sa«9BBa« 
1 
^licqi HjiioTmubcii. 
EDITED BV HEXKT 8. P.AXDALL, LL. D. 
Executive Committee M kevino. — The Executive 
Committee of the New York State Sheep B r cc d ^ r " »^ 
Wool Grower*’ Association will meet at the American 
Hotel, 'in Aiihuro, on Wednesday, February m »t lO 
o’clock A M . to make arrangements for the next state 
Sheen Fair Henry S. KvSDall, President. 
H. d. L. Sweet, Secretary. 
DEFERRED ARTICLES - WOOL GROWERS’ 
ACTION-THE TARIFF. 
The length of Mr. Dodge's letter, given below, 
compel* us to postpone the publication of several 
other articles of much interst, and among them the 
proceedings of State Wool Growers' Meetings in 
Maine and West Virginia. Both of these States, rep¬ 
resented by their most spirited and Intelligent wool 
growers, have taken substantially the same ground 
in reference to the pending wool tariff which has 
been heretofore taken by New York, Ohio, l’euneyl 
vania, Vermont. Illinois and Wisconsin. A more 
complete unanimity of views was never exhibited 
among the widely scattered friend* or a great cause. 
In former struggles Of this kind for our rights, we 
have been an unorganized mass, wiihont co-operation, 
or irfdeed action of any kind, and without voice even, 
except where a sensible Congressman has occasion¬ 
ally taken it upon himself to represent those who 
failed to represent themselves. But a better day has 
dawned. The wool growers of the United States 
have learned that they must be vigilant and true to 
themselves, or that In the clash of different and rival 
interest* their own will never receive Just and equal 
recognition. 
We cannot sufficiently congratulate ourselves that 
in spite of that selfishness which Is so natural to all, 
in spite of that fanaticism which leads so many per¬ 
sons to overestimate their own relative claims, and 
And yet the feet is perfectly well known to wool 
growers that manufacturers were entirely conversant 
with these “expectations,'’ and anxious to moderate 
them by a conference of tbelr own appointment. A 
suspicion of attempted special pleading i« repressed 
with difficulty In reading this paseage, and through¬ 
out the entire consideration of this subject. 
The first point taken in the discussion is that wool 
growers, in demanding a minimum of ten. cents per 
pound specific and ten per cen t .advalorem . desire to raise 
the price of wools to that extent: and it Is. attempted 
to be shown that such a me would operate as a ruin¬ 
ous tax upon the resources of the country. To for¬ 
tify such an assumption the astounding estimate is 
seriously made of a present average annual consump¬ 
tion of 150,000.000 lbe. of manufactured woolen*; and 
upon this extraordinary blunder, whlcn in this case 
is certainly worse than the crime of Intentional mls- 
repreutatlon, is based an estimate of increased cost 
of such goods to the extent of £ 71 , 230 , 000 . 
The statement of the Commissioner la as follows: 
••The number of sets of woolen machinery or scries of 
cards employed In the Culled states, reported to the 
Wool Manufacturer s' Association tn October, 1965, was 
fonr thousand one hundred., consuming 8,232,5t3 pounds 
or scoured wool, and substitute* for wool, per w eek; 
bat these returns,It was stated, did not. probably indicate 
more than tbrwvfottrUia to four-fifths of the set* then lu 
actual operation, hnpposc,however, the balance to con¬ 
sume wool equal to the shrinking from the cards to the 
nmnufactureff ttH'-rc ja no doubt bul they will 
do more than that—we bate, then, n» the weekly produet 
or the country, (in prosperous times.) two million Uve 
hundred thousand pound* of cloth per week, or one hun¬ 
dred aiid seventeen million* of pounds per annum. 
“ Again, the w eight of the woolen iroods imported Into 
the united Rate* during the tonal year I960, the Com- 
mt**louer. after a careful examination, c.stlmate* to have 
Woo lull goodsproper.17,i.Ki0|OO0 pound*. 
Carpet*-'. 2,500,000 pounds. 
Dress good*, bunting, and worsted 
manufactures.. WAQO.OOOpounds. 
The grand total, then, of wool obtained and wool¬ 
ens imported tn four years represents the following 
amountw of wool: _ ,, _ T ,_ 
Domestic supply.soo, 000,000 pounds. Strati 1 Farm Labor. 
