494 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nor. 



To show the need of protection to the wool- 

 groM-er, as well as to the manufocturer, look at the 

 prices of imported wool. In 1861 it averaged llj 

 cents. It comes mostly from South America, 

 where the principal cost of production is shearing 

 the sheep. 



While we can produce every grade of wool 

 needed in this country, we should be independent 

 of any other country. Protecting the manufactur- 

 er does not wholly protect the wool-grower. One 

 of the great needs of legislation is a repeal of the 

 "reciprocity treaty," the benefits of which are all 

 on the British side. 



Give equal protection to all the great interests 

 of the country, and all honest men will be satisfied. 



The prospect of the next few years is very en- 

 couraging to the wool-growers. In consequence 

 of the supply of cotton being cut off, we shall use 

 more wool, beside the great demand for army pur- 

 poses. We had no surplus last year, and the clip 

 of 1862 was very early bought up, and the price 

 has continued to advance. 



The great practical question, and the one for 

 which this convention was called principally to 

 discuss, is, how we shall prepare wool for market. 

 Is it most advantageous to the farmer to sell his 

 wool washed or unwashed ? The buyers usually 

 make about 23 per cent, difference between washed 

 and unwashed wool, but no discrimination between 

 that which is thoroughly clean, and that of a man 

 who has only washed his sheep to make his wool 

 sell at a higher price, while it is but little lighter 

 than that sheared without washing the sheep. The 

 conscientious man has very little encouragement. 



The question of the health of the sheep — wheth- 

 er it is injured by washing and carrying the fleece 

 till very warm weather— is an important one for 

 farmers to discuss, and if possible, produce a uni- 

 formity of action. 



The improvement of Vermont sheep has been 

 wonderful. In 1840 there was not a buck in the 

 State that would shear 12 pounds. Now there are 

 plenty that give 20 to 25 pounds, and it is not 

 made up of oil and dirt, but will give 60 per cent, 

 of genuine, clean wool. 



With such bucks to be had, there are men who 

 still keep their old native stock of sheep ; and gen- 

 erally the same men have unimproved cattle, and 

 work with the old wooden and wrought-iron plow. 



After trying all sorts, the majority of Vermont 

 wool-growers have settled upon the Spanish meri- 

 no as best adapted to their soil and climate, and 

 mountain pastures. 



The average cost of keeping sheep is estimated 

 per annum as follows : Illinois, 60 cents ; Iowa, 

 75c ; Michigan, 83c ; Virginia 60c ; New Jersey, 

 60c ; Pennsylvania, oOc ; Maine, $1 ; California, 

 75c; Vermont, $1,30. _ 



The average increase in Vermont is 70 per cent. ; 

 in Ohio, 80 ; Virginia, 99 ; New Jersey, 80 ; 

 Maine, 90. Still, Vermont leails all the States in 

 wool-growing, and production of valuable sheep 

 for sale, which we furnish to nearly all the other 

 wool-growing States, which buy our bucks at $200 

 to $500, and ewes at $25 to $50 each. 



In this day of trial of our country, there is no 

 way we can serve it better than in studying to im- 

 prove it, and increase its wealth, and make wealth 

 aiid civilization twin sisters. If our countiy de- 

 mands all of our young men, their wives, sisters 

 and mothers will unite with the old men to sus- 



tain Vermont agriculture during this great contest 

 between "Liberty and Slavery." 



After the close of Mr. Needham's address, D. E. 

 Nicholson, of Wallingford, was called up, and 

 he gave the convention a stirring, short speech, in 

 his happiest mood. He said that he hoped all 

 Vermont would not be carried away by his friend 

 Needham, and rush into the wool business, be- 

 cause there was a great beef and dairy interest in 

 the State, which it was not worth while to forsake 

 at once, because the sheep farmers were now reap- 

 ing an e.xtra harvest. He thought, however, a 

 wool-growers' convention was not exactly his place,, 

 as he kept no more sheep than the law allowed, 

 but he sold the clip of them of two years yester- 

 day, and supposed by that means had got into this 

 good com})any of Vermont wool-growers — these 

 developers of the boundless wealth of the mountaio 

 pastures of the State. We ought to cherish sheep 

 as a mine of wealth, and with this view we oughfe 

 not to cherish 30,000 dogs, nor tolerate their own- 

 ers, unless they are able to give bonds for their 

 good behavior. The highest interest of the State 

 demands a dog law, and wool-gi*owers should de- 

 clare that they will have one, and that the effort 

 to pass such a law shall not be put down, as it has 

 been, by the owner of a bitch and pups, or who 

 had some friend that owned such stock, whose 

 vote he was anxious to secure, and therefore would 

 defeat an effort to rid the State of such a nuisance 

 as our host of worthless curs. 



Mr. Marsh, of Clarendon, moved a vote of 

 thanks for the address of Mr. Needham, and that 

 1000 copies be printed for distribution. In regard 

 to shearing sheep without washing, he has fully 

 tried both ways, and is convinced of the advan- 

 tage of not washing. We can shear our sheep a 

 month or two earlier, and they suffer less. I 

 sheared May 1, and it was followed by a cold 

 storm, but I sheltered the flock, and they did not 

 suftcv as much as sheep often do in June, after 

 washing and shearing ; and he was satisfied that 

 the sheep winter better if sheared early, without 

 washing. 



Solon Robinson, of New York, being called 

 upon, gave some information relative to sales of 

 mutton sheep, and growing lambs for the New 

 York market, and about the prospects that wool- 

 growers have before them. About washing sheep, 

 he said that he had come to the conclusion, after 

 careful consideration of the subject through a se- 

 ries of yeai-s, that a farmer cannot afford to wash. 

 The manufacturer can cleanse the wool cheaper 

 than the fiinner. He urged farmers to carefully 

 try the experiment to see which course brings the 

 most money. He used to think it cruel to dip 

 sheep very early in the spring, but has lately be- 

 come satisfied that they suffer less than they do if 

 washed and carry their fleeces late in June. Ow- 

 ing to the short supply of cotton, it is evident that 

 we must clothe ourselves much more in woollens 

 in future ; and this will increo.se the demand more 

 than wool-growers can supply at present high pri- 

 ces ; and this should encourage them to persevere 

 in all improvements. If the price again recedes, 

 remember that New York always furnishes a mar- 

 ket for over half a million mutton sheep a yeai\ 



Nathan Gushing, of Woodstock, said that 

 our fine-wool flocks have been continually improv- 

 ing for thirty yeai's, and that it is an art to keep 

 up improvement that must be learned, but it is 



