Year: 1864

The Ohio State Journal publishes the
following interesting letter addressed to
Prof. Klippart, Secretarw of the Ohio
State Board of Agriculture, by an emil
nent house in New York, on the subject
of the wool clip in the West, prices, ETC.
The Journal says the New York house
is one of high standing, and the views
expressed by the writer-though not
intended by him for publication-are
we'll worthy of the consideration of the
Ohio and other Western wool growers


NEW YORK, June 20, 1864.
Mr.. ]. II. Klippart, Columbus, Ohio:


DEAR SIR:-I enclose you an article
published in the Economist of the 18th,
by which you will see that there is rea-
son to suppose that the wool clip this
year is (or ought to be, according to the
price of cotton,) really worth at least 25
per cent. more than it was last year.
The tariff alone Ton foreign WOOL will
be equal at the present price of gold to
near 10 per cent. against per cent. last
year. Cotton having reached so very
high price, it is believed by all the
demand largely on wool as substitute.
l feel great interest in having Western
famers obtain full value for their wool
clip. Whenever the farmer is doing
we'll, business men do well. If I We're
in Ohio now l should advise the farmers
not to be hasty in disposing of their
wool. In all human probability the
army will be increased, and this of itself
will produce greatly increased demand
for wool. 1t is almost certain that the
army will be kept in the field the next
winter, and there will be probably a
million of men to be furnished with
wool clothing, in addition to the increas-
ed supply required for civilians wear
consequent upon the cutting off of i'm
portatiOns by the increased tariff on
woolen goods. The wool growers have
a harvest before them, or my judgment
is greatly at fault. Ninety cents pound
was offered and refused to-day for lot
of wool that would average about equal
to the medium of Ohio wool. On Sat-
urday was shown letter from a man.
ufacturer to his agent in this city, direct
ing him not to sell his wooden goods
except at an advance, for the reason that
he was expecting to pay dollar
pound "if not more" for his fall supply
Of wool. There is very strong specu-
lative feeling here in reference to wool,
and the market is being rapidly cleared
out of all desirable lots.


The manufacturers are all afraid of
each other and are quietly buying every
pound they can get at the market price.
Heretofore it has been the custom to
make auction sales of WOOL at low fig
ures, in order to establish the price for
the new clip, but this year they feared
to try that experiment. Wool is to-day
altogether the cheapest article of mer
chandise in the catalogue, and if the
farmers part with it at less than 81 90
pound, for the good clips, they will be
unwise, and have occasion to regret it.


l will be much obliged to you if you
will write to me, stating your opinion as
to what the average increase in the clip
will be this year over last.


Very truly, yours.


P. S.-The manufacturers will make
the farmers pay about double prices for
all wooden goods the coming season, and
it would be unjust, if they are inveigled
into selling their wool at less than it is
fairly worth