EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 213 



mills, and we would have abundant proof in the millions of weed seeds found. At 

 some mills where such refuse is dumped where seeds can germinate and grow, we find a 

 large number of species and varieties of weeds. 



UNIFORM PRICES FOR MIXED LOTS OF WOOL. 



9 



Another factor in the marketing of wool by growers is that many insist on getting 

 a uniform price for their wool, even though they may produce several grades of wool dif- 

 fering much in their value to the manufacturer. Suppose the local dealer tries to pur- 

 chase this wool upon a basis of its value, he must then pay different prices per pound 

 after he has made an approximate estimate of the amount of the different grades of wool 

 in the lot. If the producer insists on getting a uniform price for the entire clip, the 

 dealer must determine what a safe average price would be. You may think that this 

 makes little or no difference to the producer. We believe it makes a very material 

 difference; first, because the dealer is pretty sure to strike under rather than over the 

 exact average price he could afford to pay to be sure to save himself; second, since 

 this is a general practice in JNIichigan, the grower seldom has an opportunity to learn 

 which are the most valuable fleeces, and why. There is, consequently, little chance or 

 hope for improvement so long as this state of affairs continues. Local dealers have 

 more opportunity for learning the details of the wool business and we think would 

 be willing to impart information to producers of wool if said producers would manifest 

 a desire to learn and improve their methods in growing and handling their wools. 



Your local dealer, if he buys wool on its merits and pays what your wool is worth, 

 should have the privilege of handling your wool. "Commission buyers" are always 

 ready to pay a uniform price for your wool, because they are paid so much per pound 

 for buying wool, but rest assured when they pay a uniform price they are keeping within 

 a safe* average price limit. Wool growers need to become more familiar with the trade. 

 It is unfortunate that many Michigan sheep owners, who keep small flocks, must com- 

 pete with other sections of the country where large flocks are kept, producing a large 

 amount of wool of a uniform grade. These large clips of a uniform grade are more 

 sought after by manufacturers than many small clips that are apt to vary more or 

 less. This suggests the desirability of Michigan wool growers making an attempt 

 to produce a uniform grade of wool in some sections of the State. Buyers and manu- 

 facturers desiring the grade of wool produced will soon learn where they can pick up a 

 large amount of wool suitable for their particular purpose. The grade of wool pro- 

 duced is not so material as that it be uniform. 



That we might get more definite information concerning the wool produced by the 

 various breeds of sheep, more or less common in the United States, we tried to secure a 

 ewe's and a ram's fleece of each of the breeds, which should be an average typical fleece 

 of the breed. In most cases we were successful in securing what we desired, but in 

 other instances we were not fully satisfied that the fleeces submitted were typical of the 

 breed. 



In examining the tabulated facts below we make the request that the reader should 

 not consider the figures there exhibited as settling the relative merits of the various 

 breeds as wool producers. Certain general conclusions may be drawn from the table, 

 but it must be obvious to every thoughtful reader that it would be very nearly impos- 

 sible to secure two fleeces which would in every way be representative of the various 

 breeds. 



