204 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



our people cheaply, abundantly, and tvell without help from abroad ? 

 In answering this question, we must repeat facts elsewhere stated 

 in other connections, and familiar to many of our readers. 



First as to our machine capacity. It will serve the purpose of 

 our argument equally to take the census statistics of 1870, while 

 they have official authority. 



The number of sets in the manufacture of woollens proper, 

 consisting of cloths, flannels, and blankets, and yarns, is placed 

 at 8,336. In the worsted manufacture, the number of combers is 

 set down at 193, and the number of sets at 98. 



One comber being the equivalent of three sets, the total in sets 

 is 677. 



In the carpet manufacture, the number of sets is 211, with 100 

 combers, making a total in sets of 541. 



In the hosiery manufacture, including cotton, but principally 

 wool, 519 sets. 



Recapitulation. 



Woollens 8,336 



Worsted , C77 



Carpets 541 



Hosiery 519 



Total 10,073 sets. 



The value of the products of this machinery, as given by the 

 census, was as follows : — 



Woollens 5155,405,356 



Worsteds 22,000,331 



Carpets 21,7G1,573 



Hosiery 18,411,564 



Total $217,578,824 



Our imports in that year were : — 



Woollens $14,660,403 



Worsted Dre?s Goods 15,447,960 



Carpets 3,940,707 



Total $34,019,070 



Add to this, which is the foreign valuation, the custom duties, 

 premium on'gold, and profit of importer, making the home valua- 

 tion double that of the foreign, the home value of these imports 

 equalled $68,098,140. This, added to domestic production, made 

 our whole consumption in 1870, $285,676,964. So that our do- 

 mestic production constituted three-fourth of our whole consump- 

 tion. As to the character of the machinery and processes used 



