178 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
gar moulds ol a capacity not less than 14 gal- 
lons, When cooled in the mould sufficiently, 
say fourteen hours, pull the plug out ot the bot- 
tom ol the mould and insert a sharp point near- 
ly as large as the hole, some six inches; with- 
draw the point and sianrl the mould on a pot to 
drip. 
7th. If the sugar is intended to be brown, 
leaving it standin? on the pot lor a sufficient 
length ol time in a temperature ot 80*^, will run 
off its molasses and leave it in a merchantable 
shape; it will probably require twenty days. 
It can then be thrown out of the moulds and 
will be fit for use. When moulds cannot be ob- 
tained conical vessels of wood or metal, with a 
hole at the apex, will answer equally well. 
Conclusion.— Kl the close ot the year many 
persons employ themselves in reviewing the 
events of the past — their acquirements — their 
well or ill-spent days, or their hours ol idleness 
or inattention. Good resolutions tor the luture 
guidance naturally follow, and to such, kind 
reader, we most heartily join our warmest wish- 
es for permanent success, trusting that each ot 
you who thus have resolved, may go on, adding 
“flower to flower and knowledge to know'- 
ledge,” until you blossom in the garden where 
no good resolutions are blasted, and where no 
flowers either wither or lade. So until Janua- 
ry, 1847, we bid the planter and larmer fare- 
well. 
From the Joarnal of Commerce. 
Wool. 
The annexed article, by Hamilton Gay, Esq., 
on the growth, preparation, packing, &c., ol 
American Wool for the English market, con- 
tains information which will be valuable both 
to the farmer and merchant. It was elicited by 
the following note, dated 
JNew York, May 16, 1846. 
Dear Sir: — You have been engaged lor the 
year past in exporting American wools to vari- 
ous markets in Great Britain, and must have 
acquired much valuable information respecting 
the manner in which our wools should be pre- 
pared for those markets. Such information is 
much wanted by our farmers and wool dealers ; 
for it is evident that wool is to be henceforth an 
important article of exportation from the United 
States. Allow us, then, to inquire, whether 
you will not do us foe favor to write out your 
impressions for the Journal of Commerce. 
We are, sir, your ob’t servants, 
Hale & Hallock. 
Hamilton Gay, Esq , 53 South-st. 
New York, May 16, 1846. 
Messes. Hale & Hallock: — Dear Sirs— I 
have your favor of this day’s date. Such infor- 
mation as I can give on the subject of your in- 
quiry, is i,at your service for the benefit ol those 
interested. 
More than one-half ol all the American 
fleece wool exported from the United States, of 
the last year’s clip, was owned and shipped by 
myself and by otheis having a joint interest 
with me. The purchases were all made at the 
lowest point of the season, beginning on the 1st 
day of September, and closing on the 25th day 
of October last. The result has been a nett loss 
of $5,993, and 188 bales of wool yet unsold; 
equal only to the fraction of a penny sterlingon 
each pound. Not a fleeee ol the wool was sold 
to meet the payment ot drafts drawn against it, 
nor was any portion of it unduly pressed upon 
the market — and this loss arose from causes un- 
necessary, easily avoided, and entirely within 
the control of parties in this country. 
The prices of United Slates fleece wool are 
affected very injuriously in foreign markets by 
its unclean condition. It contains too much 
oil, and yolk, and dirt. The sheep are general- 
ly washed with too little care, and run too long 
after washing before shearing. A large portion 
of the wool, from this cause, must pass through 
the hands of those who sort it and scour it in 
soap and water, before it is sold to the manu- 
facturers. 
The wool itself is of superior staple, and 
while upon the sheep is inferior to nooiher in the 
world, of equal grade; and it may be safely sta 
ted, that every pound of oil, or other worthless 
substance, will, in the English markets, deduct 
from the value of the wool containing it, the 
price at least of two pounds of wool. English 
manufacturers and samplers, before purchas- 
ing, open a portion of the fleeces, and examine 
carefully, not only the fineness, but. also the 
strength of the staple, and its condition through- 
out. 
The first important operation in preparing 
our fleece wool for export, is to properly cleanse 
it before shearing. The sheepshould be wash- 
ed in clear running water — the water must run 
freely through every part ot the fleece, and the 
wool and every part ol it should be pressed and 
worked with the hand while under water, until 
the dirt and oil are removed, and the water runs 
off clear. The shearing should then take place 
as soon as the sheep become dry alter washing.* 
Then comes the tying up of the fleeces. 
All the loose locks, clippings and tags, and 
everything unclean, or of an inferior quality, 
and the coarse wool from the thighs, if there be 
any, should be wholly rejected, and the fleeces 
tied up firmly, so as to keep their shape, and 
show, as is customary, the best part of the fleece 
on the outside. 
This terminates the wool-grower’s part; but 
I will here remark, that sheep should be kept as 
nearly as possible in uniformly good health and 
flesh, because every portion of the staple or fi- 
bre of the wool which grows while the sheep 
are very poor from disease or want ot food, has 
so little strength as to break in working; and if 
this weak growth takes place in the fall ot the 
year, it destroys the fleece for many purposes. 
The next step is to properly sort and sack the 
fleeces, and direct them to the best market. 
This is the merchant’s part, and more than a 
shipper’s profitdepends upon its being perlorni- 
ed understandingly. 