Foreign Importation..,. ••••—|79,t»,0« “ The Richmond Fanner recently adverted to 
Equivalent in woolens imported.220,000,000 .... ,, a 
- —- u the labor question at the South, In an able and 
lota1, . .. too, its, 04.t well-tempered article — regretful for the irnme- 
Or almost exactly 800,000,000 lbs. per year, instead of . , mt buovftut and hopeful for the not 
506,000.000 lbs. required by the Commissioner’s estt- remote fat Tb ' c lod aince the cIo8C of 
mates, or 600 , 000,000 lbs, tipon which the consumer s 
„ . ’ ’ - c . , the political conflict, which overturned the entire 
tax for protection wa? based. So here Is another re- 1 , 
duction of that tax. amounting in round numbers to industrial system of the states, has been too 
thlrty-flix millions of dollars, in addition to twelve brief to determine vhflt effects these changed 
millions in ert-or,first —a miscalculation of forty-eight relations are to produce, but experience so lar 
glurat Spirit of the gurat gotois and 
have learned that they must be vigilant and true to manufactures... 18,500,000 pounds. 
themselves, or that in the clash of different and rival Total... 33,000.000 pound*. 
interest* their own will never receive Just and equal 44 These results, therefore, indicate the present average 
interest* tui.ir wui v consumption ot manufactured woolen* lu the United 
recognition. States to be about one hundred and fifty million pounds 
We cannot sufficiently congratulate ourselves that per avld now, that, to the extent to which 
in spite of that selfishness which la so natural to an, the co) ,tcf wool I* Increased to the American mauuiac 
in onito nf that fanaticism Which leads so many per- torer. through the increayed duties on hi# raw materials, 
in spite of that fanaticism sm.u , , , it will be necessary to Impose an equivalent lncrcane 
sons to overestimate their own relative claims, ana ,,f duties od the importation of foretgu woolens, other- 
., r> h ,, th nf rhe-vr feelings made wine the increased price of wool, growth* out of the 
in spite of the appeals to both or tnese letimgn, mau rtnt would act a* a bouoty In favor ot the foreign man- 
tn nnblic tournul* bv those who have been honestly ufacturer, aud prove speedily disastrous both to the 
,* , ’ , ' , ,, uu ,i aa j rriTls H,.rnrin,* American wool grower and to the American woolen 
mistaken, or by another class desirous of securing ^H^acturer. 
nersonal ends our first great and united demand for “To balance the duties proposed upon wool, the execn- 
personal . o IT . t1v« committee of the woolen muntuketurer* claim, and 
protection was so modearte and reasonable so just endeavor to prove It to be essential to the preservation 
to all Other interests — that it has secured the full ap- of their Industry, that, for every; cent of duty Imposed on 
to ail omtr vv J woul.four cents per pound miiMt be charged on all woof 
robation Of both Houses of Congress: for, be tnc un „ imported. Jt I* also clear, that If the price 1* to be 
fate of the central tariff bill what It may, the Impor- enhanced to the extent of the duty, the advance must be 
late oi tnc p 1 o< rai iai in " * estimated alike oq goods made, pj domestic as well as of 
tant, fart will remain that the Senate and lion so or foreign wool. Consequently, for every eeut of duty lm- 
„ , ,. Ilf their annro. posed on wool, th American consumer will be taxed 
Representatives have, by the report* or tu.ir upp f mir cen t,„ p cr pound on hi* manufactured woolenB, 
priate committees and bv their own votes, declared which tax ou the present annual consumption of the 
tbu the detie. ..ted oe wool V. felrly retired fo, gfc*H£g.uUK.ffibS M 
tbo protocioD of wool erowing Moro y A M Mi ^ 0 , my U(OT 01 ,*„ hrt 
remembered this is the spontaneous decision of both woo | s( 8 | ? CrI1I , fll . r pound, the present annual tax tor 
thnae ho.tieA It ws« not the result of compromise, or the protection of this interest l*. therefore, (*6,000,000 x H 
those bodies, it w»- uwi uiu ueuavi wuuipxw , cent*-) * 38 , 00 ( 1000 ; but at the proposed rate, asatunlug 
“lofr-roUihL’,'’ or undcrlianded moan* of any kind t | CVMI ^nslf cents a* the mtnlmnm, thi* tax will b* 
wh«to,or. It wao . dolib«™ie »nd wl.-O «««.>• 
tien of our just and reasonable demands. In tin* will tax the community <lf It should have the effect 
view, it is difficult to believe that conceded!? nesccs- ^^^’Ss^o'huudred^a'd fffty thousand dob 
fiftrv protection will be* longer withheld. There cer- n,r, per annum for the protcotlon of an Interest, Die 
y 1 ■ * , U-Uhhnl,lino, whole annual value of whose product, as we have nl- 
tainly can be no good excuse for longer witnnoiaing - - - -- - *- -- 
it, unless we are to suppose, what ought not to be 
eupposable, that Congress bas deliberately sanctioned 
millions of dollars, and less than twenty-four mill¬ 
ions left! 
The extravagance of this estimate of woolens, re¬ 
quiring 506.000.000 lbs. of wool annually, may be again 
shown by reference to consumption in former years. 
