1862. 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMEK. 



295 



The Army Consumption of Wool. 



The New York Economist indulges in some 

 speculations, as to the effect the call for three 

 hundred thouaand men will have upen the future 

 price of wool. If the Economist's estimates are 

 correct, what may we expect on prices in view 

 of the additional requisition of the President for 

 three hundred thousand more men. 



"The call for 300,000 additional volunteers has 

 an important bearing on the wool trade of the 

 country. When the new quota has been raised, 

 there will be 850,000 troops requiring a regular 

 supply of army clothing. Each one of these 

 carries, in the shape of his complete outfit, wool- 

 en manufactures representing about 25 pounds of 

 raw or unmanufactured wool. In times of war, 

 the excessive wear and tear, the irregularities 

 and loFses from various causes, will make the 

 consumption average nearly three outfits a year 

 per man. At a safe average, it may be reckoned 

 that the yearly consumption of each soldier w'U 

 amount to sixty pounds of unmanufactured wool. 

 This amount, multiplied by 850,000, would give, 

 as the total consumption of wool by the army for 

 the next twelve months, the enormous amount of 

 61,000,000 of pounds. The aggregate seems im- 

 mense, but a careful inspection of the estimate 

 show that it is not exaggerated. How this en- 

 ormous consumption must bear on the trade in 

 wool and woolens, deserves the prompt attention 

 of those interested. The whole product of wool 

 in the United States in 1850, according to the 

 returns of the census, was only about 61,000,- 

 000 pounds. The statement was probably far 

 below the truth, as are nearly all the figures rep- 

 resenting the produce of the country; apd it, 

 therefore, gives imperfect data from which to es- 

 timate the present crop. We have, as yet, seen 

 no statement from the census of 1860, as to the 

 present wool product of the country ; and can 

 therefore merely make a loose estimate as to the 

 amount. We should, however, represent the 

 most general estimate of the wool trade in sup- 

 posing the present crop, in the now loyal States, 

 to reach about 120,000,000 pounds. According 

 to this estimate, the army demand will take up 

 about 42J per cent, of our whole crop of wool. 

 It is unnecessary to indicate the effect of this 

 extraordinary demand on the value of the staple. 

 The demand will be mostly for the lower grades 

 of wool, which, as last year, may be expected to 

 realize fabulous prices, and out of all proportion 

 to the value of finer grades. It may perhaps be 

 questioned, however, whether we shall this year 



witness such a depreciation in the value of fine 

 grades as was experienced last. The largeness 

 of the demand may be reasonably expected to 

 give an enhanced value to all qualities ; though, 

 as the finer grades have no preference for army 

 purposes over the coarser, they may not be ex- 

 pected to range so much higher than common 

 wools, as is the case in ordinary times. 



It is not improbable, under these circumstan- 

 ces, that we may witness an unusual importation 

 of foreign wools. Although both the tariff and 

 exchange are against its importation, yet prices 

 may range so high as to render these considera- 

 tions secondary. 



The effect of this extraordinary consumption 

 of army woolens must be to inflate and derange 

 the ordinary business in woolen fabrics. Prob- 

 ably, the machinery employed last year in man- 

 ufacturing military goods might be snflBoient, if 

 running extra time, to meet this demand. But 

 that proportion of our woolen machinery leaves 

 but little for meeting the demand for ordinary 

 goods. The result will probably be that fabrics 

 for civilians' wear will be light in supply and re- 

 alize high prices." 



Chicken Pot Pie. — Wash and cut the chick 

 en into joints; boil them about twenty min- 

 utes; take them up, wash out your kettle, fry 

 two or three slices of fat salt pork, and put in 

 the bottom of the kettle; then put in the 

 chicken, with about three pints of water, a 

 piece of butter the size ef an egg; sprinkle in 

 a liiile pepper, and cover over the top wtth alight 

 crust. It will require one hour to cook. ' 



Potato Yeast.— Five large potatoes boiled 

 and mashed, three pints of boiling water, flour 

 enough to make it a little thicker than flap- 

 jacks, and one cup of yeast. This is enough 

 to rise five leves of bread, which may be mix- 

 ed with water, or milk, and will rise enough 

 while your oven is heating. Save out enough 

 of this yeast for your next baking. 



Feuit at the East. — Not for many years has 

 there been such an abundance of fruit of all 

 kinds in the Eastern States, as the present. The 

 apple trees, especially, are loaded with fruit. 

 There are pears, plums and grapes, while there 

 are vine in great profusion. Plum trees, in 

 many localities, have suffered severely for the 

 last three or four years, from curculio and black 

 knot, many fine orchards being nearly rained, 

 yet growers are not, in all instances, discourag- 

 ed, and many new trees have been set, the own- 

 ers confidently hoping for success. — Rural New 

 Yorker. 



