IMPROVING WOOL AND MARKETING THE FLEECE. 199 



further pay him to co-operate with others in the public auction 

 of his fleeces ; but if he is not prepared to take pains in the manner 

 suggested, then he had better let well alone, and resign himself 

 into the hands of the wool man who travels his country buying up 

 wools for the Bradford wool stapler ; the chances are he will be as 

 well treated as he deserves. 



The importance of the satisfactory " get-up " of the fleeces in 

 the eyes of wool buyers is well illustrated by the following extract 

 from the report by the representative of The Yorkshire Observer, 

 on the Kettering Wool Sale on June llth : 



" The character and quality of the half-breds were generally 

 fairly satisfactory, and the grass-grown lots generally were clean 

 and bright, and well prepared for the market. It was, however, 

 unsatisfactory to find some large lots of wool in a greasy and un- 

 washed condition. These clips had not been at all well secured, 

 and, in fact, they constituted almost a gambling transaction to 

 buyers. Being grown in a district where ironstone abounds 

 almost on the surface, the unwashed wools were impregnated with 

 red pigments and weighed almost as heavy as lead. It was no 

 wonder that unwashed half-bred and Down fleeces were on the 

 average about 9s. 6d. per tod of 28 Ib. below the rates which would 

 have been secured had they been washed. The only and poor 

 consolation the sellers had was that buyers were made to pay not 

 for wool only but for wool plus heavy grease and still heavier iron- 

 stone sand impregnated in the fleeces. 



" Side by side with this unsatisfactory feature there were lots 

 which were highly meritorious in the way in which they had been 

 secured and brought to market. Even the wool grown on the " red " 

 land when well washed looked and handled well, while the best 

 washed grass-grown wools were all that could be desired, both as 

 regards quality and condition." 



Wool Qualities. In conclusion, a word or two on wool qualities 

 may be useful. The spinner constantly refers to his wool by 

 quality numbers, an idea of the meaning of which may be useful 

 to the wool-grower. The quality number is supposed to indicate 

 the count of yarn or fineness to which the material will spin. Thus : 

 a 28's quality wool should spin to 560* x 28 =15,680 yds. per Ib. 

 a 40's 560 X 40 = 22,400 



a 60's 560 x 60=33,600 



a 90's 560 x 90 = 50,400 



The quality number, however, is not entirely reliable from this 

 point of view. It is very questionable, for example, whether a 

 28's britch, as it is termed, will spin to 28's count of yarn (that 

 is 1 Ib. of wool drawn out to 15,680 yards). On the other hand, 

 it is probable that a 70's quality (merino wool) will spin to a 80's 



* 560 yards in the worsted hank or unit of measurement. 



