262 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



shrinking 3 or 4 per cent, less than unmerchantable, and the 

 latter shrinks about 3 or 4 per cent, less than the unwashed. 



Market classes and grades of wool. Most American- 

 grown wool is sacked just as the fleeces come from the sheep 

 and sold at home to dealers. Before offering the wool to the 

 manufacturer the dealer opens the sacks and makes up from his 

 various purchases a number of piles, each containing only fleeces 

 of similar character and value. This is called grading, and it 

 is performed without untying the fleeces. 



The first division which the market makes in wools is to 

 divide them into the Domestic and Territory classes. The 

 advantages of domestic over territory wool have been mentioned. 

 Each of these is again divided into the Combing and Clothing 

 classes. Combing wool is usually worth about 10 per cent. 

 more than the short or clothing wool, and the aim of the wool- 

 grower is to produce combing wool. Each class is divided into 

 grades, and in grading fleeces the main factor is fineness of fiber, 

 although other factors such as length, shrinkage, and general 

 character are considered. The various grades are adapted to 

 the manufacture of different kinds of fabrics. Thus the wool 

 dealer is enabled to supply the manufacturer not merely a cer- 

 tain general class such as combing wool or clothing wool, but a 

 particular kind or grade of fleeces within that class specially 

 adapted to his mill. The complete classification may be rep- 

 resented in outline as follows: 



DOMESTIC WOOLS. 

 Combing wools Clothing wools 



Delaine! tedium } often one S ra ^ e xx and x washed or fine unwashed 



Half-blood Half-blood clothing 



Three-eighths-blood Three-eighths-blood clothing 



Quarter-blood Quarter-blood clothing 

 Low quarter-blood 

 Braid 



TERRITORY WOOLS. 

 Combing wools Clothing wools 



iememstaple -< m usually one grade 



clothing J 



Half-blood staple Half-blood clothing 



Three-eighths-blood staple Three-eighths-blood clothing 



Quarter-blood staple Quarter-blood clothing, or short 



Low quarter-blood staple quarter-blood 



Coarse^common, low, or \ often Qne grade 



