198 



The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 



America Im- 

 porting Vast 

 Quantities of 

 Wool 



Cut-Over 

 Lands Ideal 

 For Sheep 

 liaising 



pretty narrow choice, and it is mainly a matter of taste as to 

 whettier the man takes sheep or cattle for pasturage. 



Those lands are being taken up very rapidly, and during the 

 last few months, especially, there have been something like 45,- 



000 applications for those grazing homesteads. It is altogether 

 probable that ultimately again a large part of those lands will 

 carry more stock than they have now; but I do believe it is 

 more certain that for a considerable time they will carry much 

 less stock — they will ship eastward much less cattle and wool 

 than for some time past. Taking in connection with that fact the 

 further fact that other countries are in the same position ; and 

 still further the fact that this country manufactured, during the 

 year ending June 30th last, over 800 million pounds of wool. 

 While we manufactured that we grew less than 300 million 

 pounds. The rest came from the countries mentioned. The 

 consumption in other countries is increasing; the production is 

 decreasing; and we are up against a serious proposition. There 

 is room to dilate as much as one may wish upon the patriotic 

 phase of the question; but I submit it to you only as a business 



• proposition, to help meet the demand for an increase of the sheep 

 population somewhere in this country. 



The cut-over lands of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin 

 are well adapted to put sheep on them. This increase of lambs 

 and wool, which miist be had, can only come from two sources. 

 The one we have been thinking of most heretofore is that of the 

 farms of both this country and other countries. The "sheep busi- 

 ness will increase very materially there, but it will be a slow 

 increase and it will have to be along lines yet to be worked out. 

 Outside of the countries not ready for the business, I do not 

 believe there is any section which is so ready to go quickly into 

 a considerable wool or lamb proposition as the cut-over lands. 

 With the opportunities you have, of relatively low production, 



1 only wish to submit to you that the sheep business, for those 

 who will understand it and study it from a business standpoint, 

 is thoroughly safe and practicable. 



I am not going to renew, or take part, in any debate as to 



■ just how you will get the information other than to say that if 



anything has been done by disinterested parties in this part of the 



country to show the possibilities of keeping sheep, I very much 



regret to say that it has not come to my attention. The nearest 



