612 SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



fcafion of these principles to wool when received direct from the grower, that had never be- 

 lYore iu this country been applied in the same discriminating manner, and with as little 

 "expense as by this system." 



'The objects and advantages of the system, and the method of conduct- 

 ing these estabhshments are clearly set forth in the follovvhig letter from 

 any friend Mr. Peters, to Avhom, as a keeper of one of these Depots, and a 

 ^gentleman of conceded ability — as well as skill, energy and success 

 in this and in his other business operations — I thought it appropriate to 

 apply for this information. 



H. S. Randall, Esq. BcFFAio. N. Y., Dec. 16, t8t7. 



My Dear Sir : Your kind favor of the 12th insl., making inquiries relative to the Wool 

 S>ep6t system, is before me. 



it will give me pleasure to answer your queries, not that by so doing I can add anything 

 tto the exceeding great value of your Letters to the whole country, and especially to the 

 Soath and West — yet from my own experience as a wool-grower, and in the management 

 tol" a Wool Depot wliich I established at this place last spring, I may give some information 

 aiat will be useful to your readers, and may they be millions. In so doing, I will give you 

 Ist, An account of the object; 2d, The method of doing busuiess ; and 3d, The advantages 

 <of tlse Wool Depot system. 



The Object. — Upon no sheep is the wool exactly alike over the whole body ; nor is the 

 ttpool exactly alike upon any single flock. In most flocks there is a great diversity — greater 

 ftisn there should be for the farmer's profit. There is, then, a variety of grades of wool in 

 ■«very (lock, and in every section of the country where wool is grown. 



Maniifcicturers first grade the wool ; that is, sort the fleeces, making from five to eight or 

 ame different gi-ades. Each fleece is then opened, and stapled, or sorted into the various 

 grades of the factory. Some manufactories use only the finest, others only the coarsest, and 

 otkers again use only one kind of the intermediate sorts, so that from a single flock, I 

 xald this year wool to five different manufacturers, no one wanting or working the ki)id that 

 s&e -other wanted. 



The object of tlie Wool Depot is to sort and arrange the wool, that the manufacturer can 

 S'eadLly obtain the particular kind adapted to his machinery, and to obtain for each sort its 

 Sair market value. 



Method of doing Business. — The system originated with Mr. H. Blanchard, at Kinder- 

 Sisdk, some three years ago. Last year, we sent our wool to Mr. Blanchard, and during the 

 ■wnEter I visited his establishment, and was so well satisfied with the operation of it, and 

 «©£ die vital importance of the system to the wool-growere everywhere, that I at once made 

 »rza.ngsments to open one at tliis point. I accordingly commenced operations in the spring, 

 aad have been successful beyond my most sanguine expectations. 



r have a competent and experienced sorter, and when wool is sent in, it is at once sorted 

 ia the fleece, each sort weighed, and entered in a book under the name of the person send- 

 ing it. 



1 have adopted Mr. Blanchard's method of sorting, as experience has shown that to be the 

 ^<}£t, under all circumstances. I make, then, five sorts, taking full-blooded Merino for No. 

 IL, and grading down to coarse common wool, which is No. 5. Saxony I gi'ade into Extra, 

 SPrime 1, and Prime 2. Then there is a kind of wool which is admirable for combing, and 

 siBSther kind that is wanted for De Laines ; — these form five more sorts, making thus ten 

 sttrjA But as there is such a difference m the condition ol' wool when brought into the 

 *3!i*;,pSt; I usually make two sorts of each number. Thus I have No. 2, and No. 2 a. No. 2 

 as usually good, but No. 2 a is of the same grade, but is in better condition, everj- way a 

 ctCaoice article, but still not fine enough to go into a higher grade. The wool is actually 

 ^STorfh two or three cents per lb. more than the other number to which it belongs, and but 

 &r making this distinction, would not bring its full value. When the wool is properly sorted, 

 M. tE piled up in a manner that will enable the purchaser to see it at a good advantage ; — in- 

 ffltired, and lield until the market requires it. I make all my sales here, and for cash. 

 Wfeea the sales are closed, an account is made out and sent to those who have sent me their 

 ^jb/<5g1; usually, an account is rendered as fast as any part of a man's wool is sold. I have 

 te&en been asked, how I could tell whether any man's wool was sold, unless the whole of a 

 atari was sold at a time. It is very easy. Suppose A. has 100 lbs. of No. 1, and I have sold 

 ffii9;800 lbs. out of 40,000 lbs. — that being the whole amount in the Depot. I have sold one- 

 Bsali of each man's No. 1, and I turn to A.'s account and give him credit for 50 lbs. sold, and 

 sEo po through and credit each man with his proportion of that number sold. 



The charges are, for receiving, sorting, and selling, one cent per lb., and the insurance — 

 ■«rolilch is usually about 30 cts. oh $100, for three months. Cartage from the dock is usually 

 J&ree cents per bale. The sacks aie returned or sold at the option of the owjier. They ai'e 

 (1132) 



