1 8 CANADA - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



distances and high freights were paid. Many of the owners, who came 

 from practically all parts of the civilized world, had little experience in 

 sheepfarming. Breeds were various and grading unknown : the poorest 

 wool often sold as well as the best and naturally high prices were not paid. 

 In the autumn of 1913 an enquiry was made b}^ the then newly created 

 Co-operative Organization Branch of the Provincial Department of Agri- 

 culture. The fact was revealed that^ the wool clipped that year had been 

 sold at from 8 to 13 cents a poimd, 10 cents being about the average price. 

 The department thereupon decided that it was necessar^^ to introduce a new 

 sj^stem of marketing which would ensure economical management and the 

 grading of prices according to quality. 



A list of the sheepfarmers in the province was at once compiled and 

 early in March T914 a letter was sent to each, announcing that the Co-oper- 

 ative Organization Branch was prepared to act without charge as market- 

 ing agency for the sheepfarmers who would prepare their wool according 

 to its directions. The practice of tying fleeces with binder twine and other 

 sisal cord, and despatching them in coarse jute sacks was one of the chief 

 causes of the low prices received. The sisal fibres, which became mixed 

 with the wool, would not take the die as the wool did, and the result was 

 the manufacture of inferior cloth. The branch, to overcome this difii- 

 culty, undertook to supply to those who would use its marketing facilities 

 paper fleece twine and closely woven jute sacks at cost price. 



The following are the instructions sent to persons who intimated that 

 they would market their wool through the branch : 

 " I. Roll and tie the fleeces carefully : 



" a) Removing all manure or paint-clotted locks, 



" b) Rolling the fleece with the fiesh side out, 



" c) Tying each fleece by itself with paper fleece twine. 

 "2. Pack the fleeces in the sacks supplied being careful to 



" a) Include only dry wool in your consignment. 



" b) Pack the fleeces from the ewes, wethers and bucks, respec- 

 tively, in separate sacks as far as possible. When it is necessary to pack two 

 or three kinds of fleeces in one sack place sheets of strong paper between 

 the different kinds. 



" c) If two or more breeds of sheep are kept pack the wool from 

 each breed by itself, or when necessary pack in the one sack and separate 

 with paper as above described. 



" d) If you wish to forward the tags (manure or paint-clotted locks 

 clipped from the fleeces) or black or brown fleeces, always place them in 

 sacks by themselves. 



" e) Pack the wool tightly into the sacks. A 40-inch by 90-inch 

 sack should hold at least thirty fleeces. 

 "3. Prepare for market by : 



" a) Filling out two shipping labels for each sack, being careful 

 to give name and address of shipper, name of breed from which wool is 

 taken, also number, kind and net weight of fleeces. 



