, 1864-05-14
Wool Growing.

NeW EHyMUu DuTHleT some Interesting oiiu
important facts concerning wool:
1.-THE care Of sheep, and the condition
and quality Of the fond upon which they
subsist, whether in the barn or pasture.
has great influence upon the quality OF
the wool, and its value for manufacturing
purposes. Sudden and uniavorable changes
in the pasture and food, whether the effect
Is to fatten the sheep or maine good or tor
evil. There are two immediate changes in
the fibre at such times. One is making Il
io,nt where the new growth COMMENCES,
which often separates in carding ON account
OF its brittleness, thereby shortening the
wO0l, which is often very injurious to the
kind Of goods in which the wool is being
worked, and the other Is in the change ot
the oily Or fluid substances, both within and
without the tube Of the fibre, and which :"
. certain extent, govern the sOfness Ut thu
fibre and its adaptabiIity to receive color
Wool take, frOm sheep which has died
from exposure to enld and change. or which
has been tor q long ti,ne diseased, Is isalways
found very hard to take q g'"d eoIpr. This
Is 10 consequence Of the coagnlated charac-
ter Of the oily substances in the tabe oi
the wOnl, which becnne very hard to re-
move under such circumstances, and will
resist the dye.
Where changes take place in the pasture,
which are very striking, the jnints before
mentioned are not only produced as often
assuch changes are made, but the sub.tances
pervading the interior If the tube will be
found t0 be different between each j'int
thus made, and will require different solving
p0wers bef;ne they will take the eolnr UNI.
f,r'aiy through the whole length Of the
fibre. This effect has been demonstrated
the past year very fully in indig0 eolOrs.
and has worked great damage; at FIRST at.
tr.buted to the indigo, but subsequently
found to b. in the wool.
The theory Uf the influence Of climate
upon sheep, as well as pasturage and feed
upon their wool, is by M means new; though
some Of your correspondents seem a. ridi-
cule the idea. Such persons seem To be
sadly ignorant Of the sheep lite. ature oi
the past, as well a. of practical manufactur-
ing Of the present day, or they would not
treat an idea OF such iHPMtanee lightly.
The first requisite Of wool Is fineness, which
is produced under and governed BY all the
laws of stock raising, such as good blood.
or breed, 70 start with, and feed, pastu' age,
climate and careful keeping.
The second Is softness, which Is almost
entirely governed Ly the character of feed
pasturage and care, which will fix the char
acter of the "yolk" or oily matter which
surrounds and penetsates the tube of the
fibre. This substance ecagalates and crys
talizes around and within the fibre in clean
ing, and renders Il harsh and brittle, or
sott and silky, according to the Influences
which have governed it M its growth.
The third Is the length Of libre, VII Oh Is
not of 90 much consequence when Its real
length can be estimated by he manufacturer.
But for ages Il has been well known that
the change df climate and the condition of
the sheep has affected and almost governed
the length of the wool.
lIWo0l comes to US In various states:
each country gives ID certain character fhr
our market, al affected by locality rs well
e by the different breeds Of sheep frUm
which the wool Is taken. Australian wool
b divided into several varieties. Gernr,n
wonl is the finest usually used for broad
cloths, In connection with the Australian or
Cape wuol. The great magnitude uf the
wursted trade Is Of comparatively late in
terest. though very ancient In It's introduc-
ton and uses iangwool. Spain, Portugal,
DsnnaSI, Sweden, Prussia, aud In fict oil
Europe, have changed the whole character
Of their wool, BY changes of breed, climate
and teeplug, and itonly remains for Amer.
iea ~ Do Uhat she eau do, ~ produce as
good wopI, and as much of Il a. any conn
try Of the same size on the face of the globe
What, in fact, may not Massachusetts do
She can raise 6nx as q partial substitute
for cotton; and when she does this she
will find her hume product more valuable
70 her, from the tact that the capital thus
saved will GIL gap now open, aud growing
wider and deeper, dangerously 80, BY inn
portaiiuns from other States Of products
che might do without, and wh'ca carry oiF
her silver and gold, as well IS much of her
best energies without proper return"