THE WOOLGROWER AND THE WOOL TRADE. 29 



MARKETING GRADED AND SKIRTED WOOL. 



The grading and skirting of western American wools is not likely 

 to be economical or satisfactory where less than 10,000 to 20,000 

 sheep are shorn at one plant. This number need not be the property 

 of one individual, but the wool from such a number should be put up 

 by the same standard and that standard should be the same as 

 applies in other plants in the same territory if our wools are to be as 

 highly esteemed in the markets as foreign wools of the same scoured 

 value. 



It is wholly desirable and practicable that small sheep owners, 

 where suitably located, should combine to erect and use a common 

 shearing plant to be conducted upon a high standard. If the practice 

 of grading and skirting is to be adopted some provisions other than 

 those now prevalent will be necessary. The skirtings, locks, and 

 tags from each flock will have varying values, while the main part 

 of the clip will contain not less than two or three grades varying too 

 widely for use by a single mill. An individual wool seller would, 

 therefore, have even greater need than at present of being posted 

 regarding wools and the markets. He would also need to have con- 

 nection with various branches of the trade in order to dispose of each 

 of the various lots of wool into which his clip was divided. In case of 

 cooperation in ownership and management of the shearing plant 

 the same organization might also be used in effecting the sale of the 

 wool, or each grower might sell at home as opportunity offered or 

 consign to the establishment appearing likely to give the best service. 



Marketing farm wools. — For farm wools the greatest advantage is 

 likely to come through such cooperation as will insure the grower's 

 receiving the value of his wool after grading and sale along with 

 other clips sufficient in amount to allow of selling in lots containing 

 not less than 4,000 or 5,000 pounds of each grade. 



FUNDAMENTAL RULES FOR THE WOOL GROWER. 



Until further improvement can be wrought there are a number of 

 rules that no grower on either farm or range can afford to neglect 

 in order to enhance the reputation of his clip and also — what is equally 

 necessary — the reputation of the wool of his section. These are: 



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

 to the locality. 



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

 separately. If the bucks or part of the ewes or wethers have wool 

 of widely different kind from the remainder of the flock, shear such 

 separately and put the wool in separate sacks so marked. 



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

 wool in separate sacks. 



