Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-08-13
The Wool. ProdncIng Industry.

al progress must necessarily he limited
in Victoria, where there Is now no
room Tor exI arsion, yet II IL making
rapid strides Ia New south Wales aud
Queensland, and every year there l. a
substantial addition To the quantity Of
wool raised In Australia. Vast tracts
OF new country in the interior. north
ern. and western portions of this great
continent have been iakcnsup within
the last f'w days, aud in n COMP IA.
lively short lime the whole oi The iaId
will be occupied The pastOrn indus
try never showed greater vitality than
IL does III the present time. and Tor
years 10 come IL must necessarily &C.
cupy the prominent position which il
now maintains. Though last year.
owing 10 particularly unfavorable
season throughout u great extent Of
territory. the clip was not SO large rs
in HE previous season, yet, rs IA gener-
al rule, each year shows n substantial
advance in production. The number
of bales exported from the rleading
colonies from the lst of last October 10
the middle of February were us fol-
lows: Victoria, 2s0,2Ol bales; New
South Wales, 16l ops bales; South Aus
% 997 bales; or n total Of 5i4 ,015 bales,
as against 500, T0i bales for the CORE
spending period last year, showing a
decrease Of 8,778 bales; and 1t Is not
likely that the above figures will be
materially altered ut the end OF the
year. Though these figures show u
serious falling OIL, 1t must lie remem-
bered last season was nm exceptionally
unfavorabie one. The following is IA
state of the number of bales OF wool
exported from Victoria, New South
Wales, South Australia, and Queens
land for the last three years: Year
ending 30th September, 1880, 65i 600
bales; 3Dth September, 1881, 1876, si5
bales; Goth September, 1882, TO-, 605
bales. In each of these years there
was satisfactory advance upon the
preceding one. The extension of rail-
ways in New South Wales, South Aus
tralia, and Queensland has been OF
advantage to the wool pro-
ducers OF the far inland districts, who
are now enabled TO send their ciils to
the various seaports for sale or ship
ment far more. ped,tiously and econ
omically than in the past. Wool
growers have also the satisfaction OF
knowing THAT there never was great
er demand tor their produce, and that
the markets Of the world are now
competing for it. The demand for
colonial woods In the continental mar
kets is rapidly increasing, especially
in those of France and Germany.
During the past season the purchases
for the two countries named and Bel
GUM have increased nearly fifty per
cent. as compared with the previous
year. There is az ev ident desire
among cont mental manufacture rs to
obtain their supplies of wool direct
from the colonies, and, as a matter OF
course. every fresh market that is
opened for our produce must add to its
value At the same time, while new
markets are being found upon the
continent there Is no material falling
of in the demand for Great Britain,
where Australian wool will always be
eagerly sought after.
The increase in the direct trade
with the continent has been wonder
fully rapid during the past year, some
30 900 bales, or about one-tenth OF the
whole quantity sold the Melbourne,
Geelong, sydney. AZ delaide markets,
having been purchase on foreign ac-
count. The various ines Of foreign
steamers now running to Australian
ports, afford direct and expeditions
communication with Antwerp, Ham.
burg, Havre and Ma seilles, 10 the adj
vantage OF continental buyers. There
also appears To be some probability
that before very long the steamers Of
the Austrian l.loyds line which now
run from Trieste to Bombay and Cal
cutta. will extend their trips to Austria
liam ports. With such facilities at theii
command for shipping direct TO tho
continent we may reasonably expect &
still greater demand for foreign mar
Sets in the future. Then, again, there
Ii good reason for believing that the
United States will require a larg,
portion of our produce, rs the Austria
llan wool is better adapted 10 the
wants Of American manufacturers fol
some purposes than amy other. The
recent alteration in the American
! tariff as regards the duties upon inn
ported wool, though not so liberal II,
| could be desired, Is an important con
cesslon, aud will probably do mucl
! toward the establishment of u steady
trade with Australia.
! With such prospects before them a'
We have shown In the foregoing re
marks, our wool Produces have gooC
reason for being satisfied. There mus
lee good and certain markets tor theiI
/ produce for many years, al any rate
and they have greater facilities 70
rai,ing the material than tue sheep
breeders of other parts of the world
The climate OF the greater portions o
the Australian continent is admirably
adapted IN the breeding Of Merin'
sheep, anU the cost OF raising VOC
upon our vast natural pastures Is com
paratively small. 1t Is also satisiaC
tory To know that there has been
gradual and steady improvement II
our ilocks going on for five years, ant
sheep of u very superior type hay
been developed. The enterprise am
judgment of number of leadin
ftocK owners in this and the adjoining
colonies, assisted By IA congenial ell
mate, has effected such a wonderful
Improvement In Merino sheep durin
the last few years that the animals ,
the present day can scarcely be rec0l
uized rs belonging to the same class {
sheep known under that maine "A GEL
Grafton back, or even less. The size {
the sheep has been materially increa'
ed, and as other conditions bein
equal, large-framed animals will yiel
. "A vr,.atar hulls az wool than smalle