TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 271 



the soap in the second and third bowls is to whiten the wool 

 and give it "life" which it loses in bowl No. 1. After rinsing in 

 the fourth bowl, the wool is passed through a dryer. 



During treatment in the bowls, automatic rakes keep the 

 wool moving slowly, for if it is moved rapidly through the liquids 

 it forms a ropy mass. The yolk forms an emulsion in the bowls 

 and may be recovered by chemical processes. It is known as 

 "lanolin," and is much used in salves and ointments. Clipped 

 wools shrink as much as 65 per cent, or more in scouring, while 

 pulled wools shrink about 27 per cent, on the average and often 

 shrink only 10 per cent. The difference is due to the very 

 thorough washing given to pelts before pulling. 



Carbonization. Burs and much other vegetable matter 

 cannot be taken from wool in scouring. In the combing process, 

 by which worsteds are made, this vegetable matter is combed 

 out with the noils (short fibers not suitable for worsted yarn). 

 It can be eliminated from the noils or from clothing wools in- 

 tended for carding or woolen purposes only by carbonization. 

 This consists in immersing the wool in a dilute sulphuric acid 

 or aluminum chloride solution, and then drying it at about 

 200F. This chars the burs and vegetable matter which are 

 then removed by crushing and dusting with little or no change 

 in the wool fiber. The process costs from 1 J^ to 3 cents a pound 

 and results in an average loss of about 10 per cent, in weight. 

 Thus we see why the manufacturer and the wool dealer have a 

 right to object to burry wool, and why they offer a much lower 

 price for it than for clean wool. 



Wool clip of world. Australia and New Zealand combined 

 produce about 25 per cent, of the world's wool clip, the Russian 

 Empire 15 per cent., the United States 12 per cent., Argentina 

 6 per cent., the Union of South Africa 6 per cent., Uruguay 5 

 per cent., The United Kingdom 4.5 per cent., Turkey in Asia 

 3.3 per cent., and France 2.8 per cent. 



American wools and wool growing. American sheep are 

 said to have no superior in constitutional vigor and strength 

 of wool fiber. The average weight of fleece of American sheep 

 has shown much improvement. In 1840 it was only 1.9 pounds; 

 in 1850 it was 2.4 pounds; in 1860 it was 2.7 pounds; in 1870 

 it was 3.5 pounds; in 1880 it was 4.4 pounds; in 1890 it was 

 4.8 pounds; in 1900 it was 6 pounds; in 1910 it was 6.7 pounds; 

 in 1918 it was 7.1 pounds. The annual wool clip since 1840 is 

 shown by the following figures: 



