Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-11-27

country putting up their sheep as full blou'
rauiafs, which name has doubtless been adop
tea because 1t is generally understood tina
the faular flock carried the heaviest Aeeces
out with the exception Of 8 or 10 pure blood
merlno ewes which have sold within three
OF ionr years, and about so pure blood meri
no bucks, within about five wears, | do not
Know nor do | believe that there il pute
b''od merlnu in the United States, beside,
those which own. The reason for this opin.
ION Is, that from 1928 to 1886, the rage Of
SaXony sheep was 30 great that few or nune
4 OF out wool growers would breed from merino
bucks who could get Saxony aud after th,
large importation Of Saxony in 1925 and 1926
the Saxonies or their crosses, we're within
the reach of almost every breeder From
1888, as the different prices Of wool were IN
no fair proportion to the difference of its quail
ity, the light wool Of Saxony heeces got daily
more aud more out Of repute until we are
finally getting into the opposite extreme, and
are gisng up the foe, soft feeling wools fir
the cOarser aud harsher and heaviest Aeecos.
This is great error, because fine woods must
always be IN demand for our superdne broad
cloths aud cassimeres, and with proper So
lection of bucks and ewes, aeec,s averaging
three pounds weight may be as easily grown
OF fine, soft, silky wool, possessing the felt
ing property IN the greatest degree, as con be
from sheep which yield only two pounds and
quarter OF two pounds and a half fleece
In 1910 a very intelligent London wool bro
ker, who was sent to Lisbon for the putchase
OF wool for se.eral English manufacturing es-
tabiishments,w which was principally sent there
for sale, during that year. in consequence Of
the French being in possession of the north
OF Spain, informed ms that the Leonesa wool
possessed the telling property in greater
degree than the Saxony, and that it was gem
orally used In England Tor the manufacture of
superfne cloths in preference to the Sax1ny.
Since that time the Saxony doubtless has been
very much improved and may have attained
to equal perfection in this respect. think
there Is a general error prevailing in our
country in regard to wool. Light fleeces and
fine wool are almost universally considered as
synonymous. flock OF sheep that will
yield three pounds Of wool by being evenly
fed, summer and winter,and kept in fair stock
case, by being bali starved both summer and
winter, may be reduced to two pounds. Now
n one who knows any thing about wool will
undertake to contend that this hallstarved
and sicklY g,owth Of wool will make as
strong and durable cloth, AS will hea.thy
growthoi wool from the same sheep nor
will the cloth made from the staryehng wool
handle SO soft aud we'll as that made from the
healthy wool Sheep, too, which have been
well pa,tured in summer and half starved in
winter, which is no uncommon case. by keen
ing more stock than our winter fodder will
-. 4 4
wool the summer growth will be strong and
flexible while the winter growth, though
shade finer in the fibre, will be dry and ten
der, aud such wool viii not make cloth which
is strong and soft to the touch. The Saxon
manufacturers understand tb. principle we'll,
and select accordingly and hence make more
durable cloths than the Engllsh and they
handle as well, notwithstanding The superior
finish Of the English. Yet we hear our wool
buyers crying out, fine wool sir two pound
and a quarter, two pound and half, which
seems 10 be thtir principal standard for fine
wool and according to this standard the wool
Of flock Of sickly s,atveliugs, a, brittle As
rotten straw, would be the acme Of perlec-
tiOn.
think have now answered all your ques-
tiOns, and if / have trespassed too far upon
your patience, hope to find an apology in
the solicitude which you evinced to obtain
full information on the subject Since begin
ming this letter, have looked over some let
iers and papers, touching the number of me-
rinus exported to this country, which has en-
Abed me to correct an error in my letter to
Mr.. Calvin Benton in 1886, respecting the
number shipped, and which error fell into
from trusting altogether to my memory
Respectfully, WM. JARVIS.