Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-08-06
Country Needs More Sheep.

Clarence ousley. Department of Agriculture.)
The wool from 20 sheep is used to
make the clothing and other equipment
of one soldier. Six farms out OF every
seven in the United States have no
sheep.
Sheep can be produced proftably on
almost every farm. Get some sheep.
They make both wool and meat-aud
both are badly needed. By proper
management they can be produced on
the average farm without entailiug re-
duction Of other live stock, and without
interfering with any. other agricultural
plans.
More than the entire wool production
of the United States will be used for our
armies. Where will we get the wool to
make clothes for the civilians? Every
ship is needed to transport men and
supplies from America to Europe. Un.
less the necessity is extreme we can't
spare ships for long voyages to Australia,
South Africa and South America to get
wool. Furthermore those countries
have not increased their production.
The problem must be solved by the
production of more sheep on farms
throughout the United States. We must
produce our WOOL at home instead Of
hauling it from the other side Of the
world. We can do that If the six farms
ont of seven that have not kept, sheep
will begin to build up focks In proper
ton to the size of the farm-at the ratio
of one sheep to each three acres.
You will be helping produce clothing
and meat for our soldiers and yourself.
You will be helping win the war. You
will be making more money from your
farm.
Sheep, in proportion to the value of
their products, are produced more eco.
nomically on the farm than any other live
stock; the feed and labor requirements
are less. They At In with practically
every kind of farming, getting much OF
their subsistence from forage, from
grazing weeds and grass that would not
support other stock. They eat almost
no feed that has value as human food,
and need less grain than other animals.
They add materially to the farm revenue,
but add very little, relatively to the
farm expense.
Since 1914 wool and mutton prices
have doubled and some grades Of wool
have trebled. Those who are In close
touch with the sheep industry believe
that attractive prices will continue.
During the war over production seems
i'm mpossible.
The United States now has 10000
fewer sheep than. in 1914. Our produc-
tion of wool has steadily declined since
1910, when it was 321 1852, $50 pounds to
29O, ,192, 900 in 1914. 2Ss, ,4s0, 900 pounds In
1915, and 2s5,572,000 pounds in 1917.
But while our production decreased our
manufacturing consumption increased
from $50, ,356, ,525 pounds in 1914 to 7S7,-
679. .924 pounds In 1918. In 1917 the
amount manufactured will be even larger,
and 1t seems certain that 1t will continue
to increase during the war.
The difference between the amounts
We produced and manufactured rep.
resents our wool importations from
other countries. We have gotten into
the habit of using great deal more
wool than We produced. The need 10
immediate as q war measure. But war
or no war IL would have been necessary
for us TO produce more sheep. A man
cannot draw money out of hank In
definitely unless he makes deposits.
We we're constantly consuming more
wool and mutton but raising fewer
sheep. The principal sheep countries
were not increasing their productions
before the war and seemed to have
reached their maximum. There Was. .
discrepancy between consumption and
production that was rapidly becoming
critical. The war brought the problem
to crisis. What about your farm? Ii
| II one Of the SIX, out Of seven farms IN
the United States that have no sheepP
Get some shsepl