The manufacture* and Importations for a series of 
years preceding the war scarcely equaled an average 
of four and a half pounds to each Individual. Mr 
Rakdall’s previonE estimates never exceeded this 
quantity, During the war. as Is shown above, the 
production of woolens was eight pounds to each indl- | 
vidual. (200,000,000 lbs. to 25,000,000 people In loyal 
States.) but the conrumptiem was scarcely more than 
seveu pounds, as an immense amount of domestic 
and foreign wool and woolen* remained in the bands 
of wool merchants, manufacturers, and wholesale and 
retail traders, on the first of July, 1865, 
Thu* the average consumption was raised from 
lbe. to 7 lbs, or 55 per cent, through the waste of war 
und the scarcity of cotton. The Commissioner’s es¬ 
timate would be equivalent to 15# lbs., or three 
times as much ns is required for ordinary consump¬ 
tion. Even a heavy Increase from a growing prefer¬ 
ence for wearing woolens wonld not necessarily re¬ 
quire more than six pound* to each individual.* 
Error Third.—The hypothesis that the duty will 
necessarily Increase the price of wool and cost of 
cloth by the full amount of such duty. Free traders 
usually assume that It does; and they very fre¬ 
quently prove, for tbelr own purposes, from ad¬ 
mitted facta in Individual cases, that It does not. 
In this very report it is admitted that prices of wool 
are now unusually low, notwithstanding the increase 
of the tariff last summer. And If such a result has 
just happened, aud has occurred before, with what 
fairness can it be assumed that it will not again In the 
least degree 1 
The Commissioner assume? that the prime motive 
of the wool growers is such increase in price to the 
full extent of the tax. Such increase is needed, de¬ 
sired, und to some extent expected; yet it Is not the 
only or the principal motive. It is a question qf lift 
or death to the business of wool growing. By the Com¬ 
missioner’s own showing of increase of prices, (from, 
!. Scarcity of labor, caused by the war; 2. The cur¬ 
rency, a necsslty of the war; and 8. Taxation inevi¬ 
tably resulting from the war.) the Government, as a 
vital necessity in self -preservation, has raised a barrier 
WUU19 UVIUUMI vuiito ui WUUR JJJ vr y, mm. A./K, ^ . t t . - .. 
ready shown, cannot be considered Id excess of thirty- I fully seventy per cent, high against the use. of our men 
six millions of dollar*, gold valuation” 
Now, by the estimate of manufacturers it requires 
principles and measures which it has no intention of four pounds of foreign wool to make one of cloth; 
carrying out. [The tariff bill has passed the Senate and this estimate Is recognized above, by assuming 
by a vote of 27 to 10 .] the duty of one cent npon a pound of wool to he four 
____ ■» — upon a pound of cloth. The estimate of 150,000,000 
MR. WELLS’ REPORT. lb?- of cloth Is therefore equivalent to 600,000,000 lbs 
_ of wool per anuum l The following errors arc in- 
We give below, in the form of a letter directed to eluded In this statement. 
Senator Sherman, an able and interesting review of EYror First .-While the manufacturers estimate four 
portions of Commissioner Wet.ut’ report on the wool ponnds of foreign wool to one pound of cloth, they 
tariff, by Mr. Dodge of the Agricultural Department, reckon but two and one-sixteenth pounds of native 
It deserves the CAreful attention of “all concerned.” wool to one pound of doth. As our present wool 
The assertion contained In Mr. Wills’ Report that “ clip,” by the estimate of the Commissioner, Is 1 (H),- 
whathe i* pleased to term “ the best authority in the 000,000 lbs,, it would make 48,000,000 lbs. of cloth; 
United State* on this Bubjcct. viz: thePreetdentof the und yet he counts it all as foreign wool, of which 
American Wool Growers' Association,” declared In 194,000,000 lbe. would be reqnired to make the same 
September, 1866, thal there had not been a year dnr- quantity of doth. He therefore reckons one cent per 
ing the last thirty-eight, in which the average price, pound of tax upon 04,000,000 lbs more wool than we 
(42 8-10 cents.) “for the wool marked ‘medium,’ should use if his assumption were correct, Nearly 
would not now pay the actual cost of producing our one-sixth of the estimated tax ou consumers, or 
heavy-flecced American Merino wools,”—is justly about $ 12 , 000 , 000 , is therefore disposed or by the ex- 
pronounced by Mr. Dotjoe a most remarkable mis- posure of this minor error. 
take. Our declaration occurs in the Practical Shep- Ftror Sectnnl.— Alio wing for the error above, affect- 
herd, p. 94. That work, a* Mr. D. says, was written j„g [ be calculation of the assumed 
in 1888. The copyright and introduction are both erg( the Commissioner estimates th 
dated 1868. the latter four months before the close of tion 0 f w0o i a t 506,609,000 lbs., divi 
the year. Domestic snp,. 100,000,000 IDs.,making 
There is another portion of the quotation which Foreign •' . .406,000.000 •• 
Mr. Wells did not perhaps entirely comprehend. Total 500 , 000,000 “ “ 
There is not a practical wool growerrin our land who ^ ~ absur(llty of the asa , 
would understand the orm “/^-fleeced American produceg on j y oneffth o 
Merino wools” to include half or a quarter, or per- ; » ^ ^ 8tatj 
haps even an eighth, of the wool of be so-called ^ ^ wWch nf , one acquaint 
“ Merino sheep of the country. The ^-fleeced J question, are give, 
class are. in any considerable numbers of compara- th „ actnftl amount of wool 
lively recent origin. Our remark was Intended m 'tod from July 1, 1861 .0 July 1 
part, to favor their extension, by showing that they J ogl exacU tbe riod of the ws 
at least could have been made remunerative, on the 
average, during all the recorded vicissitudes of the ^lip of 1S81 
market through a long term of years. But we have cupoftstte... 
