Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 303 



purposes only by carbonization. This consists in immersing the wool 

 in a dilute sulphuric acid or aluminum chloride solution, and then dry- 

 ing it at about 200 degrees F. This chars the burs and vegetable matter 

 which are then removed by crushing and dusting with little or no 

 change in the wool fiber. The process costs from 13^2 to 3 cents a 

 pound and results in an average loss of about 10 per cent in weight. 

 Thus we see why the manufacturer and the wool dealer have a right 

 to object to burry wool, and why they offer a much lower price for it 

 than for clean wool. 



Wool clip of world. ^ — Australia and New Zealand combined pro- 

 duce about 30 per cent of the world's wool clip, the United States 10 

 per cent, Argentina 9 per cent, Russian Empire 8 per cent, Spain 6 per 

 cent, the Union of South Africa 6 per cent, the United Kingdom 4 per 

 cent, Turkey in Asia 3 per cent, and all other countries 24 per cent. 



American wools and wool growing. — American sheep are said to 

 have no superior in constitutional vigor and strength of wool fiber. 

 The average weight of fleece of American sheep has shown much im- 

 provement. In 1840 it was only 1.9 pounds; in 1850 it was 2.4 pounds; 

 in 1860 it was 2.7 pounds; in 1870 it was 3.5 pounds; in 1880 it was 4.4 

 pounds; in 1890 it was 4.8 pounds; in 1900 it was 6 pounds; in 1910 it 

 was 6.7 pounds; in 1920 it was 7.3 pounds. The annual wool clip 

 since 1840 is shown by the following figures: 



Annual wool clip of the United States 



Year Sheared wool 



1840 35,802,114 pounds 



1850 52,516,959 pounds 



1860 60,264,913 pounds 



1870 162,000,000 pounds 



1880 232,500,000 pounds 



1890 276,000,000 pounds 



1900 288,636,621 pounds 



1910 336,896,9( 3 pounds 



1920 235,005,000 pounds 



1922 219,095,000 pounds 



According to the estimates of the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, 2 the leading states in 1922 in the production of fleece wool, scoured 

 basis, were as follows: 



1 National Association of Wool Manufacturers: Annual Wool Review for 

 1922, p. 255. 



2As given in Annual Wool Review for 1922, p. 175. 



