The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-03-28
SOME LATE WOOL STATISTICS
Washington Sheep Have Heaviest
Fleeces, and Prices Consider.
ably Above Average.


wool production and statistics is told
in the Post-Intelligencer. The growing
Importance of the industry is told in
figures that are not only of interest to
wool growers but amazingly favorable
to the state of Washington. Increase in
the annual production of the commodity
is noted; increasing weight of wool, and
constant improvement in the quality Of
breeding.
The figures go to show in the first
place that there are in the United
States at the present time 3S,82l, 478
sheep fit and ready for shearing, as
against Ss,342,072 at the same time last
year. This is gain of nearly 100000.
These figures do not take into consid.
Grafton the lambs, which would make
the total considerably over 100000.
A decided decrease in future trading
in wool is also commented upon. Buy.
ing wool ON the back is not as safe an
investment as it once was considered.
The buying bubble burst in January
much to the CONSERVATION of those who
had been rash enough to speculate in
wool futures.
In every part of the country the heav.
Ter fleeces are reported with the excep.
ton of Wyoming. This is said to be
due, primarily. to the improvement of
breeds. The increase in weight is 6-l0O
of pound per fleece. The shrinkage
last year was 80 per cent, or per cent
less than for the previous year. The
total production of wool for the entire
country was 95,4ss,4as pounds. or 1885,.
527 ,l2l pounds of secured wool, an in.
crease of 2,50l.974 pounds.
The average weight per fleece was
CSC pounds decided increase over both
preceding years. The total value of the
clip for 1905 $sO,4l5,5l4, an increase ov-
er the previous year of about sl5,O0O,.
600.
Some very interesting statistics are
shown by comparing the different states.
Montana leads the nation in the nun.
Der of sheep, having 100000, produc-
ing 100000 pounds of washed and un.
washed WOOL New Mexico, Idaho Utah,
Oregon, California, Ohio, Colorado, Tex
as, Michigan, Washington, Oklahoma,
the eastern states and Arizona follow in
the order mentioned.
The interesting feature in the COM
parison by states is the fact that the
average weight per fleece in the state
of Washington is greater than in any
other state in the union. The average
weight for the washirg ton fleece is
given by the government census reports
as Sh pounds, while the next heaviest
weight is almost a full pound less
While this is true, the shrinkage is al
so greater than in any other state, be.
ing noted as 70 per cent, the next larg-
est being Oregon with shrinkage of
fraction less than 70 per cent. Regard
less of this greater shrinkage, the net
weight per fleece is still larger than in
any state in the union The average
price per pound of secured wool in this
state is considerably above the average,
or SO cents. The average was somewhat
over GO cents.
IF we apply some comparative figures
to the fiocks of the United States" saws
the P.-I., Eve find that the $3.50, 900 odd
sheep enumerated in the columns
would reach in single line 29,375 miles,
allowing each animal four feet of lineal
room, or once around the world and
from New York across the continent to
San Francisco, Placing them in platoon
formation, allowing each animal two
feet elbow room they would extend,
three files deep, from New York to San
Francisco, and another platoon from
New York to Chicago"