SSi, BULLETIN 
OF THE 
No. 206 
Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry, A. D. Melvin, Chief. 
May 25, 1915. 
THE WOOLGROWER AND THE WOOL TRADE. 
By F. R. Marshall and L. L. Heller, 
Of the Animal Husbandry Division. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 
Present methods of disposing of wool by the 
growers 
Factors that determine the value of wool 
"Wool grading 
Market grades 
Sorting wool 
Pounds of wool per pound of cloth 24 
The need of improvement in handling Ameri- 
can wools 24 
How American methods of handling wool 
may be improved 27 
Fundamental rules for the wool grower 29 
Glossary of terms used in the wool trade 31 
INTRODUCTION. 
The United States ranks as one of the principal wool-producing 
countries of the world. The amount of wool imported by Ameri- 
can manufacturers is equal to more than one-half of the home-grown 
clip. American and foreign wools are often offered for sale at the 
same time in the warehouses of Boston and other wool-marketing cen- 
ters. Some American wools are equally as valuable as the best foreign 
wools of the same class. On the whole, however, the appearance 
of American wools compares quite unfavorably with that of most 
of the foreign wools. The difference is due nearly altogether to 
the growers' methods of preparing the wool for shipment. Foreign 
woolgrowers, and Australians in particular, maintain a uniformly 
high standard in the handling of their wools. This care in preparation 
and the certainty as to the character of the contents of the bales has 
given their wools a high reputation that insures their bringing full 
value at the time of selling to the manufacturer. 
Persons familiar with the buying and manufacturing of home- 
grown and foreign wools assert that on account of poor preparation 
Note.— This bulletin discusses the preparation of wools for market and explains the effect upon the 
value of wool of the factors under the control of the grower. It is of interest to all sheep owners. 
83237°— Bull. 206—15 1 
