The South American Wool Yield.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 205, 28 May 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

The South American Wool Yield.

Now that we have been taught to regard certain districts of South America as tho natural rivals of Australasia in the wool growing industry, it will be interesting to note what is said by the United States Consul at Buenos Ayrcs in his recently published report on the past and the prospects of the coming wool season in the Argentine .Republic. The report states as follows : — The wool season of ISSS G, which is just now closing in the Argentine Republic, exhibits a large deficit on the returns of th 9 previous year. The total clip of 18S4-5 amounted to 318,860 bales, all of which, except 5,713 bales, had gone forward by July 15, while the shipments of 1885-6, up to July 15, reach only- to 284,156. If we make an allowance of 5,000 balos as tho balance of the latter clip which remains to be shipped — a figure which id regarded as rather over the amount -it will bo seen that the total clip shows a deficit of about 30,000 bales. The deficit in reality, however, is much larger than this, as evexy year heretofore there has been an average balance of 20,000 bales carried from one clip to the next, while this season there is no stock whatever on hand ; so that the actual deficitis upwaid of 50,000 bales, equal i to upwards of 30,000,0001b. In regard to the approaching wool clip (1886 7) the prospect is still more unpromising. It is thought that there will be fully 75,000 bales less than the figures of 18S4 5. The reasons for this opinion are based on the fact that the winter, which is just now closing in the province of Buenos Ayres, the principal seat of the pastoral industry in the Argentine Republic, has been the severest on the cattle and sheep which has occurred in many years. The rains of the first part of the season, causing floods over ! an unusually large portion of the Province, and the heavy frosts and freezing which have i occurred since, have made terrible havoc j among the flocks and herds, The losses from these causes are not confined to one locality, but are general. But the floods and the frosts are nofc the only troubles which the sheep farmers are just now contending against. While these have been doing the work of destruction, a very singular and fatal disease is now also devastating tho flocks. The nature of the malady is not undersl ood, but it seems to be the result of worms in the throat and lungs, and it is said to be fatal to every animal it attacks. Some flocks, which safely escaped the floods, have been more than decimated by this singular disease, and ita ravages are still going on. Besides this, the foot-rot on nearly all the inside " camps" is unusually prevalent, in some cases whole flocks being scarcely able to walk. And the scab, which is now spreading all over the country and which, in the absence of any scab law, attacks even the best-cared-for flocks, assists, with the other causes I have mentioned, to make the sheep and wool interests of the Argentine Republic in a decidedly unsatisfactory condition For the reasons here give the deficit in the approaching wool clip of the Argentine Republic, it is predicted, will be upwards L of 75,000 bales or about 45,000,0001b.