Year: 1860

says there is an inadequate supply of coarse
wool for the demand made for it in this conn
try, and that the present prospective condition
of the wOoen trade warrants large invest.
ment in that branch of production. He saws
the Leicester, sheep bearing long and not
fine fleece-that kind of wool selling now in
the market at rs cents per pound, is, on the
whole the best. He selects this part of the
coast of Maine, because inquiries he has pros
ecuted through this country and the provinces
satisfy him that sheep are less liable to disease
here than at the West or South because upon
the immediate coast, the open winters. and the
access to sea plants, will allow large focks to
be wintered at much less expense than amid
the deep SHOWS of the interior and becanse
the fires that have denuded so much of the sur-
face of this country of its trees have created
wide ranges for summer pasturare. which
have little value for any other purpose, and
may be purchased at merely nominal prices.


He has examined the region of Mt. Desert,
in Hancock county, Sterben and the islands
at the mouth of Narraguagus river, JCnesboro
and Jonesport, Trescott and Lubbock. The
sheep will be kept under the care of shepherds
and dogs as in England and Scotland, and will
be driven from one pasture to another, at the
different seasons. When snow is upon the
gound he believes that if pastured contiguous
to the sea shore. the sheep will subsst upon
the sea grasses andsdulce upon the rocks, ard
find shelter in the fir thickets adjoining, with
little fodder or provender though part of
his lands will be devoted to raising turnips and
grass for feeding besides. He is confident that
under the management of competent shepherds
and dogs there would be no expense of fences
and no depredations by wolves, bears, dogs, or
men, and that the business of wool growing
may be made profitable.


We consider tho hirblxr
cia to the country. Our farmers know already
that sheep well managed are most profitable of
Stock but the great expense of fencing them
IN, their wlldness and breachinesS, and the ter
rlble havoc made among them by dogs and
bears, have so far disheartened our people, that
only few farmers on the coast, and favorably
situated elsewhere keep up the old custom of
spinning their own stocking yarn and weaving
and making wooden garments which they
wear. We suppose the census returns now
made will show a diminution of the number of
sheep during the last ten years.


If this new enterprise succeeds, it will great
ly encourage our own producers. They will
be able to obtain more profitable breeds of
sheep, and will learn how to manage them so
as to get the largest possible income from them.
1t would add vastly to the wealth of this coun-
try, if the extensive waste between Machias
and Columbia, and between Machias and Lu-
bee, where thousands of dollars worth of grass
grow and perish annually, could be covered
with focks OF sheep. large supply of wool
would make steady call for it from the fac
tories, and bring better prices than are now OBJ
tanned for the insignificant lots sold. We sup
pose the wool of Australia is to day larger than
the gold trade and more lucrative 1t will be
better day for our country when we have
something to sell beside lath, lumber and shin
plpS A hpttpr cunDlU Of wool will
quire woolen factories, and then both branches
of this important and lucrative business will
be in our own hands. But let us have the
sheep at any rate.-Machias RepnbAcan