74 SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



LETTER Vm. 



PROSPECTS OF THE WOOL MARKET— FUTURE DEMAND AND SUPPLY. 



Amount of Wool which may be grown in the Southern States. . .If the demand is ah-eady suppUed, where 

 is it to find a Market?. . .The cheaper Producer can drive his rival from the market, unless the disparity 

 of Capital is greatly against him... In Individual Capita], the South possesses the advantage over the 



North. . -The South can produce Wool cheaper than New-York North of latitude 40" there will be little 



difference in the cost of producing Wool. . .Cost of producing it in Nevi'-Englaiid — Pennsylvania — New-Jer- 

 sey — Ohio. . .The Prairies — Their vast Extent — Their anticipated Advantages for Sheep Husbandly — Flocks 

 driven on them — Anticipations blasted, so far as keeping Sheep economically on the Natural Grasses is con- 

 cerned. . .Character of the Prairie Grasses — Flourish but during a short season, rendering the time of fodder- 

 ing longer than even in New-England. . .Another Difliculty — The Wild Grasses which the Sheep feed oa 

 rapidly become extirpated — Statements of theEditor of the Prairie Farmer confirmatory of this, and of the 

 assertion in relation to the length of the time of foddering. . .His proposition to introduce Grasses which will 

 ^row in the Winter — Impracticability — Reasons. . .Burning over the Prairies— Objections.. .Inditl'erent 

 quality of Prairie Hay. . -Principal Advantages of the Prairies for Sheep Husbandry narrowed down 

 to two — Cheapness of Land — Privilege of Pasturing the Public Lands... The latter Advantage rapidly 

 lessening. . . Cost of Preparing the Prairies for Sheep Husbandry — Mnterials for Fences, Buildings and Fuel 

 entirely wanting on the interior of them. . .Coal for Fuel plenty, but not economically available. . .Fences — 

 those of earth inadequate. . .Hedges — Require /traces to protect tlitm wliWe growing — Their success then 

 doubtful . . . Timber may be grown for all of the above purposes, but would raise the cost of the land above 

 those of the Sheep Lands of New-York and New-England- . .The Shepherd System as a Substitute for 

 Fences — When the Sheep become numerous, it would cost more to keep them in separate flocks than 

 fences cost in the East. . .Pasturing in Common considered — The Sheep could not be separated for any 

 ordinary purpose of Hheep Husbandry — There would be no protection against theft, promiscuous inter- 

 breeding, untimely impregnation — No way of effectually combating contagious disorders — Reasons. . -Nat- 

 ural and unremovable Objections to the Prairies — Want of Water— A Climnte far more fickle and excessive 

 than in the Eastern States. . .Shown by the record of the thermometrical observations kept at the Military 

 Posts of the United States. ..These compared. . .Wool growing in Mexico — In South America. 



Dear Sir : In recommending the production of Wool on a scale so ex- 

 tensive in the Southern States, as I have done in my preceding Letters, 

 the fact should not be lost sight of, that were these recommendations com- 

 plied with, one of the great staples of commerce would be enormously 

 increased. The Southern States — the ten* to which I have confined all 

 my preceding remarks and estimates — to say nothing of those in the same 

 latitudes west of the Mississippi — include an area of 450,000 square miles, 

 or 288,000,000 square acres. Allow one- eighth of this region to be in a 

 state of cultivation, ■!■ or in natural pastures, and we have 36,000,000 acres 

 which could be more or less devoted to the growth of wool. Assuming 

 that, on the average, every two acres would, under proper tillage, support 

 one sheep, (which, it seems to me, they might do with no very material 

 diminution of present staples,) and that the sheep average 3 lbs. per fleece, 

 the annual product of wool would be 54,000,000 lbs. This amount might 

 be indefinitely added to, by diminishing the prodiiction of present staples. 

 How far this could be economically done, experience must determine. 



If we concede the adequacy of the present supply of wool to the demand, 

 taking the world together, it is appai'ent that an increase of 50, 75, or 100 

 millions of pounds, in one quarter, will produce an over-supply, (and thus 

 greatly depress- prices,) unless met by an increased demand, or a corre- 

 sponding diminution in production, in some other quarter. I do not concede 

 the adequacy of the present supply, but shall, however, waive that point. 



The question now arises, where is the wool thus produced to find a 

 market, if the South should, within the next ten, fifteen, or twenty years, 



* Nine, besides that portion of Louisiana east of the Mississippi. 



t Probably the amount in cultivation, including that in natural pasture, is set down pretty high. It may 

 not exceed a tenth. 

 (170) 



