WOOL MANUFACTURES. The greater part of the manufactures of wool consumed in the United States is of domestic production, the imports of woolen goods ranging in value from one-twenty fifth to one-sixth of the value of the domestic production. The bulk of the wool used in manu facture is domestic, but the imports of raw wool also fluctuate enormously. The percentages of imports to the supply for the years 1896-1900 in clusive were respectively 46.3, 58.0, 20.9, 22.2, and 29.4. The total amount imported during that The inflation of the currency for 1870 makes the money figures for that year too large, and the increase in the following decade seems too small. It will be seen that, omitting flax, hemp, and jute, the capital invested has multiplied more than S times in 50 years and that the value of products has increased almost seven-fold. The much less relative increase of wage-earners (336.1 per cent.) indicates the growing importance of machinery in the manufacture of textiles.
The cotton-manufacturing industry has de veloped in recent years with great rapidity, and period was about two and one-half times the amount imported from 1881 to 1885 inclusive. Wool manufactures may be grouped under the general heads of woolen goods, worsteds, car pets (other than rag), felt goods, and wool hats. Until very recently the first of these groups had comprehended the greater part of the industry. There has been, however, a decline in the value of the products of woolen goods from $160,606,721 in 1880 to $118,430,158 in 1900. In the latter year there were 68,893 wage-earners employed in 1035 establishments. The decline in the man ufacture of woolen goods is due to the intro duction of worsted cloth for men's wear and the development of knit-goods manufacture. The change from one to the other was incident upon the mechanical improvements which made possi ble the combing of short staple wool and to the adaptation of American wools to the combing process consequent upon the crossing of the merino sheep with those of English blood. See
AGRICULTURE.
The manufacture of worsteds began in 1843. The progress has been rapid and steady, the value of the product in 1900, $120,314,344, being in excess of the value of woolen goods for the same year. There were 57,008 persons engaged as wage-earners in the industry. The first carpet manufactory was opened in 1791. The power loom was adapted to the weaving of ingrain carpets in 1844, and later to the weaving of Jacquard Brus sels. \Wilton• tapestry Brussels. and other makes. In 1900 28,411 persons were engaged as wage earners in the industry and the product was valued at $48,192,351. The value of felt goods in 1900 was $6.461,691, and wool hats, $3,591, 940. The woolen industry is almost wholly con fined to the New England and the Middle At lantic States, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania together producing over half the total product. Pennsylvania—chiefly Philadelphia—produces 48 per cent. of the carpet product of the United States. The following table shows the number of spindles employed in wool manufactures: w'age-carners employed in 141 establishments. Binder twine and rope together constitute about five-ninths of the total product. Hemp is the principal material used. Very little success has attended the spasmodic attempts to establish linen manufactures in the United States. The flax grown here is not suitable for spinning. Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania are the chief manufacturing States in this line.