1849. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
187 
our own consumption. Mr. Lawrence estimates the 
deficiency of ten millions of pounds annually. 
It would be an impeachment of the intelligence and 
enterprise of our farmers, if they failed to supply the 
country with wool, when the business of growing it af¬ 
forded any considerable and reliable profit. 
The census of Massachusetts, taken in 1845, will 
probably give as much true light upon this subject, as 
can be obtained from any other authority. Her farmers 
are doubtless as intelligent as can be found elsewhere. 
They are situated in the midst of manufacturing estab¬ 
lishments. The period was one when these manufac¬ 
turers were enjoying the highest rate of protective du¬ 
ties. If, under these circumstances, they did not make 
the business of wool-growing profitable, it must be con¬ 
ceded that it cannot be so throughout the country. 
Their sheep numbered 355,043, of which near two- 
thirds were Saxons and Merinos. The wool produced 
was 1,016,230 pounds, or about 2| pounds per head. 
The average price was 32 cents per pound. 
It is universally conceded that it requires as much 
feed during the year to keep ten sheep, as it does to 
keep one cow. I have never known a cow to be kept 
during summer at less than twenty-five cents per week, 
nor during winter for less than forty. Upon this esti¬ 
mate then, the cost of keeping one hundred sheep du¬ 
ring thirty weeks of summer, would be $75, and during 
twenty-two weeks of winter would be $88. If to these 
sums should be added five dollars for shearing and 
washing, it would make the aunual cost of keeping one 
hundred sheep, $168. The value of the wool grown 
on one hundred sheep, according to the census for Mas¬ 
sachusetts, was $88. To this add eighty per cent, for 
lambs, which would make the income just equal to the 
expenditure, without one cent for profit. It will be 
borne in mind that this result was produced under the 
most favorable circumstances, and while nothing is de¬ 
ducted for losses on the flock, the income for lambs is 
certainly rated much above what is generally realized. 
As to the calculations of Mr. Pettibone—it is in the 
expense of summer keeping, that his estimates differ 
materially from mine. He estimates the weekly pas¬ 
turage of sheep at seven mills per head, whereas I put 
it at two and a-half cents. Should he in that respect, 
make his figures to correspond with mine, it would have 
shown his profits to have been a little over six per ct., 
corresponding with his general estimate. To realise 
that result, required all his superior sagacity and expe¬ 
rience, favored by extraordinary circumstances. His 
price for hay, six dollars per ton, is less than farmers 
generally can afford to raise that article. And eighty 
per cent, increase of lambs is not realised by a tithe of 
the wool-growers of the country. 
It is important that there should be a right under¬ 
standing of this subject. A want of such understand¬ 
ing, has already created feelings between the wool- 
producers and the wool-consumers, prejudicial to 
both. The manufacturers, deceived by such represen¬ 
tations as those of Mr. Randall and others, have hon¬ 
estly believed that the wool-growers were in the enjoy¬ 
ment of enormous profits, and that if, with such enjoy¬ 
ments, they could not grow wool sufficient for the re¬ 
quirements of the country, no considerations of price 
could induce them to do so. They, in consequence, 
have not only neglected to offer such inducements, but 
may have actually felt themselves justified in resorting 
to ingenious devices, in order to reduce the price of 
wool. Thereby promoting their immediate interests, 
and creating to themselves ultimate injury. By dis¬ 
couraging the growth of wool at home, they have been 
driven to a foreign market for supplies. 
On the other hand, the wool-growers, knowing that 
the profits of their business would scarcely justify its 
continuance, believe that the manufacturers do not ex¬ 
ercise the liberality that their business would warrant 
them in doing. Animosities are thereby created, when 
it would be to the interests of both to entertain feelings 
of reciprocal kindness. 
Were the manufacturers undeceived upon this sub¬ 
ject, they would doubtless at all times be willing to 
pay as high prices for wool as their business would jus¬ 
tify. Should the wool-growers receive as high prices 
for their wool as the manufacturers would pay, under a 
right understanding of this subject, I have no doubt 
they would produce wool to meet the required con¬ 
sumption of the country. Polydamas. Hillsdale , N. 
F.. May 1849. __ 
Analyses of Limestone. 
Eds- Cultivator —Ever since I read the analyses 
of corals, by Prof. B. Silliman, Jr., published in the 
Am. Journal of Science and Arts , a year or two ago, 
I have been fully convinced that our limestones, and 
more especially those presenting a great quantity of 
organic remains, would be found to contain all the es 
sential inorganic constituents of plants. The sedimen¬ 
tary limestones are made up, in part at least, and I 
have little doubt, wholly of the remains of shell-fish 
and coralline structures, that inhabited the oceans of a 
former period,* and since corals do contain all the in 
gredients that exist in the ash of vegetables, as the in 
vestigations alluded to demonstrate, therefore, analogi¬ 
cally, we infer their presence in limestones. I had ho¬ 
ped long ago, to put my ideas to the test of experi¬ 
ment,—to submit several varieties of limestone to rigid 
analyses, but, suffering the penalty of being poor, this 
I have not accomplished. You may judge of my de¬ 
light, then, to find these opinions fully sustained by the 
admirable article of Prof. Peter, in your April number. 
The Trenton Limestone is a prominent rock in Lewis 
county, and from the vast quantity of fossil remains 
evident in it, it is doubtless as rich in the phosphoric 
and sulphuric acids, together with magnesia and the 
alkalies, as its equivalent, analysed by Professor P. 
The 11 Black River,” “ Birdseye,” or “ Gray” Lime¬ 
stone, of the State Geologists, also occurs here, imme¬ 
diately underlying a strip of land contiguous to the 
western side of Black River, running through the whole 
length of the county, being several miles in width. It 
is a harder and more compact rock than the 11 Blue 
limestone,” and consequently, preferable for building 
purposes. Well characterised fossils are rare in this 
rock, and hence we might conclude the absence of their 
valuable constituents. But probably they do exist, and 
if analyses shows their presence, and gives quantitative 
results similar to those observed with regard to the 
more fossiliferous rocks, we shall have a good geologi¬ 
cal argument proving that difference in the appearances 
presented by the two members, arises from dissimilari¬ 
ty of condition, not of composition, and the causes of 
these differences may perhaps be considered their une¬ 
qual exposures to heat and pressure, during solidifica¬ 
tion, and to unlikeness in the intensity of the convul¬ 
sions to which the structures composing them have been 
subjected. 
The strictures of the Professor upon the incomplete 
analyses that hitherto have been published are perfect¬ 
ly just, and greatly needed at the present time, when 
the desire of accomplishing much, tempts to superficial 
investigations, and premature conclusions; and when 
from the rapid advances chemistry has lately made, 
there is danger of considering our processes perfect;— 
while the reputation of some prominent individuals is 
such as in a measure to control the researches of others, 
rendering them liable to follow famous precedents, ra¬ 
ther than reason and labor without prejudice. 
Perhaps it would be well if these strictures were ex- 
. tended to a criticism, especially when even the labor of 