always supposed that protective- tariffs were not made ^JjjJ }|-'j 
for the benefit of a few, who have had the unusual 
skill to produce, or the means to buy, the most im- 0 a ... 
proved material* in their calling, but for the great Foreign Importation fw 
body of the operators In that calling, who possess av- Dutiable Wool, 
erage materials, average industry and average skill. Years pounds'^Dollar* 
In quoting our “ authoritative statement ” in the . li, 6 r 4 , 8 ti 6,424,76 
Practical Shepherd (pp. 97. 98.) of the cost of keeping 1863^.. Msastl 
sheep in different pans of the United States,Mr. isoV.’.!!'.’.’.’.’.'.!..’40|3TO^075 
Wells gives the date of the statement correctly. Total 241,137^32 89,993,97 
Had lie added that such cost had since then materi- Canadian'^, Wi 
ally advanced, in some regions nearly doubled, by Years rounds 
reason of t he increased cost of land, labor and subsis- jggo. l , 916,785 
tence, the fact- on both sides of the case would have i|®. 3 ^^ 
been more fully presented. 1865 . 3,ts6,079 
Space prevents us from taking issue with the Com- Total 10,585,559 
miesioner on some other points, not touched by Mr. ^ total ' foreigI1 " 8upply ' of ’ our 
Dodge, aud we wiU now give place to tbe latter. _ . „ „. oa na 
wool, while he proposes to set up a barrier scarcely th irty 
per cent, high against the introduction qf foreign wool. 
The result i* Seen in the Tact, that domestic wool, 
throughout tbe country, remain* unsold, while the 
foreign article is used in Its place. If wc needed a 
large quantity of foreign wool to supply a deficiency, 
there might be some excuse for its easy admission. 
W* do not. Of clothing wool we have probably more 
In tbo country, including the spring dip, than will be 
used In a year, at the present, rote of manufacture; 
aud at fair prices our wool growers can henceforth 
produce all that is required, except, (for a few years 
to come.) a small qnantily of carpet and combing 
wools. The clip of 1867, for the whole country, should 
not be less than 120 , 000,000 lbs., and it might bo in¬ 
creased in three or four year* to 200.000,000 lbs. If 
the duty should be fixed at six cents the clip would be 
reduced in less than three years to 75 , 000,000 lbs.t 
Can the country afford to displace this Industry with 
the result of foreign labor, and throw all its capital 
and labor into depressing and ruinous competition 
with other branches of farm industry ? 
It !s shown, then, that the bugbear tax on consu¬ 
mers, of $71,250,000, Im - dwindlcdabout $12.000'000 by 
tends to a conclusion favorable to a gradual sub¬ 
stitution of white labor for that of tbe colored 
population. It is proposed, where the means of 
the white immigrant* are sufficient for the pur¬ 
pose, to divide the larger plantations into Email 
farms tb be made over to the laborer* in part 
payment for their service# on the remainder. 
Where means of immediate payment are want¬ 
ing, the tenant system is proposed, with the un¬ 
derstanding that a clear title Is to be given when 
a specified sum is. paid. In this way[it is ex¬ 
pected a full supply of desirable and reliable 
labor will be obtained aud the population be 
made to increase in a ratio equal to the neces¬ 
sities for it. _ 
A Root Crop. 
The Boston Cultivator mentions a prolific 
yield of roots on a farm connected with the 
Deer Island House of Industry under the super¬ 
intendence of Thomas E, Patson. Last year 
414 acres were used for mangel wurzels aud pro¬ 
duced 2lVi ton* gross. One measured acre yield¬ 
ed 73 tons of roots and 5 tons of tops. Tb« 
ground was used for potatoes In ’A3, carrots in 
’64 and onions in ’65. In the spring of the last 
mentioned year the ground was dressed with a 
compost of kelp and stable manure at the rate 
of twenty eords per acre, and plowed in. When 
the mangels were planted no manure was used. 
The drills were 2)4 feet apart. This yield is 
claimed to be unprecedented in this country. 
An analysis of the roots showed them to possess 
an equal amount of sugar with the beet, while 
the yield per acre was fully one-third more. 
These facts are worthy the attention of stock 
raisers. _ 
Winter Pigs, 
“Berkshire’’ writes the Western Rural in 
favor of winter dropped pigs, Those dropped 
in January, February and March he regards as 
more valuable to the farmer than any other, 
though It is conceded that greater care In raising 
them is required than for those dropped late in 
the spring or during the summer months. The 
advantage claimed for early pigs is that they will 
not require to be kept over, but will he ready to 
kill early the succeeding winter, aud If properly 
tended will average SOO to 350 pounds each, tak¬ 
ing a;lot of a hundred or more. Pigs dropped 
early will require extra care, but it happens, says 
the writer, to be at precisely that season of the 
year when the farmer has the most leisure to at¬ 
tend to their wants and the means to provide 
for them. __ 
Seeding Dewn Pastures. 
