Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-23
fewer SHEEP RAISED.
Year Shows Nearly Million Shrink
age.

The National Association Of Wool
Manufacturers has Just issued its annual
1t contains valuable statistics ana infor-
| nation of this industry, carefully com
piled my w. J. Battison. According
I? the report the number Of sheep fit for
compared with 39,2S4.ooo the preceding
| year. This shows falling off in tn.
United States flock of 9f,92S. 1t is the
smallest number OF, sheep on record since
| 1895 when the number was but a little
short of what it is in 1904;
But withstanding this reduction in
the docks the quantity of wool produced
has increa sed. according to these est-
mates, ,o32 pounds, the gain being ac-
counted for in the increased average
weight of the fleece, which is placed at
$50 pounds this year against SIS pounds
in 1909. The report says that on the whole
the woods were well grown. without ten
;id and Of good STAPLE due to to- one Of
on the ranges: and to an abundance of
Succulent food
The production of pulled wool for the
bringing the total products for 1901 to 291.-
country and the flock of i737s.=S5:s was also ;e
was a gradual falling off in production,
due, it has been said. to the operation of
free wool, until 1897, when the clip of 259-
| l53,25l pounds was the smallest since 1880.
L
ported wool went into effect. and for sew
eral years thereafter there was a gradual
!but smalD increase, the high point being
al Os2 pounds. but 50 1877 lO6 pounds less
than the maximum record of 1899. In 1903
the production fell off about 30 600
of the present year is about ,3ssSS O32
pounds in excess of last year In round
figures there has been a shrinkage of
about 57.o00.oOO pounds in wool production
in this country since 1893.
These statistics show that notwith-
standing the Dingley protective tariff, the
production in 1904 or seven years after it's
enactment. is only about 32.0OO,0O0 pounds
effect of free wool on the industry was
felt. The overcrowding of the Western
ranges and the increasing demand for
some authorities as the principal causes
of the slow growth of the industry under
fostering tariff. the actual, flock in the
United states decreasing about 100000
In regard to Mr.. Battison's figures of
nI pro for Montana tdda and Wyoming
country, there is some doubt The former
state is credited with a production of 81
77S,0O0 pounds and the latter with q. 900
pounds, showing an increase from 1903 of
!, 173.0O0 pounds in Montana and of 10000
pounds in Wyoming. 1t is the general
opinion of members of the Boston wool
trade. those who are in close touch with
conditions in those sections buying and
marketing the bulk of the clips that
neither produced much if any more this
year than last. 1t is estimated by some
that the Montana clip did not reach much
above 100000 pounds. and the maximum
estimates of the trade are for e, 200, 900
pounds. BY the smaller estimate the in
dicated increase of total production in the
United States in 1904 would be entirely
wiped out and decrease of about 1900 900
pounds shown.
In the following tables it will be noticed
that the figures for the Middle States the
so-called bright or medium wool sections.
all either show a material falling off in
production or no change at all. This is :,
consumption of wool of one-quarter blood
grade and below. The production of such
| wool is steadily but surely shrinking in
| face of consumption that is steadily
increasing.
The following table shows the number
of sheep on hand in the various states
and territories April l, 1901. and 1903: