Turning now to European countries, it is somewhat cad to think that Spain, the native country of the merino, which not so long ago sent all the wool for the best English cloths, has allowed its quality to degenerate, and its once large supply to dwiad le away. The wool of Saxony, Silesia, and some parts of Austria, which is obtained from sheep of the merino breed, is the finest produced in any country; and notwithstanding the lower price and nearly equal quality of the Australian, German wool is still empioyed for the finest broadcloths, some kinds of ladies' shawls, and a few other purposes. Great. attention is paid to the breeding and rearing of sheep in Germany, and large flocks are reared for their wool alone. In Austria, the number of sheep is estimated at 45,000,000, and the annual yield of Wool at 100,000,000 lbs., most of it being of fine quality, and all of which is consumed in Austrian manufactures. France produces a large quantity both of fine and coarse wool. In Italy, the production of wool from mixed merino breeds has become a source of great wealth. Russia, as might he expected from its great extent, rears many qualities, from the finest merino to a very coarse kind. The wools of the remaining countries of Europe are of minor importance.
To get the total imports for each year, we would require to add the amounts from countries of lesser importance, which are not given ; but in the annexed statement we give the total annual imports for the three years 1872, 1874, 1877: (1872) 302,500.925; (1874) 340,283.032; (1877) 406,369,933. For several years past, about one-third of the imported wool has been re-exported. The estimated produce of home-grown wool lit 1871 and the three preceding years was as follows: Lbs.
1871. Total of animals slaughtered, 12,370,056, estimated at 2% lbs. — 81.017,654 1871. Net clip of wool • 144,985,712 1870. 4. 149,516,679 1869. " 165,591,096 1868. " 165,549,725 Independently of the vast amount of home and foreign-grown 'wool which finds its way into our markets as wool that is in the condition fit for spinning and weaving, consider. able quantities are retained on the skins, and made into rugs or mats for house and car. riage use. For this purpose skins of the very best qualtity are chosen, and it is neces sary that the wool should be very long in the staple. After being carefully curried, the long silky locks of wool are dyed usually some bright color, and combed. The skins
are pared to shape, and form handsome rugs, which are not only in great favor in Britain, hut are extensively imported. The chief seat of this trade is at Bermondsey, in London, but it is also carried on to a considerable extent in other parts of the king dom. Large numbers of Astracan sheep and lamb skins, usually black, are also imported in the wool, and are dressed and used as furs, that is, for personal wear; and some of the Slink lambs' skins for this purpose fetch high prices.
We must. not omit to mention that the wools of South America are now attaining great importance, as will be seen by the table below; but it is necessary to state that besides the 10,710,246 lbs. imported in 1877, there were 3,579,245 lbs. of alpaca (includ ing llama and vicuna) wool. See ALPACA. The wool of the alpaca is very fine, from 6 to 12 in. long, of various colors, and well suited for certain kinds of goods, which are noticed under WOOLEN AND WORSTED MANUFACTURES. South American sheep's wool is of an inferior quality.
Much finer wool would be produced in Britain than is at present, if it were not that the demand for mutton, and the unfitness of the merino sheep for supplying that article of good quality, lead our farmers to choose breeds which are primarily mutton-pro ducing.
The following table will show at a glance the remarkable changes which have taken place in the sources from which Great Britain has derived its supplies of wool, and also the steady increase in the aggregate quantity imported: With respect to the wool, or woolly hair, of animals other than the sheep, which we have not already mentioned, the only one of much importance is mohair, or the wool of the Angora goat (q v.). Of this material there were about 7,000,000 lbs. imported in 1877. It is a white silky wool, with an average length of staple of from 5 to 6 inches. The demand for it is only of recent origin, and, as will be noticed in our next article, it is chiefly used for certain kinds of ladies' dresses. The hair of camels, bullocks, corn mon goats, and several furs are also used to some extent for manufacturing purposes.
The grand total of wool, shoddy, and goats' hair employed in the woolen industries of Great Britain in 1878 cannot have been far short of 500,000,000 lbs. The total import of raw cotton in 1877 was over 1,335,000,000 lbs.; but of this, nearly 1,512,500 lbs. were re-exported.