The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-10-06
Fashion in Wool.

The New York Times says: "fash-
ion has much to do with the profitable
ness of wool growing. When men
wore brOadcloth and ladies' dressed in
line, soft merinos, the short and very
iimc wooded German Meiinos -SaXohs
and Silesians-wcre maiuly kept, aud
other sheep were of little account.
Then at times of unusual brisktoss If
The wool market, when fine fleece,
sold for 81 and more per pound, choice
breeding animals sold for large prices,
and sheep weighing less than 100
hounds often brought scvera. Thousand
dollars per head. AS fashion rbansc,:
these sheep were sacrificed for their
pelts, having no market value iOr
their fleece and having no good mutton
about them. Fashion has now reached
a more settled and reasonable c)nd:-
lion, and the growth of cur wooden
manufactures has created, settled and
made permanent markets for l1any
varieties of wool-all that we produce
from our various breeds, and some of
inferior kinds that we do not rear IN
sutti cient quantities. In fact the con-
sumption of wool is now, and promis-
ca TO be for many years, III advance OF
The supply; and the prospect seems
-. ,..a,,ra 4 =. .----'r ..ssf ts.ssl.~Ll.-
afSehfaf11 Tor whatever Kind oil wool
may be grown. But the preponder.
sncc Of one kind Of sheep or another i.
fixed very strictly by The conditions
and necessities prevailing i'll our va
led agriculture. Near markets for
lambs and mutton ii does not ..pa.lay
rgrow mutton sheep far away from
...-.I--S-- ."IrSu On grass alone.
ihc variations III onr agriculture ars-
ing from local and other conditions.
such as S, il and the most convenient
crops, are all to be considered IN
choosing the kind OF sheep that may
be kept with The most prof, or conve.
nieuce, and in this regard should be
considered the relative adaptation of
The various breeds of sheep, together
with tho daipands Of manufacturers.
Medium wool enters most extensively
into manufactured goods, and is the
sole reliance of the country wooden
and carding mills. This is made up
ut the common native fleeces, the
Soulhdown, and other Down grades,
and low grade Meriuos. The common
sheep of the west improved by crossing
with pure Merinos also supply this
class of wool, which is the material of
which are made cassimcrcs, comm on
haunels, clothing goods, sergcs, The
better class of blankets, common
shawls, the coarser dress goods, hosie-
rY. Knitted goods. falt hats Of tlo bot
Ter kind, gloves. coatings, AMI over
coatings; the coarser and poorer class
ofwools from this grade of sheep sup.
plies the carpet manufacture aud the
cheaper kinds of clothing and felted
goods. Pure and high grade Merinos
supply The material for dclains, cash
meres, and other dress and fine cloth
ing goods without nap; for the fine |
flsnnels, hosiery, and uudcrgarments
tor the finest shawls and the best goods
for mems wear; also, for mixing with |
shoddy for second class goods, which
carry fine face but have very poor
backing. The longest, fine merino
wool is used in the best ladies' cloths
and mems goods; the long, lustrous
combing wool of the Colswolds,
Leicesters, and Lincolns is nsed tor
worsted goods, buniings, fringes, mo
reens, alpacts, mohairs, hastings, fur
niiure damask, reps, braids, bindings,
and The soft nubias and shawls. Con-
sidering that we import wool aud
WOODEN goods 10 the value Of $50, OOO,-
900 yearly, or an cquivelant 10 about
100 900 pounds of wool, there is Ger.
tainlv little fear that American far
mers can go astray in keeping sheep or
In choosing whatever kind their cir
cnmstances or their tastes might make
the most desirable"