152 SHEEP OF THE T7NITED STATES AND SOlfTH AMERICA, 



" Another friend, residing in the northern portion of the 

 above described mountain region, writes that ' the counties 

 of Carter and Lawrence, and the eastern portion of the State, 

 are admirably adapted to sheep husbandry. There are sev- 

 eral flocks of sheep in this neighborhood that thrive and in- 

 crease wonderfully, running at large, at little cost or trouble 

 to the owners. Many flocks have no other reliance, during 

 the winter, hut what they get m the woodSy The great ad- 

 vantages of this country for sheep husbandry is, the cheap- 

 ness of the land, its adaptation to grasses, grain, and roots, 

 its healthfulness — sheep delight in mountain or hilly land — 

 the natural evergreens and shrubbery upon which sheep can 

 feed and subsist in winter, though it is not safe to rely alto- 

 gether upon these.' " 



The following conclusions of Judge Beatty are sound, and 

 coincide with the views of many others : 



" A few remarks as to the probable future market for wool 

 will conclude my letter, already, I fear, too long. The re- 

 turns of the late census show that the number of sheep in the 

 United States in 1840 was a fraction less than 20,000,000. 

 Twice this number would probably not furnish more wool 

 than would be needed by a population of 17,000,000, if we 

 were to manufacture all our own blankets, carpets, and every 

 other description of woollen fabrics. The period is not very 

 distant when this will be done, with the exception of some 

 very fine goods. We shall then need about 100,000,000 

 pounds of wool for a population of 17,000,000, and in that 

 proportion for home consumption, even supposing none should 

 be exported. Now as our population increases, as past ex- 

 perience demonstrates, at a compound ratio of three per cent, 

 per annum, we shall have a population of 34,000,000 in the 

 year 1864; 51,000,000 in 1878; and 60,000,000 in 1888. 

 We shall need at these respective periods, two, three, and 

 four hundred millions of pounds of wool. If we estimate 

 sheep, upon an average, to produce 2j lbs. of wool per 

 head, we shall require in the year 1888, a little more than 

 forty years hence, 160,000,000 of sheep. This view of the 

 subject, without looking to a foreign market, holds out a strong 

 inducement to engage in sheep husbandry." 



