The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-06-07
Michigan Wool.
washing sheep and shipping wssI for Market
To d. .u Editor ro Of The D.troit Free Press:

Washing sheep and shipping wsel for Market.
! g 'l'5r tnI - - LII Jfdi GOiHQ.
To the Editor of The D't,oit Free Press: ''
The season is now at hand for wash
ing and shearing sheep, and a few
thoughts will not be out of place on
the subject of putting wool in good
condition--rsy only object being to
raise the reputation and increase the
price of Michigan wool One remark
/ will here make, and wish every far
mer in Michigan would never forget it,
for it is for their interest alone that it
is made. 1t is this: That if Michigan
wool growers would take the same care
in washing and tagging, and using
suitable twine in tying up the feeces
that they do in breeding sheep, our
Michigan wool would sell for more per
pound than the wool Of any other
State in this Union. We are fast run
ming into the Spanish sheep, conse-
quently, these sheep =. having more
grease in the wool than onr old stock,
it will be necessary to use more care in
washing out sheep this season than
usual " F'''t.1r pin1 abtHs3H fls
But many Of our farmers say they
cannot wash this grease cut Of the
wool. Now, l claim they can, and
that very easily, provided they are dis
posed to try. / will cite few cases of
wool-growers who raise the pure Span
ish wool, and who always have their
wool in beautiful condition, as white as
cotton, and free from oil or dirt: Thom-
as White, Of Northfield, Washtenaw
county; J. S. Jennings, Brighton, Liv-
ingston county; Samuel and Stephen
Rodgers, of Novi, Oakland county;
X. S. Bingham and DR.. Wells, Of
Green Oak; A. N. Kimmis, Of West
Novi, and could name scores of other
Michigan wool-growcrs who put mp
! full-qlood Spanish wool in the best con-
dition, the very appearance of which
would invite a buyer.
i also could name scores of men who
raise Spanish WOOL, but am sorry to
say, never put it in suitable condition
for market, it being no better than un-
washed wool, and no credit to any
i buyer for having bought it. In the first
place, the wool is not properly washed.
The sheep are driven into the water to
be washed by an inexperienced, care
less hired man, and let out again with
out the inspection of the owner, then
driven from one to five miles through
I the dust, most probably to be turned
into summer failow to remain from
/ tpo to four weeks before shearing.
Many will say that these are extreme
cases, and occur but seldom; but /
would not complain If they were like
angels visits. But just such cases as /
have cited happen in every town and
neighborhood in our State, and in
great degree give tone and character
to Interpolation of our Michigan wool.
Another practice is to put nnwashed
tags into the middle of each fleece.
This, too, is practice which is very
unfortunate, and Injuries the general
rcptsts>.:~., &c tIn uranl nf the State y
One more practice l will cite, and l
will hold our farmers only partially ac-
countable for it, and that is in using the
heavy twine which is usually brought
on by our mefchants. And yet if the
wool-grower would not buy the black
twine, the merchant would not offer it
for sale. The use of this black twine
alone depreciates our Michigan wool at
least two per cent. in New York and
Boston, and what seems strange to me
is, that many of our merchants, both
in Detroit and the interior of the State,
who have been identified with wool
buying for a number of years, will
still continue to sell this black twine
when they know it is pointed out, by
every wool dealer and manufactures III
! New York and Boston as depreciating
the price of our wool. Now, if the
farmers would demand better twine
they could have it, for merchants have
an eye to what sells best, and if they
had a stock of this trash left on their
hands one year, they would not be
caught buying it again. 1t is not true
that white, soft twine cannot be had in
the Eastern markets, for l know one
merchant who has kept no other than
/ the soft white twine for several years
in his store. He would not buy the
other kind, but / am sorry to say, that
! he also told me his neigbors sold ten
pounds of the black twine to his one,
all for the reaso that the farmers could
/ buy the black twine for q few cents a
pound less than he could sell better
article. One word more in relation to
washing sheep. Those who wash
sheep should be particlarly careful in
washing the flanks and belly. Gene
rally this part of the fleece is neglected
/ and and all the dust and grease which
has run down to the fianks and belly
are allowed to remain, leaving that