"U. . S. fbAX\uxu. &(. CUicwiaX 3n4uH^vu • 37G Us 1 ^ ^ /7/^. Glass. Book_ Issued January lo, 1916. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BUREAU OF ANEMAL INDUSTRY. GROWING AND HANDLING WESTERN WOOLS. The western sheep raiser must always depend largely upon wool for his income. Only a few of the clips sold at the ranch go direct to the mills. Most of the wool passes through eastern warehouses and is graded before selling to the manufacturer. American Wool on Display in the Original Bag. In breeding his sheep and in preparing and selling his, wool the ranchman should understand all those things that affect the price in the final sale at the warehouse. Some of these things are explained in the wool-exhibit car equipped by the Bureau of Animal Industry and exhibited in cooperation with the agri- cultural colleges in the western States. The charts, fleeces, and Note. — This circular is intended for distribution in connection with the wool-exhibit car equipped by the Bureau of Animal Industry and run in cooperation with the western agri- cultural colleges. 21265°— ic, ^^3'^ rA b 1 \L ^ Growing and Handling Western Wools live sht'cp shown in the car are arranged to show how the value of wool is inOuenced by — 1. Shrinkage. 2. Grade. 3. Strength. 4. Character. ,S. Preparation. Shrinkage. — All wools are scoured to remove grease and dirt before manufacturing is begun. The loss in weight in 7 ■■-v..' J / f Foreign Wool Skirted, Classed, and Baled, on Display at Boston. scouring varies from 25 to 80 ]X'r cent. A difference of 5 per cent in the shrinkages of two lots of wool, when other things are equal, may mean a difference of 4 cents a pound in the grease. Where it is not possible to have a fair sample of a clip scoured as a test, a person's own judgment of the shrinkage must be depended upon. Only by careful study and experience can the woolgrower learn to estimate closely the shrinkage of wools. Grade. — There are seven main grades of western wools. On the clean or scoured basis the finest grades of wool often bring Pag, 0, of D. JAN 15 1916 Growing and Handling Western Wools 15 cents a pound more than coarser grades. The published wool market reports quote western wools by grades, on the scoured basis. In order to make use of these reports the wool- grower must know the shrinkage of his clip and how it grades. The following is the report of the Boston wool market pub- lished December 11, 191 5: BOSTON WOOL MARKET. Domestic Wool. OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA FLEECES. Delaine washed 35'A to - XX — t032j4 Fine unmerchantable 32 to 33 14 blood, combing 34 to 35 H blood, combing 37 to 38 % blood, combing 37 to — y4, H, a clothing 30 to 33 Delaine, unwashed 31 to 3 2 Kine, unwashed 26 to 27 Common and braid 32 to — MICHIGAN AND NEW YORK FLEECES. Fine, unwashed 25 to — Delaine, unwashed 28 to 30 'A blood, unwashed 32 to 33 *4 blood, unwashed 37 to 38 '4 blood, unwashed 36K to 37K 'A, y&. '4 clothing 26 to 28 Common and braid 31 to 32 WISCONSIN AND MISSOURI. % blood 36^ to 37 H blood 37 to 37>4 A blood 31 to 32 Braid 31 to 32 Black, burry, seedy, cotts 28 to 30 Georgia a to 34 KENTUCKY AND SIMILAR. A blood, unwashed 35 to 36 V^ blood, unwashed 39 to — ' 4 blood . unwashed 38 to — Common and braid 32 to 33 Scoured Wool. Fine, 1 2 months 67 to 68 Fine, 8 months 60 to 62 Fine, fall 54 to 56 CALIFORNIA. Northern 65 to 66 Middle county 62 to 63 Southern 55 to 56 Fall free Si to 53 Fall, defective 45 to 48 OREGON. Eastern No. i, staple 72 to 73 Eastern, clothing 67 to 69 Valley No. i 59 to 62 Valley No. 2 54 to 56 Valley No. 3 52 to 53 TERRITORY. Fine, staple 73 to 75 Fine, medium staple 70 to 72 Fine, clothing 69 to 71 Fine, medium, clothing 65 to6S A blood, combing 71 to 73 ik blood, combing 68 to 70 ■ 4 blood, combing 65 to 66 Common and braid 57 to 58 A fine staple wool quoted at 75 cents (scoured) if it shrank 60 per cent would be worth 30 cents in the grease. Wools from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Washington are included under Territory. The State from which a clip comes has a great deal to do with the Page Three Growing and Handling Western Wools price, as some of the States are found to average better than others in the yield of clean wool and in the way the sheep arc bred and cared for. Strength. — The strength of the wool depends upon the feeding and care of the sheep and upon the breeding. Tender wools are caused by lack of care and feed, and lower the price by from 2 to 4 cents a pound. Character. — The character of the wool depends mainly upon the breeding of the sheep and to some extent upon the care and feed. Wools of the best character run from 3 to 4 cents above those of poor character (frowsy, dingy, etc.). Preparation. — Separate sacks or bales for "blacks," "bucks," lamb's wool, etc., is to the advantage of both seller and buyer. If wool is properly graded when shorn it can be sold without further handling in the warehouse. Bad twine and branding fluid entirely prevents the use of wools for some kinds of goods. These questions are more fully explained in Department Bulletin No. 206. The department has a limited supply of this bulletin on hand, and it will be sent to persons interested on request, as long as the supply lasts. Page Four WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING office : 1916