Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1892 — The World's Sheep. [ARTICLE]

The World's Sheep.

The following table, compiled by the statistician of the Department of Agriculture from official records, shows the number of sheep kept in the leading countries of the world: Sheep „ Square per eq. Countries. Year. Sheep. mileji. mile. United Kingdom. 1891 33.533,»88 121,562 275.9 New So. v> ales... 189:1 55,986,431 310,701 180.2 New Zealandlß9l 18,117,186 104,471 173.4 Victorialß9) 12.736,143 87,884 144.9 Francelß9o 21,658,416 204,078 106.1 Germanylßß3 19,189.715 208 587 92.0 Denmarklßßß 1,225,196 14,638 83.7 Argentinalß9 ) 70,461,665 1,125,086 62.6 Netherlandslßßß 778,000 12,471 61.1 Belgium18“0 365.400 11,373 32.1 Queensland.lß9o 18,007.234 668,497 ‘.6.9 Russialßßß 48,220,119 1,951,2)9 24.7 United 5tate5....1892 44,938.365 2,900,170 15.5 From the above it will be observed that the number of sheep kept per square mile is greatest in the United Kingdom, and least in the United States. The former admits all wools free of duty, while the latter imposes a higher duty on wool than any other country. Under free wool the number of sheep kept in the United Kingdom has shown a considerable increase for several years. Under high duties on wool the number of sheep kept in the United States has not increased but actually decreased. Of the above countries, the United States, the Argentine Republic and Russia, are the only ones which levj’ a duty on the importation of raw wool. Does not this show clearly that no amount of duty can make the keeping of sheep for wool profitable in the greater part of the United States? The farmers of all the European countries have solved the difficulty, and are keeping sheep for mutton, wool being only an incidental product. Is not this a good policy for the farmers as distinguished from the ranchmen, to adopt?