ECONOMISTS FORCAST INCREASE IN PRICES FOR SHEEP AND WOOL Increased prices for sheep and lambs in 1940 was forecast by Dr. O. J. Wheatley, extension economist econ-omist at the Utah State Agricultural Agricul-tural college, upon his recent return re-turn from the National Agricultural Agricul-tural outlook conference in Washington D. Cr; The optimistic' outlook for the sheepmen is expected to develop from three sources: first, war demands are expected to be a greater price strengthening lactor for wool than for any other agricultural product; second, sec-ond, only a slight increase in sheep numbers is expected during dur-ing the next few years; and third, lamb prices will not be materially affected by the large pork supplies now being marketed. market-ed. However, lamb supplies for market during the next few months are expected to be large due to heavy movement of lambs n to the corn belt for feeding drd to the relatively small number num-ber being kept in Texas for sale as yearlings. As a consequence '..rices will remain about the same as those received last fall during ihe next few months. The consensus among the lamb market mar-ket analystj in attendance at the conference favored steady fed larns prices for the next few months with rather substantial price improvement after February Feb-ruary or March, Dr. Wheatley a d. As wool prices are now nearly near-ly 130 percent above prewar levels in August, most members of the conference thought that this rise already reflected most of the anticipated stronger domestic do-mestic demand. Consumer demands for wool products are expected to be good in 1940 and less competition is expected from foreign manufactures man-ufactures of woolens. No great increase in mill activity over recent levels is ant icipated. Wool substitutes and the fact that manufactured and semimanufactured semi-manufactured woolen goods have been building up recently to rather high levels are expected to keep wool price increases moderate.