260 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



river. For the most part, the sheep are of mutton type and 

 breeding. As compared to territory wools, these wools are 

 usually clean and bright, due to the better protection and care 

 given the sheep. Territory wools are those produced west of 

 the Missouri river, and they derive their name from the fact 

 that this section was formerly made up of Territories in distinc- 

 tion to the States of the central and eastern sections. Territory 

 wools are produced by the large flocks of range sheep which 

 contain much fine- wool bipod, though the use of medium- and 

 long-wooled mutton rams is increasing. They shrink from 

 63 to 70 per cent, on the average when scoured, and sometimes 

 over 80 per cent., due to the presence in fleeces of sand, dirt, 

 and considerable yolk. Carpet wools are inferior and low- 

 priced wools containing much kemp or dead fibers, and are used 

 in the manufacture of carpets and coarse blankets. Very little 

 carpet wool is produced in this country. 



Domestic wools may be subdivided into two groups or sub- 

 classes, known as "bright" and "semi-bright," depending on 

 the whiteness and luster of the fiber. Bright wool is produced 

 by Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky, 

 Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. 

 Semi-bright wool comes from the Dakotas, western Kansas, 

 and Nebraska. They are midway between the bright and the 

 territory in condition, having more sand and dirt than the 

 bright but not as much as the territory. The best bright wools 

 are those known as "Ohio" wools, produced not only in Ohio 

 but also in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. More than half 

 of the flocks of this region are of Merino breeding. Ohio wool 

 is famous for strength, cleanliness, and general quality, and 

 commands a premium on the market. 



The states which produce territory wool are Montana, 

 Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Washington. 

 These are mainly range states. Sand storms deposit much 

 sand and dirt in the fleeces. When the range is bare of snow 

 in winter the wool often shrinks 5 per cent, more than when 

 the ground has been covered. Because of tjie varying shrinkage 

 of territory wools, they are sold on the market upon a clean or 

 scoured basis. 



The clips of California, Oregon, Texas, Arizona, and New 

 Mexico are no longer classed as territory wools due to the fact 

 that they have rather distinct characteristics. In Texas, shear- 

 ing is often practiced twice a year, in which case the wool comes 



