Show BIG SHORTAGE SHORTAGES S IN WOOL CROP CRUP Severe Storms in Ranges Last Winter Caused Large L rge Number r of f Sheep to Perish LOSS PROBABLY ABOUT ABO T POUNDS POl N P IS I ISAID SAID TO BE SHORT SHORTS S S SOwing SS S I Owing to the severe weather of ot last winter the shortage In the wool clip this his t spring will be in the neighborhood r of or o f pounds This is the tile es e ir 1 mate of Frank J Hagenbarth vice president resident p and manager of or the Wood Livestock company He also figures fig res that hat t tr the contract price of wool wooi range ange r this year from 20 to 25 cents a pound which Is from 1 to 1 cents to 3 cents a pound higher than for 1905 Although the estimated shortage for this his t year ear is for the entire United States Mr Hagenbarth says that these S figures practically apply to the west western western ern em states for the reason that all ot the he t sheep raised in the east e st are fed fea during the winter Speaking further f he said S Although many persons seem to be believe believe lieve l that the number of o sheep that perished during the severe sev re storms on ort the he t ranges was very large I think that not so many have been lost as is gen generally g ri believed The secretary of agri agriculture agriculture culture estimates the number of sheep that perished at about head We did not lose any for the simple reason that we were prepared prep red with feed Many any other growers were in Ina a similar position The winter was the severest since 1886 Our company fed frid about ewes and we figure our wool clip will be about pounds Last year we sold our product early but this year we intend to hold for a high figure S Predicts Higher Price Asked why he believed the lh price of wool would go higher this year than in 1905 1005 Mr Hagenbarth replied The price must advance owing to a shortage the world over which was vas as caused by losses in recent past years in different wool producing sections The production has not kept pace with the increased consumption After the slump from the high prices last au the market began to stiffen about the first of the present year The March sales in London showed a de decided advance The output of wool in inthe inthe inthe the United State in 1905 was pounds pou dS Of course the he major portion of o f this was grown in the western states tates s S Sheep Are Fewer Mr Hagenbarth stated further that there here tb t re is a general decline In the num numer ber b er of sheep raised rais d In ITt the west while on o oj n the other hand the number Is on the increase j in the east og S The reason for this said Mr Ha g art Is that the th western w stern ranges are as a re gradually being restricted by the settling ettling s up of the country and from other ther q causes In the eastern states the thew wool w ol growers gro all feed t ed their animals and a nd as they have found the business ap profitable p they are increasing their flocks fl S |