THE W00LGR0WER 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. 