The President of the Franklin Co. (Mass.) 
Ag’l Society recently read a paper before the 
Farmers’ Club of Montague, on the subject of 
seeding land for pasturing purposes. Ke recom¬ 
mends 12 lbs. of clover seed, G quarts of herds- 
grass, 1 bushel of red top to the acre. He ad¬ 
vised farmers to raise their own seed, which 
they could readily do, with a little care, and at a 
considerable diminution of cost. The seed need 
not be separated, but sown with the chaff. The 
ing the calculation of the assumed tax upon consum- orror fl rH t, $30,000,000 by error second, and probably berds- ,r rass should be sown from the 10 th of 
ers, the Commissioner e*llmates the annual consump- W ould be reduced $12,000,000 more throngli the con- a ujru9 t to the Is* of September. Some moni¬ 
tion of wool at 500,000,000 lbs., divided as follows: ^derations named in error third. Now, it might be , d rolUn the i and . after the seed is 
Domestic sop.. 100 ,000,000 lbs., making 48,560,000 lbs. cloth, shown, were it not so plain as to be self-evident truth, . thm.o-ht 
Foreign ■■ ■ . 406,000,000 “ ” Ml wo,two “ , h at the destruction of the wool interest would occa- sown, some bushing it, whrie others thought 
-r^toi saii.OM.iKKi “ “ i 3 fl.(K'JO.flOo “ sion losses to orodnrtion far exceeding the In)mi-nsi- neither essential. 
ers, the Commissioner estimates the annual consump¬ 
tion of wool at 500,000,000 lbs., divided as follows: 
Domestic son.. 100,000.000 lbs.,making 49,500,009 lbs.cloth. 
Foreign " ..406,000,000 “ “ 101,500,000 
Total.500,000,000 " “ 150,000,000 
To show the absurdity of the assumption that this 
country produces only one-fifth of the quantity of 
wool required, tbe following statistics, the general 
accuracy of which no one acquainted with the facts 
will seriously question, are given—showing [very 
nearly] the actual amount of wool manufactured or 
impolted from July 1,1S61 to July 1, 1865, comprising 
almost exactly the period of the war: 
Domestic Supply. 
Clip of 1861. 55,000,000 pounds. 
Clip Of IS62 . 67,500,000 “ 
Clip Of 18113. 82,500,000 “ 
Clip Of 1861. 95,000,000 “ 
Total.800,000,000 “ 
Foreign Importation for the Fiscal Year ending June 
30, ’62-8-4-6. 
Dutiable Wool. Shoddy or Flocks. 
Years -•-.--- 
Pounds. Dollars. Pounds, Dollars. 
1862 . 41,654,241 6,424,767 6.291,077 442,876 
1S63 . 71,917,754 11,772.064 7,867,601 591,234 
1861/. 87,193,462 li,3f5,lw 8.133,391 021,514 
1865. 40,372,075 6,201,108 4,363,064 410,395 
Total. 241,137,532 99,993,079 27,155,133 2,055,519 
Canadian\Freer Wool. 
Years. Pounds. Dollars. Cts. R lb. 
1862 . 1,916,785 569,Si!) 29.7 
1863 . t, 999,053 781,867 39.5 
>964 . 3,202,042 1,328,351 41.4 
1865 . 3,136,079 1,527,275 43.8 
would be reduced $ 12 , 000,000 more throngli the con¬ 
siderations named in error third. Now, it might be 
shown, were it not so plain as to be self-evident truth, 
that the destruction of the wool interest would occa¬ 
sion losses to production far exceeding the Immense 
sum named by the Commissioner, and greater embar- „ , . . . . 
raasments to the collection of revenue than thereat- ar<1 e n ‘ . 
ity of his wildest fears of protection. Every person who has practiced earning ins 
There are several fallacies in this report on wools cattle at stated times will have noticed the indl- 
wfilch I will not stop to consider; but there is one cations of pleasure and com ot v> ic 1 ie ope- 
paragraph conveying a deception too wicked to be ration afforded them. It takes time to do this, 
intentional and too gross to be inadvertent. It is a but it is labor which remunerates the farmer 
quotation from from Mr. Randall’s work on Sheep well, trifling as some may think the process to 
Husbandry, as follows: foe. On this point a correspondent of the Lower 
l - HOW very striking is the fact, during thirty-eight Canada Agriculturist says:— (1 1 once knew a mail 
years [ending January 1.1863,] and with all tue dis- , „ ., , ,, . „.,. 4 
ttithing cause* to the wool market, there has not who fatted someot the best stock scut tomaikct 
been a single year in which the average price (42 8-10) tbo-e days, who made a practice of taking a 
for the wool marked “medium ” would not now pay , a , 
the cost of producing our heavy-fleeced American card m hts hand aud Ustn^ it ctcrj time he went 
Merino wools. * 4 * Or the production of bow j ldo u 1(J y avd 0 r stable. The result was as might 
many other of our great staples of iudustry can as . ; , 
xuucb Idc said.?*’ expected ] liis cattle were always clcan^ quiet, 
In this report the word “now” is italicised, aud healthy, improving and gentle, expressing the 
THE SPECIAL REVENUE REPORT ON 
WOOL AND WOOLENS. 
