308 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



wool. Sometimes there is enough twine around one fleece to tie a 

 half-dozen or more fleeces. Even baling wire has been used in some 

 instances. 



The Animal Husbandry Division of the U. S. Bureau of Animal 

 Industry ^ suggests the following rules as of fundamental importance in 

 the improvement of American wools: 



1. Adhere to a settled policy of breeding the type of sheep suit- 

 able to the locality. 



2. Sack lambs', ewes', wethers', and all buck or very oily fleeces 

 separately. 



3. Shear all black sheep at one time, preferably last, and put the 

 wool in separate sacks. 



4. Remove and sack separately all tags, and then allow no tag 

 discount upon the clip as a whole. 



5. Have slatted floors in the holding pens. 



6. Use a smooth, light, and hard glazed (preferably paper) twine. 



7. Securely knot the string on each fleece. 



8. Turn sacks wrong side out and shake well before filling. 



9. Keep wool dry at all times. 



10. Make the brands on the sheep as small as possible and avoid 

 tar brands. 



11. Know the grade and value of your wool and price it ac- 

 cordingly. 



12. Do not sweat sheep excessively before shearing. 



13. Keep the floor sweepings out of the wool. 



14. Do not sell the wool before it is grown. 



15. When all these rules are followed place your personal brand 

 or your name upon the bags or bales. 



Wool is purchased from the producer by different methods depend- 

 ing upon the size of the clip. Domestic wools are often sold to local 

 wool buyers who take the whole clip of the neighborhood regardless of 

 quality or cleanliness. Sometimes the country storekeeper buys wool 

 and resells to the traveling buyer. Cooperative wool-selling agencies 

 have been formed in certain localities, and the advantages of these 

 organizations are discussed in the next paragraph. Territory wools 

 are sold mostly to buyers representing eastern wool dealers. In a few 

 cases they are sold to buyers representing manufacturers. The west- 

 ern wool grower may also consign his clip to a commission house to 

 be stored and sold for a certain commission charge. 



Cooperative marketing and selling. — During the last few years the 

 cooperative marketing and selling of wools has been practiced on a 



U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 206. 



