Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-09
Crawford Tells
Of Opportunities in
The Sheen Industry

ut Is to be regretted that so many
of our Maine farmers have found 1t
necessary to go out Of the sheep
business during the past few years
for our climate, our soil, our springs
and hillsides are ideally adapted to
the sheep industry" asserted c. H.
Crawford, sheep specialist of the De-
partment Of Agriculture and secre-
| tary and manager of the Maine Sheep
and Wool Growers Association. on
Saturday. He pointed out that
while with other lines OF farming
| the sheep have had their ups and
| downs as far as profits and losses
! are concerned, they have still re-
manned necessity to the people.
Under our present agricultural
conditions there is no line of ami
NAL industry that proves so salts
| factory and clean net profits as
| sheep" continued Mr.. Crawford.
There is a world shortage of sheep
! and has been since the recent war
which also created world shortage
for virgin wool. Australia, the great
est sheep country in the worlda does
not produce near the quantity of
| wool as in the past few years.
"A very unusual condition now ex-
lists in many foreign countries in
which wool Is worth more than II is
In the United States, so that mill
lions of pounds of foreign wool
which was shipped into this country
during the past year is now being
Withdrawn and reshipped back to
! England. This is due entirely to two
| causes; the first, a reduction in the
! sheep population in the British Isles.
| and other countries-the second. to a
growing demand for virgin wool pro-
These conditions should be con.
vincing to American farmers and es-
peclaily TO all farmers in the east
n states tnat 1t Will be long time
perore the production equals the de-
mand. 'Ae oe-
There seems little doubt but that
many farmers in Maine will in tha
near future be compelled to reduce
!neir present tileage acreage and II
Is believed that they would be war
ranted in charging their PASTURES
and making use of them by keeninr
at present. P 'nAn
There is no present indication Of
any relief In the labor eituafi on
AS sneep require very little labor
especially during the farming sea
son Ihey mt In the general farm pro
gram very satisfactorily. It is also
Deileved that due to the difficulties
IN economic differences as between
the United States and foreign com
tries, that 1t will be a long time he
lore the present rate of ariff on WOOL
Is reduced very much, If any. go that
the price of wool will remain 81
satisfactory level for several vears
to come. 'ears'
There is also a rapidly erowinr
demand for lamb and mutton fo,.
taoie use and especially in the east.
ern states. And the Indication arc
tnat II Will be some time before thts
demand is satisfied. 'His
mere is nothing in the animal line
tnat can be kept on the farm .o
cneapIy, so far as cash outlay is COW
cerned. as sheep, nor REQUIRE. 80 ~.
Tie personal attention.
Letters are being received at the
department. OF agriculture from Cali
doInia ana various other states in.
curing about the possibilities of
buying sheep in Maine to be shinnsd
across the continent. This warrants
the opinion that sheep are IA for )
Dig DOOM and that there WIFI he :
snarp demand for them within fba
next few years. eiie
Let's every farmer In Maine go.
In the boom and get some GOOD
SOUND, healthy. high producing sheen
ana De ready to receive our share Of
the prosperity that comes with
them.f- fsys
THE Maine Sheep and Wool