Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-01-21
Wool Growing-Long and Short Staple.

We would call the attention of our
farmers and wooI-growers to the fol-
lowing extracts from the annual wool
circular of E. GRIsAR & Co., the
leading men of the San Francisco
Wool Exchange. The great aim of
the wool -growers of this State for
years past has been to produce fine,
heavy wool; while the demand of the
manufacturer is for q long stapled
wool of medium grade. The short
stapled fine merino wool of California
is only in demand fora limited line of
manufactures, while long stapled
wool forms the basis of all wooden
goods in general everyday use, and is
consequently always in demand.
Messrs. GRIsAB & Co. give the total
wool clip of the State of California as
100000 pounds, being nearly double
the clip of 1871. They then go on TO
say: +
The Spring clip was above the aver
age of several preceding seasons in
staple and condition. Southern wools
especially were remarkable for their
good condition and comparative free
dom from bur. In the woods from
other sections the improvement was
less marked. The Fall clip has not
been equal to that of 1873 The con-
dition is poorer, in consequence Of
sheep farmers having bred more for
fine heavy wool than formerly, which
naturally retains more dust than open
wool of coarser fibre. The fact, also,
of valley lands having become too
valuable for sheep raising, has driven
the flocks into the mountain districts,
where more seeds are found, and con-
sequently very. little Fall wool is now
free. - "a .A "a s..
The demand throughout the year has
been for woods of good staple. South
ern woods in the Spring met with
ready sale, because the length of sta
pie was thought to more than counter
balance the burs they contained.
Short stapled fine woods are the last to
move, as they are only suitable for a
few kinds of manufacturers.
The wide spread introduction of
Merino blood into the focks of this
State is now making it's effect appar-
ent in the increased amount of short,
fine, heavy wool. Such woods are not
suitable for fine goods, because the
staple is teo short and they are usually
detective. For common goods they
are too expensive, as the shrinkage is
heavy on account of the quality, and
the staple is also too short. Long sta
pied woods Of medium grade are in
demand during Spring and Fall andi
is to the production Of such descrip-
tions farmers should turn their atten-
tion if they want to have their woods
meet with ready sale. The agitation
now going on for a revision of the
tariff on woods and woolens should
cause wool-growers to pay attention to
the wants of consumers. Asio
Australia and South America raise
better fine woods than California, and
can afford to sell their production, at a
lower rate. Woods of medium quality
are in better demand and are in
smaller supply. To raising such de-
scriptions the grower here should turn
his attention; as land becomes more
valuable it will pay the farmer to grow
only such descriptions as will sell
readily and bring good return. oaefa
The sheep which produce the wool
referred to above as being most profit
able for the farmer to raise are the
Southdowns, Lincolns and Cotswolds.
OF these, the Southdowns are perhaps
the best, as they produce the exact
grade recommended by e. GRIsAR &
Co., namely: "a long stapled wool of
medium grade" while Southdown
mutton is world-renowned for it's SUI
perior quality. Lincolns and Cots
wolds produce a longer and coarser,
staple than the Down, and their NUT
ton is also coarser. Lh4s saesgl .sss1e