228 Sheep-Farming 



Oxfords will grade higher than one-quarter blood, 

 and the best Cotswolds or Lincolns would be classed 

 as quarter bloods and the coarsest as braid or coarse 

 combing. The coarser wool shrinks the least, and 

 quoted on grease basis looks higher than the finer 

 grades, but this difference disappears when values on 

 the scoured basis are studied. 



Prices and demand for various grades fluctuate 

 very widely from one season to another, depending 

 very largely upon the fashions in ladies' dress goods 

 and men's suitings. When worsteds are popular, the 

 longer wools are sought for, and when cloth goods 

 are worn, the shorter and finer wools are on a higher 

 price basis. 



Pulled wools are secured mainly from the pelts of 

 sheep killed at the packing-houses. 



The meaning of the term "unmerchantable" is 

 shown in a recent announcement of the Boston Wool 

 Trade Association : "Fleeces grown east of the Mis- 

 sissippi River and also in the states of Minnesota, 

 Iowa, and Missouri shall not be considered merchant- 

 able unless rolled into a firm bundle, flesh side out, 

 free from tags or parts of other fleeces, tied with a 

 hard glazed twine not heavier or larger than what is 

 known in the twine trade as size 4^-3 ply India, 

 using not more than three single strings each way of 

 the fleece, and all knots firmly tied. Wool put up 

 otherwise than in this manner shall be considered 

 unmerchantable and shall be subject to a discount 

 of at least one cent per pound." 



