| Show 5 Sheep and Wool I Producers Face I Prosperous Year Secretary Tomlinson Declares s Conditions Point to Heavy Pr Production I 1 hu By AlSo Associated Press PreISS DENVER July 10 Unless Unless conditions conditions condi condl I are affected by a drought which Is affecting some tome districts In the Rocky mountain states 1918 promises promises prom to be an unusually prosperous year for the sheep and wool producers pro of ot this country In the op ops- ops Ion lon of ot T. T VV W Tomlinson secretary of the American National Livestock association association as as- the net returns to producers will be greater than ever before The lamb crop has been exceedingly good and barring any losses losses' through adverse adverse adverse ad ad- verse conditions he estimates that the number of ot sheep on hand at tim the end of the year will be near the highwater highwater high water m mrk rk Mr Tomlinson also is optimistic over the wool situation He does not credit the reports that there will be beI bea a dearth of wool for domestic use after the needs of ot the government i I have been supplied With ships I enough probably to keep wool Imports Imports imports Im Im- ImI I ports moving and the prevention of f I economic waste through government he sees no crisis He points out that army needs alone figuring I three million or more troops under underarms underarms underarms arms will not take an unusually large per cent of the normal amount consumed con cou in this country I I PRICE DOUBLED While the cost of raising sheep has hab I advanced like Uke everything else in re recent recent re- re I cent years and the producers experienced experienced I an unusually hard winter I year before last the stock is selling tot toi more per head than at any time In in i I history Ten to twelve years ago ewes brought anywhere from 2 for tOl forthe the poorest quality to 5 and 6 a ahead ahead ahead I head for the best Today good souna sheep are selling at 1350 a head 1 The prices have doubled within the thelast thelast last five years This means or of orI j I course that there Is prosperity at the I present time in the sheep business But even with the present prices says Mr Tomlinson the are not making more than just prof- prof Its There is no profiteering in the business such as it has been charges charged there has ha been in ether commodities since the war beg began n. n The rhe raising or of sheep is precarious A good example i I is shown in 1916 when there were great reat losses during the hard winter i That winter because of severe weather weather wea wea- ther and the lack of feed on the I ranges the had to buy at high hl h prices Hay or straw cost them themon themon on on an average of 22 2250 50 a ton and andIn andin andin in some instances as high as 50 a a aton aton ton if the haul was long Such things as the price of labor herders anc and also must be taken into con con- Herders now demand as high as 75 a a month and morp more than 30 o a day According to r reports ports received by the American National Livestock as lit association the lamb crop of 1918 willbe will willbe willbe be the biggest in years While drought threatens in California New Mexico l and Arizona reports receives received here up to the present time are not noi such as to make tho the outlook tic On January 1 I 1903 the number of sheep In the country was the largest largest larg largo est of ot any similar date since ISIs t That year the government records IDi show that there were head of sheep in the country On JanuarI January Januar 1 I 1918 there were head In Inthe the te United States It ithe Is the tho belief bellet of ot Mr 11 Tomlinson that the figures of January 1 I 1919 will show a big in- in increase in increase crease over those of last year al al as although although though he will not predict that they those of 1903 will reach j 1 The wool supply is moving freely freeli I according to Mr 11 Tomlinson under the government regulations These Thase I government regulations have fixed fixed he the prices and prevented speculation and profiteering in the th market It is said that the growers under these pric prices s will get a bigger net return on their clip for 1918 than ever before The government has a prior right to ac at- acquire quire all of ot the 1918 wool clip or any portion of it that it may require at atthe at the prices fixed by the war Industries I board The rest will be subject Co ft t allocation for civilian purposes under I the direction of the board This Mr l Tomlinson believes puts the wool industry industry in I on a sound basis The go gotI got eminent took over the output he be not because there was a present present pres ent shortage that amounts to a crisis but be because ause there be a crisis The United States normally produces I ab about ut h half f of the amount of w wool ol consumed in this country The rest st I comes chiefly from Australia and Net Nei Zealand DANGER IS PAST I There was at one period a danger Mr Tomlinson says that there would not be a sufficient number of bottoms bottoms bot bot- toms to keep the supply of wool com coin comIng I Ing but he believes now that this danger has passed I There will of course have Kaye ha e to bea be bea a curtailment to a certain extent in to the amount of wool used in this coun j try to make up for the extra amount needed by the government but the shortage will not in any way become a crisis he thinks Under present conditions with the available supply of sheep said Mr Nr Tomlinson Tomlinson there is no prospect of f a shortage of mutton and no necessity sity for curtailment in its tinn tion With the present prospects for wool woOI Supply ly I T believe belleve there here Is little danger of nf a grave shortage |
