1846.] Wool. 125 



Custom in England gives the purchaser an allowance on each 

 hale called " The Draft;" but the amount thus given varies at the 

 different markets. I have many accounts of sales in which only 

 one pound weight per bale is deducted for " the draft." I have 

 other accounts of sales made in different places, in which 2 

 pounds, and 3 pounds, and 4 pounds, and even 8 pounds per 

 bale is deducted for " the draft," w^ithout reference to the size of 

 the bale. This may seem unreasonable, but it is established by 

 the ancient usage of the different markets, and must be complied 

 with. The bales should therefore be of a size suited to their des- 

 tination; but not too large, else they will not be lifted, but rolled 

 over the docks and streets. Each sack should be firmly packed 

 by a man inside, but never pressed by machinery, and every fleece 

 of weak staple carefully rejected, and those fleeces packed by 

 themselves. 



The shipment then requires some attention. 



The wool should be placed on board dry, with the sackino- 

 whole and clean, and should always be sent as light freight in the 

 upper part of the vessel. Our wool contains too much oil and 

 gummy matter to be placed low in the ship, with heavy weights 

 pressing upon it, without being in some degree injured by matting- 

 together. 



This closes the part of the American merchant. 



In illustration, I will remark that I have had two invoices of wool 

 sold in England at the same price, in the same place, and within 

 three days of each other, whose value in this country differed ten 

 cents per pound on the day of their purchase, or any other day since. 

 The one kind answered the market, the other did not, but was 

 greatly superior in fineness of fibre. 



My own clip of w'ool, grown upon my own lands, and cut last 

 June, and which I know all about, I shipped to England in one 

 vessel, and consigned it, in two equal quantities, of equal quality^ 

 to two different markets, about 200 miles distant from each other, 

 and they w^ere sold near the same time, by direction of the same 

 house, and after full and fair exposure in both markets, at a dif- 

 ference of more than seven cents per pound in price. Its quality 

 and condition were very superior, and just suited to the one mar- 

 ket, and not to the other. 



Within the past year, I have sent more or less wool to every 

 part of England, and to Wales, and to Scotland, comprising the 

 various qualities grown in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 

 New York and Vermont. Nearly every invoice was accompanied 

 w^th an intimation that " It was not sent sa much with a view to 

 profit as to try their market, and hoping to receive in return suit- 

 able directions or suggestions for a better method for preparing 

 and shipping such wools to England." The result has been a 



