owanwii opai 
■XM 
4 Tlti: SOU'l'IIIiliN CULTIVATOR. 
wool, -UROWINO. 
There is every evidence that wc .siiall have 
ior years to come, a large and profitable demand 
lor wool. The e.stal)li.shment of a reasonable 
protective tariff for the raw material, as well as 
the manufactured article, will, if persevered in, 
of which \Ve can not allow ourselves to enter- 
tain a doubt, afford remunerating prices to the 
wool-growers of our country, till we have reach- 
ed a production fully equivalent to the demand. 
What data may be assumed, as lurnising a cor- 
rect estimate ol the proper maximum of supply, 
would probably puzzle the shrewdest writeison 
political economy. We have, as elements pro- 
perly entering into this estimate ; 
1. The quantity now raised in the United 
States beyond the coarse Smyrna and South 
.A.merican wools, costing 7 cents and under per 
lb., at the place whence last imported, on which 
the duty now levied i.s 3 cents ])er lb., and 3 per 
cent, ad valorem. On all wool costing over 7 
cents per lb., the duty is 3 cents per lb., and 30 
per cent, ad valorem. 
S. The gradual substitution ot a better grade 
®t wool, (as the supply augments and becomes 
cheaper,) lor carpets, blankets, and many of the 
coarser labrics, which are now made Irorn the 
coarse wool above mentioned; as it is an estab- 
lished tact, that an equal weight ol a fine staple, 
is much more durable than the same quantity ol 
an inferior grade. 
3. Tliesupplyot the finer sortsot Saxon wool, 
now imported for the best qualities of broad- 
cloth, cassimeres, &c. 1 am not aware of the 
quantity of this description of wool annually 
imported under our pre.sent tariff, but judge it to 
be considerable, from the fact that 1 was assured 
last year, by a manufacturer, that he bad just 
ordered 50,000 lbs. ; and a dealer told me ili ii he 
had imported Irom London (the great wool mar- 
ket not only for England, but for the continent 
of Europe also) a much larger amount, for con- 
sumption in the eastern state.'i, during the last 
season. 
■1. The rapid increase of our own wool- 
len manufacturers, (our tariff remaining as it 
is,) and the manufacturing within our«elves, of 
nearly all the finer descriptions now' imported, 
ol broadcloths, cassimeres, fancy goods, shawl.s, 
booking, carpets, and rugs of the choicest quali- 
ties, (Brussels, Royal Wiltons, &c ,) blankets, 
worsted stuffs, bombazets, bombazines, inoii.sse- 
lines de lainc, (fcc., &c. ; the raw material lor 
which, is in all cases, furnished of a foreign 
gtowlli. 
5. The increasing demand from the increaise 
of our population. 
6. A demand augmented beyond the ratio of 
increasing population, consequent upon tlie 
prosperity of the country and the diffusion of 
wealth, wliich must inevitably accrue to our 
country, if w^e have the wi.«don to maintain our 
present pacific relations abroad, and our protec- 
tive policy at home. 
7. Tlie application .of woollen fabrics to new 
and unforeseen purpo.ses, as o.ur manufaclurers 
advance; such as their use by paper makers, 
carriage-makers, &c. ; atid ilieircubstilution for 
leather, cotton, silk, funs, &c. 
8. The eventual exportaiicm of wool, and the 
manufactured article to foreign countries. 
That the exportation of wool from the United 
States ifj not a remote or improbable cvciiit, the 
policy ofotirown, and foreign nations continu- 
ingas ibey now are, will satisfactorily appear 
to intelligent minds, on a slight lnve.«ligatiun. 
We have as peculiar advantages for the pro- 
duction of wool in this country : 
1. Milliionsot acres of unoccupied land, every 
way pr«G.ise'ly adapted to this object, a large por- 
tion of which, is not suited to any other profita- 
ble production. Thus we have, in addition to 
the measureless acres of prairie and olherfertile, 
tillable land in the west and south, the great 
chain ol the Alleghany, and its collateral mor.n- 
tains, reaching through twelve degrees of lati- 
tude and as many ol longiiude, ilironghout near- 
ly their whole length and breadth, but especially 
as they recede from the north; all ol which vast 
piies, apd the innumerable valleys that every- 
where skin their sides, and which are now en- 
tirely unused, or occupied only to a very limited 
extent, are destined, ere long, to the support ot 
countless flocks. 
