Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-05-31
STATE UNIVERSITY LECTURES.
Wool and Mutton.
BY PROF. TOwNSHEND.

into cheese. In Great Britain, in addi
ton TO affording wool and mutton, the
sheep is the farmers chief dependence
for maintaing the fertility of the soil
converting the turnip, the mangel, anC
clever crops into manure.
In temperate and cool climates sucf
as ours, the wool of the sheep is a ne
cessary material for human clothing; its
property of retaining heat of the body
Tits flexibility, elasticity and durability
render it better suited for clothing
through large portion hf the year. than
any other material. The fifty millions
of people in the United States use, upon
an average, seven pounds of wool fol
each individual for clothing, bedding
and carpets. We require, then, $4,000
900 pounds of wool annually for home
use. How much we might manufacture
and export, if we had the wool, we will
not attempt to estimate. At present
this country contains about 100000 of
sheep, which produce 23O,OOO,OOO pounds
of wool; the deficiency is supplied by
130,000,000 pounds of wool and S33. .000,-
600 worth of weolen goods which we
annually export.
1t is not surprising that this great ag-
ricultural country. should not produce
wool enough to supply the needs of its
inhabitants? In the United States there
are 100000 square miles of mountain
Gus and hilly lands untitled for general
agriculture, but, well adapted for the
pasturing of sheep. Besides this, on our
best farming lands the sheep should
have place, and could he kept, with
profit, if commercial obstacles were not
greater than the natural. At present
we have not sheep enough to supply the
| wool our people require; but, were it not
for defective tariff regulations, the num-
Der could soon be increased to any de-
| sirable extent. Not only have we land
enough, but the climate OF this country
appears to be adapted to the production
of every desirable quality of wool. The
Spanish merinO has not deteriorated
upon this continent; on the contrary, by
assiduous care and skillful management
there has been marked Improvement.
quantity comparatively, but they have a
luster and quality which proves that sew
eral of the Northern States are well
adapted to its production. In short.
there is no desirable grade of wool
which cannot be produced abundantly
in the United States, if only the demand
and price would encourage such produc-
ton.
Australia, with cheap land and mild
climate, has S0,000,000 of sheep; and
South America, with perhaps equal ma
tural advantages, has 6U,000,000. These
countries can furnish wool to our manu-
factGrels at lower prices than the farm
ers here, with our valuation of land,
cost of labor and rates of taxation can
afford to sell at, consequently profitable
wOol-growing in Ohio against such com
petition is impossible. And if foreign
manufacturers, who can obtain cheaper
wool and cheaper labor, are allowed to
supply this market with wooden goods,
they can easily undersell our manufac-
turers, and American woods and woolens
will be driven from the market. Here
is serious question for the American
statesman. Shall we grow our own
wool and manufacture our own wOolen
goods, and be independent of other ma
tions for indispensable clothing, wheth
er in war or in peace? Or shall we al
low our wool producers aud woolen
manufacturers to be undersold by for
eignsrs and driven from the market, un-
til our tlocks are destroyed and we have
no alternative but to pay to the foreign
manufacturer whatever taey may thiLk
tn do TO 70
fore levied upon imported woods has
been sufficient to make wool-growing on
ly reasonably Sremunerative. Any con-
siderable reduction of the tariff on i'm
ported woods which will allow foreign
competition, will make wool-grOwing
here Improbable. Any great reduction
of the duties upon imported woolens, it
is claimed, will lead to the destruction
of our woolen factories, and thus de-
stroy the home market for wool. The
tariff commission is understood to be at
the present time collecting facts upon
all such matters; it is presumed that
some changes and, and possibly, reduc-
tiOns of existing duties will be recon-
mended. 1t remains to be seen whether
the interests of the woOl-grower will be
ably represented before that commission,
and before Congress when that body
comes to act upon that commissions re-
port. Previous experiences may lead us
US to fear that while the few, but uni :
ted, manufacturers will secure able ad-
vocates of their interests, the millions
of unorganiZed farmers will fail to Sc
cure such advocacy. and, trusting solely
to the reaSonableueSs of their demands,
may be subjected to disappointment.
Mutton, as an article of food, does not
appear to be appreciated in the United
States as it is in some other countries.
So far as can be ascertained from census
reports, the number of sheep killed for
mutton, in the packing-houses of the
whole country, is only about two and
quarter millions, valued at $4,000, 900.
The number of fat sheep annually ex-
ported is insignificant, being less than a
quarter of million, and valued at less
than million of dollars. OF the num-
Der of sheep annually killed in retail es-
Establishments, or for consumption in
farmers homes, we have no data for es-
Inmates. Although mutton is perhaps
as nutritious, as digestible, and as
wholesome as any other meat, yet, from
the infrequency with which mutton is
seen, either upon public or upon private
tables, it is safe to say that it is not
f4vorite meat with Americans, in COM
pariSon with beef or pork. This is at
tributed by some to the small number of
really mutton sheep which are kept in
the country, in comparison with the
millions of Merinos and Merine grades.
That there is no difference in quality
between the mutton Of Southdown or
Leicester and that of Meripo of the
same age, is favorite fancy with some
! owners of MerinOs. II a S0utndown. in
good feed. should have a surplus of mn.
triment above the needs of the hour and
should distribute that surplus within its
body in the form of juicy meat. we are
not Surpl isad that il haars nnnn H. -.