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the best price because there can be no guarantee given as to the quality, cleanli- 

 ness, etc., of the wool. This class of dealer should be eliminated. It is not a busi- 

 ness, but a sideline with most of them. 



It is estimated that there is an average loss of 17 per cent, in all Ontario wool 

 due to dirt, poor wool, etc. Were it possible to have every sheep owner visit some 

 mill and have the various processes pointed out to him and shown how, with the 

 most up to date processes and machinery, it is impossible to prevent some dirt occa- 

 sionally finding its way into the manufactured article, he would no doubt take 

 greater care to prevent dirt getting into the wool. 



The farmers can individually do a great deal to improve the quality of the 

 wool placed on the market by taking care to prevent dirt getting into the wool 

 while on the sheep and by being more careful at shearing time in trimming the 

 fleeces. Instead of using twine to tie them, a small strand of wool from the fleece 

 itself should be twisted and used for this purpose. It is not necessary to have the 

 fleeces tied up tightly so long as they are tied neatly enough to keep each fleece by 

 itself, it is all that is required. 



In marketing, some scheme of co-operation as practised by the fruit men 

 should greatly help to solve the question. In Tennessee, great benefit has been de- 

 rived from Wool Clubs. The clubs were formed for the purpose of helping each 

 other in the matter of selling only. Each jnember of the club furnishes an estimate 

 of the amount of wool which he will have for sale to the Secretary of the club. 

 Arrangements are made to have the wool delivered at a sorting shed and an expert 

 sorter secured for a time to sort the wool. The wool from each farmer is sorted and 

 he is credited with so many pounds of each grade. Wlien the clip is all in, the 

 club is able to say to buyers we have so many pounds of wool of each grade, what 

 will you pay? The manufacturer or large wool merchant knows the quality of 

 wool, and, as he is buying in fairly large quantities, he is enabled to offer the 

 highest possible price. This scheme eliminates the middleman and gives the farmer 

 all there is in his wool. Then there is encouragement offered to produce the best 

 grade of wool. 



If clubs of this sort were formed in districts throughout the Province, it would 

 help to increase the profits from sheep-raising and also create more interest in the 

 industry. This would be a step towards establishing a market, each club centre 

 would be a market on a small scale, and afterward, if it appeared to be advisable, 

 co-operation among a number of clubs would make larger markets and attract more 

 buyers. 