2- The adaptation of our soil and climate to 
the growth of a fine .stap'e of wool; and the 
foregoing together with a dry and rolling su'face 
of land, and innumerable supplies of fresh wa- 
ter, which almost everywhere abound, secure to 
sheep a liealthlul growth, and vigorous consti- 
tution. 
3. The economy of labor in producing wool. 
The average time of an intelligent, able-bodied 
man throughout the year, will, on a good farm, 
well arranged for the purpose, and with suitable 
fixtures, pi ovide the winter food, and give all 
the attention required, to a flock of 500 at the 
north, 600 in the middle, -and probably, even more 
than this in the southern states. 
We have examples the present season, of a 
clioice Saxon flock producing 2^ lbs. of wool 
each, at an average price of 68 cents, or nearly 
82 per head; and of another Merino flock pro- 
ducing over 5 lbs. per head at 48 cents, or 82.50 
each. This would yield, tor the productive la- 
bor of a single individual, inclusive ot capital 
foi the flock, land and fixtures, (and many floek- 
maslcfs consider the lambs a lull equivalent for 
all these,) from 81)0^0 lo 81,.')00 per annum 
What other agricultural occupation will firo- 
duce one ball an mucli'? The above statement 
i.s predicated on the choicest .sheep; butasthese 
are as easily supported as t|ie worst, it i.s not 
presuming to much on the intelligence ot Ame- 
ricans, to suppose they will not long hesitate to 
follow where it is rnanil'est their intere.st leads. 
4. The cheapness ol transportation. A pound 
of good wool in the European market is 'worth 
from 30 to 100 cents, andsoine, when thorough- 
ly cleansed, even much more than this. Flour 
and grain is wortii from 2 to 4 cents per lb., and 
beet, pork cheese, lard, &c., from 5 to 10 cents; 
and althungh from its increased bulk the former 
may be cliarged at double the ship-freight ol the 
iaticr, yet this would .o hardly appreciable in its 
market value; while, with the othei agricul- 
tural products, it sometimes reaches beyend 50 
per cent, of their v/orth, even in the place ol con- 
sumption. 
5. England is the great wool market lor the 
vvorhl, and although it is computed she has 
50,000,1100 ot slieep, they but partially supply 
her own manufacturers. And England inann- 
f'acl ures a vast amount of the finc.st kinds of wool, 
scarcely a pound of which she raises within her 
own island territory, tier supply flir a.l this 
comes from abroad, and alter ilie quantity sent 
by her Australian and otlier provinces, she will 
as readily take of tlie United Stales as any fo- 
reign nation. It is probalile that a large por- 
tion ol her sheep lands are iinsuited to the pro 
duction ot fine wool, and it is certain her man 
agernent and policy are decidedly against it. 
Food for her millions ot human beings, as well 
as food for her woollen machinery, is lier object; 
lienee her policy, and the almost universal prac- 
tice ol keeping the mutton sheep, the long and 
middle wools, neither of wliicli can ever make 
anything but the coarser tabric.s. The dniy 
now levied on wool in England is but one cent 
per ih. on its value of 2^1 cents or under, and two 
cents per lb. on wool costing over 21 cents per lb. 
