greater proportions than in the past
and that ne prices Of both mutton aud wool
are to be such as will induce far greater
interest in sheep husbandry than for some
years. There are several causes for this,
some Of which relate more closely to our
home affairs, and others affecting tbe for.
eign aspect Of the matter, and, therefore,
coming to ss somewhat indirectly.
In England, during tho past winter, the
Silver rot" disease quite unknown among
the focks fthe Uuited States, has caused
The death ofhundreds of thousands of sheep,
and brought loss to the farmers from
which several years of the most faithful
beedinglwill not enable them to recover
In Turkey, Persia, Russia, India, and
throughout the eastern nations generally,
the prevalence of war, which has redered it
necessary for vast numbers of sheep to be
slaughtered, has almost put stop to the pro-
ductlon Of W ,ol, so that in English markets
there is really danger of wool famine"
and prices Of all gades of wool have advanced
to figures quite unknown in. tho previous
history Of the wool markets at this season
OF the year. Morcover, the consumption of
all grades of combing, delaine and carpet
woods, has, during the past eight months,
increased in our own country fully forty
per cent, while England is demanding more
OF our mutton than ever before in the histo-
~ Of our country; all of which has given
sheep husbandry and wool production such
an impetus as it has not before had for
years. 1t is, in fact, a revival of one of
the greatest branches Of our national indus.
try, and ono which is likely to leave it come.
thing Of permanence, and be productive of
lasting advantage. We base this opinion
upon the following, among other facts -
During the past year the wool manufacturers
of the vicinity of Boston required for their
wants $4,000, 900 pounds ofwool more than
was used by them iu 1873, while the stock
Of domestic wool which they had on hand
the let of January last was the smallest.
with one exception, for the past Eve years,
and while it was also true that the great
West and the whole interior of our country
was never 80 completely cleared OF wool on
the 1st of January as It was at the begin
ming Of this year. Since last November,
WOODEN goods have been selling as fast as
they could be manufactured, q thing that
has not occurred previously, at the same
season of the year, for many years. Thcee
and other facts will induce IN increased at
tention to sheep husbandry, and when the
keeping of sheep comes to be made bus
iness of wool, mutton, and manure, and not
wool alone, it will then become q stable
and permanent branch of farming.
One great trouble has heretofore been
that sheep farming in this country, has been
carried on in somewhat spasulodic fashion.
Farmers have kept sheep for few years,
then, with an unfavorable turn In prices, or
losses on account Of bad Seasons, have aban.
doned the sheep FOR something else. But
We have yet 10 hear of an instance where
farmer has stuck to sheep husbandry as
business for period of ten or fifteen years,
who has not made money and kept his farm
growing better from slch course. There
is another important confederation which,
as we have frequently stated, gives to our
country one Of its greatest advantages for
this line Of farming, and that is, the com.
parative freedom your focks have from any
depicting. fatal, contagious disease. This
is one of the great advantages Of our coun.
try rs section for sheep husbandry, and
one which will cause permanent increase
in the number Of sheep kept, in view of the
great losses from disease abroad.-New
England Farmer.