Hox. John Sherman. 
Ch'n Senate Committee on Agriculture-. 
Sir:— 1 beg leave respectfully to caH the atten¬ 
tion of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, and the 
Wool Growers of the Coautry, to the inconsistencies 
and statistical errors of that portion of the Report of 
the Special Commissioner of Revenue which relates 
to Wool und Woolens. It appears to have been writ¬ 
ten from a commercial or manufacturing stand point, 
with a far better kaoweldge of those interests than 
of wool growing, and evident sympathies in the same 
direction. 
1865 . 3,436,079 1,527,275 43.8 
Total. 10,585,559 4,207,832 39.0 
The total foreign supply of our woolen manufac¬ 
tures in the four years was as follows: 
Pound*. Cost.. 
Dutiable wool. 241,137,532 $88,993,079 
Free from Canada. 10,595,550 4,207,832 
Free iu 1S62 from other countries.. 301,825 55,539 
Shoddy. 27,156,183 2,055,519 
Total. 279,133,049 45,311,969 
Total. 279,133,049 45,311,969 
Statement of Woolens Imported for Four Years ending 
June 30, 18&5. 
1362. 1363. 1884. 1865. 
Woolen cloths and 
slmwls .$5,547,64-1 $5,117,404 $10,698,035 $5,257,819 
Blankets. .. 1,915,707 1,297,364 749,793 838.711 
Woolen and worst- „ 
ert varus. 372,538 SSS.Olt 434,549 398,130 
Defames and dress 
HOOdS. 17,229 1,7-44,639 10.069,769 7,317,139 
Carnets. . 466,496 1,016,562 1,658,380 471,659 
Flannel?. 30,793 457,410 83,329 
Felt aud lasting,.. 63,486 102.910 37,213 
Alt Others. 6,433,413 10,822,145 7,968,491 5999.533 
7917J39 
471,659 
63,329 
37,213 
marked with an asterisk pointing to a note as fol- 
ovve: “September, 1SC0.” It is sufficient to say 
that thG paragraph wu- written four years ago. and 
the book published iu 16631 It is difficult to conceive 
how this radical change of date could be honestly 
effected. From the fact that the misrepresentation 
Was promptly seized upon by those who desired free 
trade iu foreign wool, and that it became so gross iu 
view or tbe sixty per ceofi advance in prices since it 
was written, it requires a very broad mantle of 
charity to cover the presumption that it was a de¬ 
liberate falsification in the interest of wool deal¬ 
ers — made, it is to be hoped, by some wool im¬ 
porter, and palmed off upon Mr. Wells as a state¬ 
ment of fact. Such things, however, cast a strong 
shadow of unreliability upon the whole report, and 
cannot fail to have a damaging effect upon its recom¬ 
mendations. J. R. Dodoe. 
Washington. D. C., 1867. 
• The followtna statement, showing the small amonnt 
of former wool shppllos, strongly fortifies these estimates 
of per capita consumption: 
1846. tS50. 1860. 
U. S. product.. 85,362,114 lbs. 52,516,969 lbs. 60,511,343 lbs. 
Imports,. 15,006,410 " 18,669,791 ” 342)36,637 " 
greatest satisfaction on his appearance.” 
The Co. Gent, and Official Organ-ism. — The f 
Country Gentleman is “ surprised ” at our recent allu¬ 
sion to official organa of Ag. Societies, and scarcely ^ 
believes it made by tbe Editor of the Rural himself, L 
•who has more than once been on the [State Ag.] 
Society's Board of Officers, while one of his chief 
Corresponding Editors [Hon. T, C. Peters] occupied 
a similar position for many years, and only vacated 
the Presidency lees than a twelve-month since.” It 
farther avers that the Society publishes its ownorgan. 
that it (the C. G.) “has never been, and is not 1 sub¬ 
stantially,’ or otherwise, the organ of ibis, or any 
Association whatever.” and that it is not aware of ev¬ 
er referring •• to the proceedings of the State Ag. Soci¬ 
ety. past or future, otherwise than as they are made 
known to all the world, through the Society’s Jour- 
nai," (the truth of which assertion the files of the C. 
G, for the past year or two will abundantly disprove.) 
