Arizona republican., 1905-01-30
THE WOOL REVIEW
4 Subject Interesting to
 Many ArizOnianS
The Product of Last Year Compared With Those of Earlier Years-The Location of the Big FIOcks.

Boston, Mass. Jan. 29.-W. J. Battf- son has just issued for the national as- sociation of wool manufacturers, it's annual review of the wool trade and census of sheep in the United States during 1904. According to the report the number of sheep fit for shearing April 1, 190I was 3S.342,O72, as com pared with 39,2S4, 600 the preceding year. This shows a decrease in the United States flock of 941,92S. It Is the smallest number of sheep on record since 1898, when the number was but little short of the number of 1904.
 Notwithstanding this reduction, how ever, the quantity of wool clipped has increased, according to best estimates. by 4,333,032 pounds, the gain being ac- counted for in the increased weight of heeces, which averaged 6.5O pounds during the past year. against 6.25 pounds in 1908. On the whole the woo!s were well grown, without ten Gorress. and of good staple, due to one of the mildest winters experienced for years on the ranges, and to an abund- ance of good food.
 The production of pulled wool for the year is estimated at 42,OO0,OOO pounds bringing the total production up to 291,7S3,O32 pounds. The year 1893, when 31S.53S,13S pounds were produced, and the flock numbered A. 273.553, was the largest on record, and since then there has been a gradual falling off until 1897, when the clip Of 259,153, ,251 was the smallest since 1890. The present years figures are about A,333,032 pounds greater than in 1903. h round figures, there has been a shrinkage of about 57,OO0,OOO pounds iu wool production for the United States since 1893.
 Montana ana Wyoming are the two largest producing sections of the cOun- try. The former state produced ST. 7T2, ,OO0 pounds during the year, and the latter 29,45O,O0O pounds. showing an increase from 1903 of 7,173.OOO pounds for Montana and of 75O,OOO pounds fo> Wyoming.
 Some experts differ from these fig Ures, however. estimating that the Montana clip did not reach much above 3J,OOO.COO pounds. By accepting the latter figures, the indicated increase Iu production for the country would. l,t- wiped out. and q decrease of 3,O0O,O ,OO0 pounds shown. Fhe figures of the manufacturers association. however. can be relied upon as the most accurate OatGinabIe. and are accepted by the government.
 Figures for the middle states, the so-calIed bright or medium wool sec tions, show either a material falling off or no change at all. This is d sig nificant fact, in view of the widespread consumption of one-quarter and in fcrior grades. The production of such wool is steadily shrinking in the fact of a stadily increasing consumption.
 Montana has the largest number of
  with $500, GOO; New Mexico third with 3,15O,C00, Idaho is fourth with 2,300, 900. The next in order with their figures are: Ohio, 2,O32,O72; Utah. 2,O25,OOO; Oregon. 2,0OO,OO0; California, 1,625.OO0; Texas, 1,44O, ,OO0; Colorado, 100000; Michigan. 1,2OO,O0O; Pennsylvania, has S5O,OO0; New York, 675,O0O; Washing ton, 560,OO0; Nevada, 60O,000; Arizona, 620,G00 Indiana, 100000, and all the other states below 6OO.00O each. Okla homa and Indian territory together have 36O,OOO
 The average shrinkaga for the wool of the country during the year was 66.6 per cent. The total value of the wool produced was $64,940,959. Of this the pulled wool totaled $13,151,600 in value. Pulled wool shrunk 33 per cent, bringing down the total production to -o the original 42,010,0O0 pounds. The average value per pound of fleece and the pulled wool has increased ten per cent and eight per cent respectively. The total increase in value for 1904 is $G,164.5SO. The average value per secured pound Of clipped wool was 54.1 against 4S.8 the previous year, and of pulled wool 46.7 against 43.4 in 1903
 Nevada has 600, ,OO0 sheep, as previ- ously stated, which produced 4,2O0,000 pounds of washed and unwashed wool. equaIIing 12G0OOO pounds of secured Nevada feeces averaged seven pounds each, with a shrink2Se of 70 per cent, and worth 57 cents per pound against 52 cents the year before, or a total of SIP 200 for the year. ArizOna's 62O,OO0 sheep produced 4,340,OOO pounds Of