216 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



XX is ronsidpiod tlio Ptaiidard for a puio hiod Merino. 



Some tluoc quarter blood -Merino, nearly all of the high grade Merino and much of 

 the coarser pure blood Merino wools, grade as X. 



The terms 1-2, 3-8 and 1-4 blood do not necessarily mean that the wools were grown 

 on sheep possessing just that fraction of Merino blood. Many sheep containing no 

 Merino blood grow wool grading .'?-8 and 1-4 blood. No. 1 or Va blood is the next 

 coarser grade than X. X'o. 2 is coarser than X'o. 1, and so on. 



Coarse and Braid wools are invariably combing wools and are the grades most fre- 

 quently produced by Lincolns. Leicesters and Cotswolds. which have fleeces coarse and 

 long in stajde but bright and lustrous. 



Fine Delaine wool is Merino wool line enough to grade X or above and long in staple. 



Medium Delaine is the grade next coarser than the above, while Low Delaine is 

 long enough to be Combing, but a grade finer than the finest Combing wools, namely, 

 3-8 blood. 



Other grades of wool which are occasionally quoted in the markets are felting wools 

 and noils. 



By our request Mr. Charles F. Avery, of Boston, defined felting wools and noils as 

 follows: 



"Felting wools are wools which are adapted for felting purposes, usually of short 

 staple, and having projjerties which cause them to felt quickly. We presume that you 

 UJiderstanil (liat felting is a process whereby the fibers are interlocked in such a way 

 that a solid fabric is produced without the intermediate process of spinning and 

 weaving. 



X'oils. — In the process of combing wool the fibers are drawn between fine needles 

 and the dead and tender wools are broken off in the process and produce what are 

 called N'oils, or what might be called Combing Waste. The long and healthy fibers are 

 carried along through the combing process and are formed into wliat are called 

 \^'orsted Tops." 



WASHING SHEEP. 



As has been stated elsewhere in this Bulletin, washing sheep is not nearly so preva- 

 lent as formerly. Most manufacturers agree that wool which has been washed in the 

 country is not as desirable as that which has been sent to market unwashed. It is an 

 unsatisfactory process at best, and many times the country washing makes scouring 

 at the mills more difficult. 



SHEARING AND WASHING. 



After a careful investigation of the subject we are convinced that, in the long run, 

 it is more profitable to dispense with washing altogether. 



We have secured better results by shearing our sheep during the first half of April 

 than later in the season. This, of course, makes it impossible to wash sheep before 

 shearing. We are satisfied that we can get, not only a heavier average fleece, but 

 also a wool of better strength from the same flock by shearing during the first half of 

 April than by shearing in INIay or June. 



If leasonable care is taken to keep the wool free from dirt and litter wliile on the 

 sheep's back then there is little to be gained by washing. By an examination of the 

 wool market quotations we note a class of unmerchantable wools. This class includes 

 wools poorly washed. A large per cent of our Michigan washed wools are sold as 

 unmerchantable, at a price about equal to that of unwashed wools. 



We should not leave this subject of washing without saying that if we could think 

 the washing process an advantage to grower and consumer alike we would still 

 think the custom of doubtful utilitj' on account of injury to the sheep. Sheep are often 

 rouglily liandled and not infrequently we believe more injury is done to the sheep than 

 good to the fleece. The sheep will suffer no inconvenience from early shearing except 

 for the first few days, if they are properly sheltered and protected from the cold, and 

 more especially storms. The wool makes a ra])id growth during the cool months of 

 spring and the sheep is not sweltering under a thick blanket of wool. In the latter case 

 the sheep is not only uncomfortable, but the wool makes but little if any growth. 



