The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-12
WOOLLEN FARRICS

WOOLLEN FABKlCS.
The term wool is not very well defined. It is ap-
Piled both to the fine hair of animals-as sheep rab-
bits, some species of goats, the vicuna, and some
times to fine vegetable bres as cotton. In this art
ole, however, we refer only to the wool of sheep,
which has continued, from the earliest period down
TO the present day, to be of primary importance,
having always formed the principal part the cloth
Ing OF mankind 1t has been customary to divide wool
INTO two great classes-long and short wools: and
these again into subordinate classes according to
the fneness of the FIBRE In sorting xools there are
frequently eight or ten different species in single
heece and if the best wool of one fleece is not equal
10 the finest sort, it is thrown to second third or
fourth, or to still lower sort Off equal degree of
fneness with it.
Short wool is used in the cloth manufacture and
is therefore, frequently called clothing WOOL It may
vary in length from to four inches; but if it be
longer it requires to be cut for the manufacturer
The wool for cloths is carded spun, woven, and
then fuled. The piece subjected TO the operation
contracts in length and BREADTH ard its texture be-
comes more compact and uniform, which is essential
to the beauty and strength Of woollen cloth.
The wool Of which hats are made is neither spun
nor woven, but locks Of it being thoroughly inter.
mixed and compressed in warm water, mats together
and forms q solid, tenacious substance. For fine
cloths the sotness Of the fibre is quality of great
Importance it is not dependent upon the inensss Of
the fibre. but consists of peculiar feel approaching
10 that Of silk or down. The difference in the value
Of two pieces of cloth Of different kinds Of wool,
equally 6ne-one being distinguished for its sotness,
and the other for the opposite qualty-s such that,
with the same process and expense of manufacturing,
f,n will ho Is
, cent more than the other.
The color Of the fleece should always approach as
,lear as possible to white because such wool is not
!, necessary for cloths which are dressed white
but for such as are to be dyed bright colors, for
which clear white ground is required to give due
degree of richness and lustre.
Woolgrowing is large American interest. The
New England States are, for the most part, better
adapted to grazing than agriculture, and large
quantities of wool are annually produced there, as
well as in Ohio and other Western States, al
though the article produced is not thought by the
best judges, to equal the European.
A very great change has taken place within the
course of the present century both as respects the
quantity Of wool imported into England and the ad-
ditional number of countries from whence it is de-
rived Previous to the year 1900, their average i'm.
ports did not much exceed 10000 bales, mostly
brought from Spain, the wool Of which had long
maintained a high character. In 1900, their total
imports amounted to AZ 900 bales, and they have
since gone on gradually increasing, till the mporta
tons for the year ending 1862 amounted to the
mons number of 1926, 500 bales.
The importation of German wool was quite trfing
during the war; amounting, in 1872, only to % lbs
but. since the peace, has increased beyond all pre-
eedent.
For the year 1884, there were imported ssoa bales
4" 1925, 1924 /"
But this being year Of overtrading it declined the
following year to 3O2l9 bales Reviving from this
depression in 1888 it amounted to 70 776 bales but
for the year 1852 it declined again to &c. liza bales.
The introduction Of merino sheep seems to sue
ceed better in Saxony and other German
States than in Spain, and it increased 80 ra-
pidly that the Spanish wool trade soon became
Insignificant, compared with that of Germany.
The present decrease in the importation of German
woods into England, has been amply supplied from
Australia, where the breed of sheep which was car
ried out to New South Wales and Van Dieman's
Land, has succeeded beyond the most sanguine ex-
pectation; the importations for the year 1862,
from Australia, amounted to l45, ,767 bales.
The Importance of woollen manufactures may be
fairly estimated from the variety and number Of the
articles displayed in the great in dustria exhibition
Undoubtedly the most novel specimens Of woollen
manufactures are the cloth finished beaver fur bea
vers, and summer eastics, manufactured by the
Messrs. Carrs, Of Tiverton, England and exhibited
by F. Derby & Co., of this city as proprietors; fab
RIGS which combine the waterproof quality with
permeability to perspiraton, constituting very
important advance in wooen manufactures. We
need scarcely remark that the softness beauty, and
richness Of these fabrics are all that the most luxu
rious can desire; they were manufactured for F.
Derby Co., expressly for exhibition, and are said
to be the first and only samples in this country.
They are intended for overcoats, and the ex-
hibitors assure us the same are rendered i'm
pervious to rain of many hours duration, al.
though perfectly free for perspiration. These
gentlemen also exhibit case showing the
wool from which the specimens of patent med
goods are manufactured in its various stages from
the fleece to the finished beaver cloth, which will
prove highly interesting to the public also, case