Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-03-09
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1917
CAN THE SHEEP BUSINESS COME
BACK?

BAUM!
Addison county is especially Interested
in the current discussions over the pos
sible revival of the sheep industry The
palmy days of agricultural prosperity IN
this region were those of large ilocks
of Merinos and prices which now seem
incredible. In the '4O's and '5O's sheep
breeding was the largest industry in
this county and the sales on several
farms reached $40, coo year.
No one expects return of eXtraVa-
giant speculation prices, and 1t would
not be healthful. But it is worth con-
sidering whether in the changed condi-
tons brought about by the war there is
not again an opportunity for good profit
in the sheep business. The great ranches
in the West are being cut up into farms
and the land put to other uses. The
same thing is happening in Australia
AT the same time the manufacture Of
wool in the United States is making
great progress, and the industry is cen
tralzed in New England Changes in
the tariff have stimulated these manu-
features, at first to the disadvantage OF
the grower, but now that the mills are
finding their foreign supplies cut off,
they are looking for American wool
and paying large prices. The war is
creating enormous demands, and it looks
as if these would continue many years.
The prices of meats show no signs of
declining and experts believe that large
sections of Addison county could be de-
voted profitably to the raising OF
mutton.
Some of these considerations are well
set forth in an interesting article by
Mr.. Logan G. Mcpherson in the issue
of the New York Sun of March 6, from
which we take the following para
graphs:-
with the outbreak of the war the
entire wooden situation radically
changed. The need of the Allies to
equip the armies they were called upon
suddenly to raise brought tremen-
dous increase in the consumption. The
troops of Germany were well equipped
for the time, but Great Britain, France,
Italy and Russia, were obliged to place
their mills under a strain in the en-
deavor to manufacture uniforms, over
coats and sweaters for their soldiers,
and they were compelled to award eX-
tensive contracts to the mills of the
United States. The manufacture Of
Great Britain that was Of 5l5, 900, 900
pounds of wool in 1914 was over 800,
600, 600 pounds in 1916, and the manu-
facture of the United States that was
sos, 900, 600 pounds in 1914 was also Of
over 100000 pounds in 1916, of
which we exported wooden manufac-
lures to the value of nearly $50, 900, 900.
The wool taken out of the markets left
a vacuum that has not been filled.
Western wool that sold in the grease
at from 81 cents to % cents a pound
three years ago now brings from AZ
cents to 43 cents. Just last week there
was an advance of 10 cents pound in
the price of secured wool
"The scarcity is enhanced by the fact
that while worn wooden clothing is
usually converted into rags that are
made into shoddy, it is reported that
the clothing of the allied armies when
cast off is not put to any further use.
Therefore as the demand has under
gone a terrific increase the supply has
diminished. Moreover, a drought in
Australia decreased the focks Of that
land by 100000 sheep. The world
production of wool IN 1916 was less
by over ll9,000,0O0 pounds than in
1915, The total number of sheep was
less by l8,000,00 England has cast
an anchor to the windward by pur-
chasing the entire clip Of Australian
wool, leaving the manufacturers of
the United States dependent upon her
grace for such portion of it as they
obtain. The transportation from all
wool growing countries is increasingly
difficult because of the interruption to
ocean bound commerce.
"The dislocation of the wooden indus
try in Europe has increased the de-
mand upon the mills of the United
States for wooden manufactures for do
nestle consumption. But they cannot
get the wool and they cannot get the
operatives. Instead of all the ma
chinaru uorkinu continuously IN NOR