[161 



to know the early history and origin of sheep. Sheep 

 raising for mutton possesses one important advantage not 

 pertaining to the grower of other kinds of meat. Besides 

 affording the most healthful and delicious food, the cover- 

 ing of the sheep enters largely into the necessities of the 

 world. When the citizens of the world clad themselves in 

 the skins of animals, wool did not possess the value now 

 attached to it. There are now about 30,000,000 of sheep 

 in the United States, or, at least, there were at the last 

 census. These produced about 100,000,000 pounds of wool; 

 but so great is the demand for clothing that it required fully 

 $40,000,000 worth of wool more than the home production, 

 which had to be imported from other countries. Nor is this 

 all. There are annually brought from Europe 20,000,000 

 worth of woolen goods, which represents that amount of 

 labor that could be done here as well as abroad. So the 

 necessity of increasing our wool growth is apparent to e^ery 

 one. If the growth of sheep was equal to our home con- 

 sumption, we would reserve the large amount of $60,000,000 

 to be distributed among our own workmen. The increased 

 number of sheep would consume a large surplus of our 

 crops that now waste for want of a market, thus increasing 

 the value of the crops that remain unconsumed. Still 

 further. We have too many men engaged in agriculture. 

 They are in too much competition with each other to make 

 their work profitable. To make up this large amount of 

 woolen goods would draw a great many persons from the 

 farms to the factories, and thus the agricultural products 

 would be increased in value, for the workmen would have 

 to be fed as well as the sheep. Thus it is seen that all the 

 laws of political economy demand an increase in the flocks 

 of the country. 



The next question that arises, is, can we profitably increase 

 this business in Tennessee? This question is answered in 

 the most eloquent manner by the vast pastures that annually 

 throw up their rich carpet of herbage, and not being appro- 