In England each manufacturer devotes his 
attention to one particular description of goods 
for which his machinery has been constructed, 
and he makes no other. The makers of each 
kind of goods have established themselves 
mostly together in some one pait of the king- 
dom, where they have a wool market of their 
own, in which they seek for the qualities and 
descriptions suitable for their purpose, and will 
buy no other. The broadcloth makers in the 
west of England, the Worsted Combers of 
Yorkshire, the flannel manulaclurers of Roche- 
dale, and those who make hosiery in Notting- 
ham, purchase in their several markets a sup- 
ply suitable only for their own machinery. So 
nice does this discrimination run, that the flee- 
ces of fine wool, taken from sheep one year old 
which were never before shorn, are mostly sent 
to one part of the country, and there sold lo be 
used for one purpose, and the fleeces taken from 
the same sheep the next year, are sent to ano- 
ther part of the country and there wrought into 
a very different kind of goods. Thus it is of 
great importance that>?eece wool for shipment, 
before it goes on board, should be sorted and 
sacked according to the grades ot foreign manu- 
facturers, and suitable for their purposes, in or- 
der that it may be sold directly to them — other- 
wise, even if clean and in good order, it must 
pass first through other hands, that re-sort it, re- 
sack it, and distribute it to various parts of the 
kingdom at considerable expense. 
The size of the bales is the next thing lo be 
kept in view. 1 have paid on large shipments 
as high as one dollar per baXeiox “Dock Dues,” 
without reference to the size ol the bales; while 
at some ports the charge is less than one-tenth 
part of this sum. 
Custom in England gives the purchaser an al- 
lowance on each bale called “the draft;” but 
the amount thus given varies at the different 
♦Morrell, in his Ameriran Sheplierd, directs that 
shearing should not take place until the lapse of such 
an interval after washing, as will allow the oil to ap- 
pear, and conler softness and brilliancy on the wool. 
A week or ten days is sufficient for the purpose if the 
weather has been sunny. 
markets. 1 have other accounts of sales in 
which only one pound weight per bale is deduct- 
ed for “the draff.” 1 have other accounts of 
sales made in different places, in which 2 lbs., 
and 3 lbs., and 4 lbs., and even 8 lbs. per bale 
is deducted for “ the draff,” without reference to 
the size of the bale. This may seem unrea- 
sonable, but it is established by the ancient 
usage of the different markets, and must be com- 
plied with. The bales should therefore be of a 
size suited to their destination, but not loo large, 
else they will not be lifted, but rolled over the 
docks and streets. Each sack should be firmly 
packed by a man inside, but never pressed by 
machinery, and every fleece of weak staple 
carefully rejected, and those fleeces paclred by 
themselves. 
The shipment then requires some attention. 
The wool should be placed on board dry, with 
the sacking whole andclean, and should always 
be set t as light freight in the upper part of the 
vessel. Our wool ccntainstoo much oil and 
gummy matter to be placed low in the ship, 
with heavy weights pressing upon it, without 
being in some degree injured by matting toge- 
ther. 
This closes the part ot the American mer- 
chant. 
In illustration, I will remark that I have had 
two invoices of wool sold in England at the 
same price, in the same place, and within three 
daysot each other, whose'value in this country 
differed ten cents per pound on the day of their 
purchase, or any other day since. The one 
kind answered the market, the other did not, but 
was greatly superior in fineness cf fibre. 
My own clip of wool, grown upon my own 
lands, and cut last June, and which 1 know all 
about, 1 shipped to England in one vessel, and 
consigned it in two equal quantities, of equal 
quality, to two different markets, about 200 miles 
distant from each other, and they were sold near 
the same time, by direction of the same house, 
and alter full and fair exposure in both markets, 
at a difference of more than 7 cents per pound in 
price. Its quality and condition were very su- 
perior, and just suited to the one market and not 
lo the other. 
Within the past year I have sent more or less 
wool to every part ot England, and to Wales, 
and to Scotland, comprising the various quali- 
ties grown in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Penn- 
sylvania, New York and Vermont. Nearly 
every invoice was accompanied with an intima- 
tion that “ it was not sent so much with a view 
to profit as to try their market, and hoping to re- 
ceive in return suitable direciionsorsuggestions 
lor a better method of preparing and shipping 
such wools to England.” ’The result has been 
a voluminous correspondence, giving ample 
details, and all the particulars required, it is 
from this correspondence and the results ol 
those actual sales, as well as from personal ob- 
servation and information, that I venture the 
opinions already expressed. 1 trust that the 
past errors may be avoided in the luture ; and I 
now have done wdth the preparation and ship- 
ment. 
The production of wool in the United States, 
until recently, has not equalled the consump- 
tion, but the low price of grains and provisions 
since 1840, has caused a rapid increase in the 
number of sheep, which, under very lavorabl-e 
circumstances, may double each three years; 
and they now surpass, and a^e likely still fur- 
ther to surpass, all pievious estimates. The 
quantity of wool became so unwieldy last year 
that the value fell lull twenty per cent., notwith- 
standing the foreign shipments^ the abundance 
of money, the high tariff, and the prosperous 
condition of the manulacturing interest. We 
now have the promise ol considerably increas- 
ed quantities in this year’s clip, especially f'om 
some of the new States, with money more in 
demand, the protective policy in more danger, 
and lower prices of cloths. II the home mar- 
kets are solely relied upon, wool, like all other 
articles, when produced in excess, would long 
rule low in price. An abundant supply will 
hereafter enable manufacturers to purchase at 
