Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



293 



range states. vSand storms deposit much sand and dirt in the fleeces. 

 When the range is bare of snow in winter the wool often shrinks 5 per 

 cent more than when the ground has been covered. Because of the 

 varying shrinkage of territory wools, they are sold on the market upon 

 a clean or scoured basis. 



The clips of California, Oregon, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico 

 are no longer classed as territory wools due to the fact that they have 

 rather distinct characteristics. In Texas, shearing is often practiced 

 twice a year, in which case the wool comes to market untied. In 

 California, the northern counties shear once a vear, but the middle 



Fig. 109. — Clothing and combing wools. 



and southern counties often shear twice a year, the wool shrinks more 

 than that of the northern counties, and it comes to market untied. 

 Oregon produces some excellent wool, though somewhat high in shrink- 

 age. This state also produces what are known as "valley wools," largely 

 from long-wool sheep. New Mexico and Arizona wools are very uneven 

 in character and often kempy, due to lack of care of the sheep and 

 inferior breeding. They come to market untied and are poorly put up. 

 Washed, unmerchantable, and unwashed. — Formerly the practice 

 of washing sheep just prior to shearing was extensively followed in the 

 eastern states. This gave rise to the terms of washed, unmerchantable, 

 and unwashed. Unmerchantable wool is not unsaleable wool, but that 