Otir humble contemporary then proceeds to personate 
Uriah Heep after this wise:—“If we pay greater 
attention to its transactions than other agricultural 
papers do—and even this we do not claim — it is pos¬ 
sibly from differences in the degree of importance we 
attach, respectively, to these proceedings — certainly 
not from ovct having any 4 faculty ’ which others do not 
equally ehare. At the same time whatever aid our 
limited influence and circulation can render — feeble 
though it be—is cheerfully accorded to any body of 
farmers laboring for the farmer's good: and we can¬ 
not but regard it as uncommonly kind of our contem¬ 
porary ‘never to have felt grieved at onr efforts.’ ” 
Having thus fairly stated the points made by the 
C. G.—a trait for which we have never, in any contro¬ 
versy. had the opportunity of according it credit,— 
wo beg to etate that the item was penned by the Ed¬ 
itor himself, with a full knowledge of the import of 
the language used; and we believe the files of the 
Country Gentleman will ehow that only a few 
months ago it published Society matter relative to 
the (then) proposed Implement Trial that was never 
•made known to the world through the Society's 
Journal,” and which certainly was not furnished to at 
least one other agricultural paper. But the C. G. says 
its limited influence is cheerfully accorded “to any 
body of farmers laboring for the fanner’s good." Let 
ns see about this. In its issue of Dec. 87. last, it gave 
this sneering notice of the annnal meeting of a large, 
important and useful “body of fanners :" 
Wool Growers' Association.—“ The New York State 
Sheep Breeders’ and Wool Growers’ Association ” 
held its annual meeting nt Syracuse, Dec. 12th. We 
do not observe from the published reports that the 
S roceedings possess any special interest. The Presi- 
ent was of course rc-clcctcd, and the usual resolu¬ 
tions iu support ofin high tariff were passed. 
The Association thus contemptuously treated by the 
C. G. comprises many of the most prominent, intelli¬ 
gent and wealthy farmer* of this State; aud yet in¬ 
stead of being given the privilege “cheerfully accord¬ 
ed” the smatlest Farmers’ Club, the members are 
grossly Insulted by the hamhle Journal which la so 
anxious to benefit farmers! Suppose the Rural 
New-Yorker should, two or three weeks hence, 
“cheerfully accord” a similar notlcoof the proceed¬ 
ings of the Annual Meeting of the N. Y. State Ag. 
Society (to be held this week,) —stating that "the 
Treasurer (Prof, L. n. T. ot the C. G„ who seems to 
possess a chronic love for the position) was of course 
re-elected,”—would it be considered fair or just to the 
officers, members, or the fanners ot the State ? 
Ornament Your Homestead*.— All fanners should 
do this, not only for the comfort and pleasure of their 
families, but as a permanent pecuniary investment. 
Aside from tbe benefit derived by the family, and the 
keeping at home sons und daughters who would else 
leave it for uncertain city avocations, the planting 
and culture of an abundance’of fruit and ornamental 
trees, shrubs and flowers, will lnrgcdy enhance the 
cash value of the farmer's homestead. This subject 
has often been discussed In the Rural, but uever 
more ably than iu Lite address of P. Barry. Esq,, at 
the recent meeting of the Fruit Growers’ Society of 
W. N. Y., which we publish elsewhere. Read Mr. 
B.’s sensible and timely suggestions, and do not for¬ 
get them when the planting season arrives. 
New Potato Bua— Progress Eastward.— The 
Wisconsin Famer has an article on the progress of 
the Colorado potato bug Eastward. The army of in¬ 
vasion moves forward in a kind of crescent .[line, 
having a lease of about 6 oven hundred miles. The 
southern flank is supposed to be retarded in its move¬ 
ments by climatic influences, and the northern one by 
| interposition of the lakes in the direct path of ad¬ 
vance. They first became common and annoying at 
Madison, Wis.. and vicinity, during the last summer. 
Their advance Is at the rutc of 25 of 30 miles a year. 
Peat in Iowa.— In a recent letter Mr, W. 8 . Hard- 
ino of Macon City. Iowa, writes to the Rubai. :— “I 
would say to those intending to emigrate to Iowa 
, that we have one of the best climate* in the world, 
and as good prairie as can be found this side of the 
Rocky Mountains. What we lack iu forest is made 
up in peat. The geological survey is now being made, 
and in almost every county in the State, thus far, peat 
has been found in abundance. A scientific investi¬ 
gation has been made in this (Cerro Gordo) County. 
Reports are very encouraging.” 
Sait and Plaster. 
A correspondent of the N. E. Farmer 
gives his experience in the use of salt and plas- 
Agricultural Societies.— We continue our lists 
of officers, giving those received tbe past week: 
Maryland Stare Ag. Society— The Executive Com- 
tcr, mixed in the proportion of 100 pounds of mutee of this Society, at a recent meeting, elected 
plaster to 3 bushels of salt. Used as a top dress- William H. Devrivs. Esq., of Baltimore, to the Pres¬ 
ing, the result was good both with wheat and idancy. 
grass. The experiment was tried with eoru and New Jersey State Ag. Society.—President— N. N. 
potatoes—the mixture being placed in the hills, Halsted Vice Pres't— J. C. Deacon. Cor. Sec.—B. 
and the result was the ruin of both. Applied iu S. Swords. Etc. Sec. — W. M. Force. Treas. — B. 
the way first mentioned, either singly of in con- Haines. 
junction, the effect is deemed to be good; uotas Kansas State Ag. Society.—President—R. G. Ellwtt, 
a substitute for munure from the barn-yard, but Sec y—If- J. Strickier. Trees.— C. B. Lines. 
as aids in augmentiug the materials for the man- Ontario Co. Ag. Society,—Pres't Stephen H. Aixt- 
ufacturc of manure in greater quantities and of worth. West Bloomfield. Cor. Sec y —Harvey Stone, 
.. . .... Gorham. Eec. Sec'y —Isaac B. Smith, Canandaigua, 
superior efficacy m the production ot iarm c-rops. _j Hal . vey M tt80U . Canandaigua. 
