St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-03-31
Sheep and Wool Growing.

In the United States the history eff
sheep husbandry has been marked by
movements so peculiar as to warrant the
term :. manias' in describing them. At
times there has been shown strong de-
sire to engage largely in sheep-farming,
and almost every farm had then its
flock; at other times an equally strong
determination has been shown by thou
sands to get rid Of all their sheep at any
price, or almost at no price. These
movements have not always been inn
znediately preceded by marked ri 9 in
the price OF wool, nor has this desire to
increase or to diminish the number OF
sheep been in direct relation to an adj
vance in the value of their feeces at the
moment.
In the year 1873 the advantages Of
sered to sheep husbandry by the newer
States and Territories attracted the at
tention OF capitalists and others, and by
che middle of the year 1881 many thou
sands of sheep were ranging where but
% very few years before none were to be
found. Yet in 1873 medium wool sold
for some cents per pound more than in
1881. In 1880 wool from Kansas and
Nebraska sold or prices ranging from
sixteen to twenty-six cents, yet there
was steady and rapid growth in the
interest taken in sheep-farming. and a
large increase in the number Of sheep
takyrl from the Eastern and Middle
States for the purpose of starting ranches
In the West.
With diversity of sol, forage and
climate especially favorable to wool
growing, that industry has received in
North America far less attention than
might have proitably been given TO it.
The were consumed in the United
States between the years 1861 and 1879
a total of 1924, 764, 900 pounds of wool.
OF this quantity $50, 426, COO pounds, the
custom house valuation of which was
,$165, AS, $50, were imported As the
value of goods imported or exported i,
greatly underestimate in returns made
: by the revenue department, the above
figures may be safely doubled to get at
the cal market value of the wool i'm
pc ted. This woald give fully $751;,
100000 as the sum paid in the seven
teen years to other countries for wool
which M ght have been grown at home.
AS an item of passing interest in this
connection it may be stated that in the
year 1872 the value of imports of wool
was placed by the Treasary Depart
ment at s2s, 2i4, 1876. the quantity inn
porte having been 122, 256, 500 ponds.
The civil war of ,1861-'65 compelled the
Peep OF the United States to buy
largely and at high p ices the products
of the loom, and the supply OF cotton
being CIT Oft in a great measure,
caused a larger demand for woole S.
Stimulated b. these circum tances mill
owners increased their facilities unit
they greatly exceeded the normal re.
quirements of the country. For some
Years the production of goods went on
active y, even after the war had ended,
until there was a large over upp y.
When the panic of 1873 came many
mills stopped, and the impo statien Of
wool fan from l22, 256, 500 pounds.
brought in 1872, to 1890 pounds in
1874 The value Of the wool imports
In the last named year was placed at
So. 250.3 06. or, $17,963,8S9 less than
that of the importations of 1872. - Chi
Ictzg0 ITiGataae. FEsA