484 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Pennsylvania has considerable land l^in,!^ idle which conld profit- 

 ably produce wool and imiUon. The limestone sections of this State 

 are especially adapted lor flne-wooled sheep. It is quite generally 

 conceded that sucli soil will give whiteness, pliability and silkiness 

 to wool, also atVording tlie best pastures and abundance of winter 

 feed. 



Sheep are cheap feeders, and breeding stock can be maintained on 

 cheap roughage rations siiiiplemented with concentrates during preg- 

 nancy and suckling ])eri()ds. Much feeds will be utilized by sheep 

 which otherwise goes to waste. J. E. Wing says, that out the GOO 

 known varieties of farm weeds, 576 will be eaten by sheep. This fact 

 shows their usefulness as weed destroj^ers on the farm. Breeding 

 animals of fine wool type over-pay their coat of maintenance by the 

 w^ool production. Most medium and long-wooled breeds will pay 

 from f to I their cost of maintenance by their wool production. 

 Sheep can give, especially on rough land, more profitable returns 

 than any other class of livestock. The fertility of the soil is greatly 

 enhanced by sheep. The fertility value of sheep manure is above that 

 of horses and cattle. 



The dog nuisance and parasites keep farmers generally from going 

 into the sheep business. The dog nuisance is exaggerated, but is a 

 factor to be considered. Laws should be passed and enforced to 

 limit the number of stray dogs. Care and management^ of his flock 

 can keep the farmer out of danger of loss from parasites. 



Silk is another animal fiber, 70 per cent, of which is produced in 

 Asia. The production of silk is less than the demand, artificial silk 

 being manufactured as a substitute. In 11)10, |G7,1 29.003 was the 

 value of silk imported into the United States. Imports of silk were 

 $15,891,759 in advance of the value of imported wool. 



Cotton is the leading vegetable fiber produced in America. The 

 cotton crop of the United States for the past year broke all pre- 

 vious records with a production of more than 14,000,000 bales. In 

 1910, 11,941,503 bales were raised, in which year the United States 

 produced 00 per cent, of the world's crop of cotton. 



The acreage of flax seed was greater in 1900 than 1910 by 794,483 

 acres. Production, how^ever, was less by 354,591 pounds. In 1910 

 the acreage was 2,910,000 and the production 19,024,901 pounds. Im- 

 portations increased by 47 per cent, during the last 10 years. Its 

 production is mainly confined to the Central and Western states. 



Government experimental results sliow that hemp is a most valu- 

 able fiber for the manufacture of high quality paper. As wool is not 

 cheap enough and as the scarcity and the increasing value of wood 

 I>ulp continues, the value of hemp in the production of paper may 

 soon be realized. The production of hemp in the United States in 

 1911 is estimated as being 12,000,000 pounds. 



Of all fibers, wool is the important one from an agricultural stand- 

 ing in Pennsylvania. Wiih its suital)ility to wool and mutton produc- 

 tion, this State should continue its increased production. 



