Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VII. Manufacturing Industries. Introd. by [G. Sundbärg] K. Åmark - 2. Textile and Clothing Industry. By G. Sellergren
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woollen industry.
361
Swedish industries", began his experiments in naturalizing foreign breeds
of fine-wolled sheed, particularly the Spanish merinos.
These experiments apparently succeeded in the beginning, so that in 1764
there were in Sweden no less than 89 000 sheep of a pure, and 23 000 of a
mixed merino breed. Great efforts were made by the Government to increase
the stock of fine-woolled sheep. Prizes were given for wool; sheep-breeding
farms were established; the so-called "Wool Discount" was introduced for granting
loans to tradesmen in a small way of business for the purchase of native wool; in
addition to which, wool-stores and wool-markets were established to facilitate its sale.
Notwithstanding all these efforts, this breed of sheep has declined more and more,
and at present hardly numbers 1 000. Several causes have contributed to this
state of things, especially the difficulty in disposing of native merino wool to
the manufacturers, who preferred the foreign kind as the former was very
unequal in quality. The thoroughbreds imported at different times are also said
not always to have been of the best race. Attempts to naturalize fine-woolled
Angora goats turned out even a greater failure.
During the whole of this time — the Alströmer period — attention had
been exclusively directed to the production in this country of fine wool or
merino wool. When, however, after nearly a century of incessant attempts to
promote the use of native wool in Swedish mills, these efforts had proved
unsuccessful, then people began to see that even the coarser wool might be worth
attention.
The next phase in the history of Swedish wool production, beginning with the
nineteenth century, thus gave a new direction to this industry. Instead of, as
before, chiefly regarding the fineness or quality of the wool, stress was now laid
on increasing the quantity of coarse kinds of wool. And these attempts, in
spite of many unfavourable circumstances, have proved profitable. Besides the
unimproved, Swedish country sheep — the so-called peasant breed — the wool
of which is uneven and somewhat coarse, chiefly suited for coarse textures
(homespun or rough clothing), there are at present the following breeds, mostly
imported from England, viz., Southdown, Shropshiredown, and Oxfordshiredown
(especially in Södermanland, Skåne, and Halland); further, Leicester, Dishley,
and Cheviot — the latter especially in Gottland and Norrbotten, — and, finally,
the merino breeds (Östergötland, Södermanland). According to later observations
it seems as if the Cheviot breed would still further increase in Gottland —
where, apart from other favourable circumstances, its propagation has been
encouraged by the operations of the old Roma State sheep-farm — and also as if the
long-haired breeds (Oxfordshiredown etc.) would steadily increase and supplant the
white-faced ones (Leicester, Cotsewold, etc.). Among native breeds, the Gottland
sheep on the island of Fårön have begun to attract notice, as a breed in many
respects suited to Sweden. One circumstance which speaks for the improvement
of the native breed by crossing with English and not merino sheep is that the
latter do not make good mutton.
The stock of native sheep, has nevertheless decreased more and more. Whilst
in 1870 it amounted to 1 600 000 there are now only about 900 000, of which
more than 100 000 in the Län of Jönköping. The cause of this decline must be
sought for partly in the circumstances that the native wool, from its unevenness
and the difficulty in obtaining it in larger parcels, is not readily bought by
manufacturers, and that the wool-market is flooded with foreign and artificial wool
(shoddy, mungo, extract, etc.), and partly in the circumstance that the farmers
have inclosed larger spaces for dairy purposes, in addition to which, the lack
of fodder, which often occurs in certain parts of the kingdom, results in the
slaughtering of the sheep. For the encouragement of the breeding of native
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