lOl* STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the tiiiei- texture are classified in some of the higher grades, along with 

 some of the Dorsets, Shropshire, Hampshire, Oxford and Leicester fleeces. 



If we are breeding down sheep that generally grow clothing wools it 

 ^'ill be to our interest to make a vigorous attempt to have those sheep 

 produce combing wools, since it will be worth from one to two cents more 

 per pound, providing it is of the same quality as when it graded in the 

 clothing class. We can bring this about by selecting our breeding sheep 

 from those of our flocks known to produce a long staple of wool, we can 

 increase the length of the staple slightly by better methods of feeding, 

 the same methods of feeding which produce a good healthy growth of 

 carcass will at the same time tend to produce a heavier as well as a better 

 fleece of wool, since we shall secure a stronger fiber. 



To conclude let nie say that if I liave said anything which will lead the 

 wool growers of Michigan to more intelligently consider the production of 

 wool in this State and that will tend to 



MORE CAREFUL METHODS IN FEEDING AND BREEDING 



for wool and i)reparing the same for market so that our Michigan prod- 

 uct may be sought after in the markets I shall be glad. It is dangerous 

 for any man to prophesy the future of the wool industry in the United 

 States; however, we have confidence enough in the business to believe 

 that any pains and reasonable expenditure of money tending toward the 

 improvement of the wool product of our Michigan sheep will be more 

 than repaid in the next few years. To be more definite let me say that 

 in my judgment there will be an increasing demand for finer, grades of 

 wool such as the Merino alone produces. We do not wish to infer by this 

 that the production of wool on many of our mutton breeds of sheep can- 

 not still be carried on as a profitable industry of the farm, nor that the 

 breeders of Merino sheep can afford to entirely overlook the value of the 

 carcass of mutton upon which the finer grades of wool are produced. 



As you find time, thoughtfully consider whether we as wool growers 

 of Michigan cannot greatly enhance the value of our wool products by 

 first properly growing our wool, seeing to it that the fiber grows evenly 

 from one shearing till the next, and that we place this wool on the market 

 in the best possible condition. 



(a) Unwashed. We believe that in the end our wool growers would 

 realize a more satisfactory profit on their wools if the fleeces were sent 

 to market unwashed. We strongly advocate early shearing. We have 

 found from experience with coarse wooled sheep that by shearing about 

 the first of April each year we could get more wool per head than by 

 shearing the last of May or first of June. If the wool is taken off at this 

 time it will be sent to market in better condition ordinarily than if left 

 on the sheep for a longer time. We have found, too, that the market 

 at this season of the year has been very satisfactory. 



(b) The wool should be free from burrs, seeds and other litter. 



(c) Do not pack the wool into too small a wool box, but make it as 

 bulky as possible for its weight. 



(d) Use as little twine as possible to hold the fleece together, and let 

 that twine be small and manufactured from flax. Never use binding 

 twine or sisal for doing up wool. 



le) Place everything that is wool and dry in the fleece discarding tags, 

 and wet locks of wool. 



