The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-08-26
THE WOOL GROWING INDUSTRY.

lected, and which promises, if attend
ed to as it should be, to add largely to
the wealth and prosperity of our State
and people. In Texas, this branch of
production is a factor of inestimable
Importance and is so appreciated by
the Texas farmers. Says Southern
Industries: 'Sheep husbandry, and
particularly the growing of fire wool,
may be rendered very profitable
business in the mountainous regions of
the South, which are not adapted to
cotton or other crops requiring culti-
walton. Large areas of cheap lands
now lying waste might be made pro-
fitable by stocking them with sheep
and Kidding the country Of dogs and
other enemies to wool husbandry"
And here we arrive at the great STUN
bling block which has retarded the
wool interests of our own State. The
dogs. When will our legislators see
the necessity and Importance of pass
ing some law that will encourage the
sheep farmer to take renewed hope
and enlarge the wool interests of the
State?
As long as there are so many dogs
allowed to exist without the enforce
ment of rigid dog law, just SO long
will sheep husbandry be at. a stand
still in North Carolina, and the next
Legislature, it it desires to pass an
act which will ingratiate itself
with the agricultural masses, it
can do it no better way than by tax
ing decided steps looking to the tax
ing Of dogs and otherwise encourag-
ing the profitable industry of wool
growing.
1t has been fully demonstrated that
sheep can be kept much cheaper in
the mountain regions of the South
than in any other portion Of the coun-
try. It is estimated that the cost of
keeping sheep on the highest land in
New York and New England on
which they are usually kept for wool
growing purposes, is $3.50 per head
per year. The cost in the South is
mainly confined to the expense of
herding, Sailing and shearing, and
does not exceed twenty-five cents per
head, where large number are kept.
The cost could be increased to fifty
cents, by providing in winter, shelter
of some kind and giving little feed,
which would tend to heighten the
quality and texture of the wool.
The following taken from Southern
Industries will demonstrate to our
readers the great profit there is in
sheep husbandry in the State OF Tex
as:
Estimated number of sheep in the
State including bucks, wheshers, ewes
and lambs, 100000, at a low esti-
mate Of So per head, S24,OO0,O00.
Estimated number of acres of land
employed for running the same, 90
100000, at an average value of 81 per
acre, $20,O00,000. Add to this Is
per cent, on the capital invested in
sheep alone, or s21, 100000 for horses,
wagons and outfits, together with i'm
provements, such as corrals, sheds,
ETC., S3,OOO,O0O. This makes total
estimate invested of SAT 100000.
Ranchmen differ in their estimates
of the amount of land necessary to
each sheep. Some think two and a
half, others four acres this, of course,
depends very much upon the richness
of the pastures. The profits arising
from this great industry are estimated
as follows
Wool-Eight million head of sheep
will produce, at an average of four
pounds per head, equal to 100000
pounds. Estimated at 20 cents per
pound, net to producer, would be So
100000. This includes freight to
market, shipping, and all expenses at
tending to the selling of the same.
Increase-from 100000 head of
sheep at least 3-5 will be breeding
ewes, which would make 100000 +;
if each eve had lamb and raised it,
the increase would be 100 per cent ;
but cut this down to so per cent, a
fair average, and you have 2,8S0,O00
lambs, valued at weaving at an aver
age of, say $3.50 each, would make
IL
This would make the total gross pro-
fit $13,600,000. Take from this gross
profit the cost of running these 5000,
900 sheep for one year, as had from
experienced ranchmen, at an average
of 55 cents per head, which will in
clude all running expenses, taxes