1905.] DECLINE OF SHEEP INDUSTRY IN CONNECTICUT. 35 



which seems to be devoted particularly to the sheep interests 

 of the State, could be made than one which would briefly 

 review the history of the decline of the sheep industry in the 

 State of Connecticut, and it is to that subject I invite your 

 attention. 



The decline of sheep husbandry in Connecticut affords a 

 good illustration of the effect of economic influences upon an 

 agricultural industry. The forces which produced this decline 

 were so slow in their operation as to be practically impercepti- 

 ble at the time of their fulfillment, requiring the lapse of con- 

 siderable time to clearly define the primary causes, and few peo- 

 ple have ever thoroughly understood them. A brief review of 

 economic phases in the past century does not take long to dis- 

 close the reasons of this decline. To facilitate the presenta- 

 tion of these facts, I will not confine myself to exact dates, but 

 will refer in a general way as to times and periods in the dis- 

 cussion of the subject. j 



In the fore part of the last century, up to about 1840 or 

 1850, sheep were maintained upon the farms of New England 

 primarily for the production of wool, the wool being needed for 

 the production of clothing, blankets, etc., required by the 

 farmers and others. At that time the common practice was to 

 make the cloth at home, including, practically, every detail of 

 the operation, from the growth of the wool to the finished 

 clothing. Towards the end of this period, owing to the exten- 

 sion of the law of division of labor, the manufacture of cloth 

 and various preparations of the wool necessary to the manu- 

 facture of cloth, was gradually diverted from the farm to the 

 shop. Coincident, or closely following the period of the devel- 

 opment of the manufacture of woolens in mills, the revolution 

 of transportation facilities began by the use of locomotives and 

 steamboats. This opened vast tracts of fertihs land for the 

 abundant production of staple agricultural products in our 

 country, while large and extensive territories throughout the 

 world were entered and opened by other civilized nations. 

 Owing to the increased facilities of transportation, whereby 

 both the markets for the disposal of products and acquisition of 

 the raw material were greatly extended, particularly the last, 

 the manufacture of woolens developed rapidly. That is a poinr 

 that should be borne in mind. The market, by the acquisition 

 of the raw material, was extended more rapidly; that is, the 