Delaware Co. Ag. Society. — Pres't — William B. 
Dawix. Andes. Sec’.—Porter Friibie.'JOelhi. Treas. 
—G. W. Hauford, Walton, 
Palmyra Union Ag. Society. — Pru't —William P 
Nottingham Vice Pree'ts —George Hofl'man, N. Y- 
City; H. Westfall, Marion; Jacob Norris, D. Gates 
. 6,435,412 10,822,145 7,968,491 5999.538 
. 14,884,394 20,411,625 82,139,330 20,347,563 
Total.50908,321 “ 71,136,TBS “ 95,098,000 “ 
The average vatne of annual imports of woolens for 
tin-, three decade? is as followsfinding 1840. $18,430,625; 
1350, $16,902,355 ; 1800, $2\263,233, 
f Oil page 39 Of Mr. Wells’ Report, he estimates the 
Advantages of Draining. 
At a recent meeting of the Michigan State 
Agricultural Society the committee on Land 
Draining made a very interesting report in favor 
of this mode of preparing land for cropping. 
Tn nrofaeino with uu allusion tn the ioint Convcn- ....... f On pase 39 01 Air. wells Report, ne estimate? toe -- • " ... 
In prefaun, witn mod to tue j l v Total woolens imported, 1862..$ 14 , 344 ,3W protection of the iron interest, a parallel Industry so far ,v,.. t t he earJv frosts of the past season, which 
on of Wool Growers and Manufacturers, the former Total woolens Imported, 1863 .. 20,431,623 as it utilizes a lateral element of wealth, as follows: mai me eu y f, . 
re thus adroitly placed in the wrong; M wott Krted.' US:!!.!! i!:I:i!! i i i!! Iron, pig.duty « per cent, proved so detractive generally, did not mfiten- 
41 It does not appear, according to representations made - sma'nroundo’r'sa tiara. •• ~ ‘ •• ally affect vegetation in my drained land.-,, while 
too SZ Total for four years. . . . *7,7®,913 » {SgjCS “ r " l”" ! ” 73 44 ic was most destructive in other lands adjacent. 
are thus adroitly placed iu the wrong: 
44 It does not appear, according to representations made 
tn the Commiastomr, that the woolen manufacturers, 
tirongh whom the call for the meeting originated, had 
any expectation that action would L«e tahon looking to 
anv Increase of antics upon wool over nnd above those 
than exist In a: but. on the contrary, they hoped and ex¬ 
pected that the wool growers would concede the pro¬ 
priety of a reduction of rates on those classes of wools— 
like tbe comblDg and carpet wools-which arc nor pro¬ 
duced to any extent In this eoanlry." 
Total woolens imported, 1864 . 32.189,836 
Total woolens Imported, 1805.. 20,347,563 
Total for four years. 87,7®,913 
Upon the authority of R. M. Montcomert. Esq., 
President of the Ohio Wool Growers’ Association, 
and member of the Conference Committees with 
manufacturers, the amount of imported woolens is 
equivalent to 220 , 000,000 lbs. of wool. 
The following paragraph is especially worthy of and Ennis of Palmyra. Cor. Sec'y—Id. B. Jtigga 
consideration. Thus:—"It is worthy of note Sec'y—C. D. Johnson. 7Vm\-L. M Chase, 
that the early frosts of the past season, which Trenton Union Ag. Society .—This Society is located 
proved so destructive generally, did not materi- j U Trenton, Oneida Co,, N. Y Pres't— 'si. A. Blue. 
•ill v affect vegetation in my drained lands, while Sec —Stores Barrows. Treas .—George King. 
He assumes that, the wool Interest is already sufficiently 
protected, and yet me average duty ou wool, under the 
tariffs of 1964-5. was but 26 per cent The determined 
abandonment of the agricultural interests, while accord¬ 
ing a fhtr and reasonable protection to the manufactur¬ 
ing classes, 1= eoneluslvelv shown by such facts as these. 
This fact alone would seent to be sufficient to 
arrest, the attention of farmers, and offers addi¬ 
tional inducements to further investigation upon 
this subject.” 
Wood-Sawing Machinery. — (G. B. W., Steuben 
Co., N. Y.) We do not know that Emory’s machine¬ 
ry for sawing wood is manufactured in this State, or 
nearer than Chicago. 
