54 THE SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY 



the raw material that the outside atmosphere had free access to, and 

 averaging the different amounts of moisture that the tests showed. 

 The amount of moisture permissible in Bradford is : 



Per cent. 



Wool and waste 16 



Dry combed tops i8 



Oil ... 19 



Noils 14 



Wool yarn i8| 



Woollen and worsted cloth ... ... ... ... 16 



In testing a sample, say, i Ib. weight of wool or tops, care 

 should be taken to draw a fairly representative sample. The wool 

 or the tops is placed in a small wire cage ; this cage is a portion of 

 a scale. The weights are then put on to the other arm oft he scale 

 to balance the weight of wool in the cage. This cage containing the 

 wool is suspended inside a small oven, through which hot air is 

 forced, the temperature being kept at 220 F., or taking the two 

 extremes of 212 F. up to 230 F. As the moisture is evaporated 

 from the wool in the cage the person testing the sample takes off 

 weights from the opposite arm of the scale, so that a balance is kept. 

 When the balance is held for five minutes all the moisture has 

 evaporated out of the wool in the cage. The tested sample is now 

 absolutely dry. The weight it has lost is then taken from the 

 original weight, and 16 per cent, added to the remainder. This 

 will give the invoice weight, and that is the weight the merchants 

 will pay for. Say, for example, I test 100 Ib. weight of wool. 

 This is an excessive quantity to test, but I am quoting it for 

 example. The weight when it comes from the tester is 81 Ib. 

 This is dry wool free from all moisture. On to this weight I add 

 the 1 6 per cent, regain the amount of moisture permissible. This 

 gives me 97 Ib. of wool, which is the correct invoice weight which 

 is paid for. The above sample contained 19 per cent, of moisture, 

 or 3 per cent, more than is permissible, therefore I pay for -only 

 97 Ib. of wool for every 100 Ib. bought. 



