206 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



worsted coatings, — the great articles of consumption all over the 

 world, — we equal any, surpass naost, made abroad, in texture, 

 finish, and beauty of design ; foreign manufacturers eagerly seek- 

 ing samples for imitation in their mills. Our thicker cloths for 

 overcoatings suffer nothing in comparison with those made abroad. 



In dress goods, there was little opportunity to make compari- 

 son, as Bradford, the principal competitor in classes of goods 

 made by us, did not think it wise to enter the field. But the com- 

 mand of our own market against foreign competition settles the 

 question as to the quality of our goods. In, carpets of the cheaper 

 and medium qualities, up to two and three ply ingrains, we are 

 without competition, making the cheaper kinds so abundantly and 

 cheap, that no home, however humble, need be without this most 

 characteristic of household comforts. The extent of their use in 

 our homes was a subject of surprise to our foreign visitors. The 

 higher classes of tapestries and Brussels, and still higher, of Wil- 

 ton and Axminster, in taste of design and perfection of texture, 

 were absolutely equal to the best foreign samples ; and, judging 

 from the length and closeness of the pile, surpass them in wearing 

 qualities. In this department, we have nothing to learn abroad. 



The question of comparative cheapness of goods is more diffi- 

 cult to fix exactly. Foreigners declared that our fancy cassi- 

 meres were equal to those of Elbeuf, and cheaper than similar 

 goods could be obtained in the French market. On the other 

 hand, the cloths of Belgium and Yorkshire were unquestionably 

 apparently cheaper than our own ; but this apparent cheapness is 

 illusory in a great degree, when we consider the low character of 

 the materials which enter into their fabrication, — in one case, weak 

 Mestiza wools ; in the other, shoddy, — when compared with the 

 eub.stantial material of the American cloths. We do not hesitate 

 to assert that there are no medium woollen goods, such as consti- 

 tute the great bulk of consumption, which, in wearing qualities, 

 will compare with American fabrics. The English admit that they 

 consume not less than thirty-eight thousand tons of shoddy annually 

 in making their woollen goods. The Belgians boast that they use 

 the cheap IVIestiza wool, and laugh at the Americans because they 

 "stick to the old-fashioned, strong-bodied, long-stapled wools," 

 which are so valuable that they ought to be used for combing pur- 

 poses, and because we do not " turn to advantage all wastes and 

 refuses, which now, skilfully mixed, play such an important part 

 in lowering the cost of fabrics." 



