10 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



It must not be supposed, because the land of Mr. C. is 

 hilly and rocky, that it is never muddy. You, Mr. Editor, 

 can endorse for me when I say that no land in the world 

 can exceed some of the steep side hills of the West, that 

 are apparently half stone, for deep sticky mud. But by 

 shifting the feeding ground and giving plenty of room, 

 the sheep can be kept out of the mud. There is a great 

 error prevailing in the West, in my opinion, in confining 

 sheep in winter in too close quarters. Give them a chance 

 to range and browse and get their noses to the ground. 

 They will be more healthy. Mr. Cockrill thinks it a great 

 folly to keep a large capital in Tennessee invested in 

 "woolly heads," when "woolly backs" afford so much bet- 

 ter returns of interest. In fact, he is well satisfied, and 

 so am I, that the raising of cotton so far north, will not 

 pay any interest upon the capital investment. Indeed, 

 taking the United States altogether, it is doubtful whether 

 it does. 



Mr. Cockrill has had a large experience in both kinds 

 of business — raising cotton and wool; and has a very 

 large capital now invested in both branches, and he is 

 confident that wool-growing in Mississippi would be bet- 

 ter than cotton, at present prices. 



His figures are, that he owns 2,000 acres of first quality 

 of cotton land in Madison County, Mississippi, and with 

 his 135 negroes, he made in 1844, 1,035 bales, not quite 

 8 bales to the hand, which is more than an average crop, 

 and which will not average over 5 cents a pound, is $20 

 a bale, exclusive of freight, commissions, and stealings. 

 Besides the land and working hands, there is a large sum 

 invested in teams and implements, and supernumerary 

 negroes, besides a great outlay for medicine, clothing, and 

 provisions, over and above what is produced upon the 

 plantation. In fact, some plantations fall short of 8 bales 

 to the hand, and make no clothing and provisions, but buy 

 everything. I have stated the quantity of land and flocks 

 and hands upon the sheep farm. These 2,000 head of 

 sheep will produce $2,000 worth of wool a year at least, 