6. The restrictive policy adopted almost 
throughout Europe, with regard lo our agricul- 
tural products, while they amount to an entire 
proliibition of nearly every article of human con- 
.sumpiioiij .{wliole.some, nutriciou-s, anrl abun- 
dant food, 'be,i.wg geneially deemed by their 
rulers artiele.s xif .sup.ertluity lo the ruled,) yet 
what is essential tollierp; as articles ol traflic or 
of manufacture, o-ut of yvhich money can be 
made, as cotton, wool, dtc., they readily admit 
on favorable terms. A large part of Europe !.■= 
now so fully .stocked with peopiCj as to be inca- 
pable of multiplying sheep in the ratio of the 
demand for their fleeces. And it the peace po- 
licy is to to be eoniinued there, as weseeno im- 
probability of its being, its increase of inhabi- 
tants must soon drive out sheep where they now 
exist. The ratio of supply will be^ therefore, • 
inversely as the demand. Where, then, can 
that deficiency be as well made up ;.s in Ameri- 
cal and what more rational than for the shep- 
herds of hundreds there, to transfer their flocks 
o this country, and become the shepherds ot 
thousands here 7 
With all our peculiar advantages, then, of 
cheap land, every way adapted in climate, soil, 
and position, to the healthful maturity of the 
animal, and the peifection ol the staple of 
the wool ; the large returns lor the labor 
bestoweil ; the trifling cost ot transportation ; the 
incapacity of the largest manufacturing king- 
dom in the world, (now and always most dearly 
ami most extensively connected with us in com- 
merce,) lor raising any of the fine wools, which 
enter lergely into her consumption ; and finally, 
the restrictive policy of loreign nations, which 
exclude our bread-stuffs and eatables, butadmit, 
wherever they can use them, advantageously, 
the raw materia) for their manulactures, there 
is every probability, ere long, ol a large demand 
lor wool abroad. 
One word lo our sheep-owners, as to the kind 
of wool to be grown. The finer you can get 
the wool, with a large fleece, and good constitu- 
tion in the animal beating it, the more profit. 
In the neighborhood of good tnai kets for mutton, 
there is an exception in lavor ol the mutton 
sheep lo the extent of the demand tor the car- 
case. And it is jirobahle there can be thus 
raised, all the long wools required for our worst- 
ed stuffs, if not, it will be profitable extending 
the long wools into the interior, to the lull sup- 
ply of that demand. But remote from markets, 
the best Merinos, and most hardy Saxons, are 
beyond all doubt the most profitable. It will 
pay liberally to the flock-master, to select the 
very best the United Slates aflurds, and we could 
wish, and hope, they may see their own interest 
in immediatfdy selecting some ol the best speci- 
mens from the royal tlocksin France andSpain, 
to refresh and re-invigorale theflock.s, impaired 
by injudicious mixtures in our own country. 
It may be proper enough to add, that soil has 
much to do with the softness and peifection of 
the fleece, A clay or loamy soil improves the 
fibre of the wool, making it finer and more soft 
and pliable; a sandy or silicious, and a calca- 
reous or limestone soil, renders it stifi'and harsh. 
The first improves, the la.st deteriorates, not on- 
ly the fleece ol the individual, but also the pro- 
geny Tims, time may produce an e.ssential 
change in the character ot the race, without re- 
ference to any other consideration, than the 
quality ot the soil on which they are reared and 
sustained. 
Climate, and ihe riitting time, we ought lo 
look to also, on every philosophical principle, 
as having an influence on the fibre of wool. No 
exception ocenrs to us of animals in equatorial 
regions, possessing a large, close, and line co- 
vering; and none in the arctic, of .such as have 
thin, hairy coats. Nature seems lo have made 
no exceptions to this most rational ami merci- 
ful arrangement. Should mc not therefore lopir, 
with every probability, to our finc-woolled sheep 
sustaining the eharacter of their fleece at liie 
north, and to a deterioration of the samecl.assat 
the south, in future generations! We know 
that the reverse ol this is claimed by some ob- 
•serviny and intelligerit breeders of much expe- 
rience, but we apprelicnrt without sutheient data. 
We can easily conceive of sheep removed soutli- 
vvard, improving the sofiness ot their fl(?ece 
from Ihe increased perspiration and yolk thrown 
into it, from Ihe higher temperature to which 
they are subjected. But this is a forced and un- 
natural effect, .vhich nature, hy her .slow yet 
certain operations, we think, will effectually 
exert herself in removing from succes.sive gen- 
eration.s. By talcing advantage of the period (ff 
conception, and having this take place when Ihe 
parents are under the influence ol ihe .severest 
cold ot the climate, which should he continued 
with the dam during gestation, if possible, m.ay 
we not expect that the lixitus will have impress- 
ed upon it, which it will maintain through ils 
maturity, a constitution and coveringhe.st soiled 
to the condition of ils incipient cxi.slcnco! — 
