The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-06-19
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY.
Tuesday, June 10, 1877.
Judging Wool.

Many farmers have been annoyed,
when selling their wool, to find that the
acute and practical eye of the wool
buyer had detected the fact that his
sheep had been allowed TO run down in
condition at some time during the
growth Of the fleece They are half in
clined to think that the buyer is only
trying to depreeiate the price
AS matter Of fact, there is nothing
which renders wool so useless for GER
tain kinds of manufacture, as uneven
ness of break in continuity of the thick
ness Of fibre; and there is no defect
more common, and nothing that year by
year touches the sheep grower more Sc
verely on that tender part of his anato
ny-the pocket However good the
wool in other respects. the keen eye of
the buyer singl.'s out the detective wool,
and down goes the plice OF it.
And it is not mere fancy that regu-
lates the prices, for the uneven wool will
break at the weak places during the first
process OF manufacture Some persons
suppose that this unevenness of fleece
is hereditary in certain animals, and per-
haps unevenness might be made heredi-
tary by generations OF ill-usage and
neglect But as the wool of an entire
flock is found to be uneven one year,
aud not so in another, it shows that
management has more to do with it than
descent.
II sheep are allowed to get into low
condition, are neglected, under fed, or
not sheltered properly, the pores Of the
skin will contract, and the wool that
issues will be of very fine FIBRE AS
soon as the animal RECEIVERS vigorous
condition the pores again open, and a
longer and stronger fibre grows The
wool is thus weaker in one place than
In places at each side of it, and breaks
at the weak place on the slightest strain.
Nothing induces unevenness more
easily and surely, than want OF water
1t is common notion that sheep can do
without water or with very little. If
supplied with roots daily they will not
want much water; but it is well and hu
name, too, that water should always be
within their reach.
Not only is it important that the ibres
should be even, but the feeces through
out should be even as regards length,
softness density and firmness.
A practiced wool buyer gives the fol-
lowing description OF the way in which
an expert examines fleece:
Always assuming that the wool to be
inspected is really fine wool, we first
examine the shoulder at the point where
the finest and best wool is usually found.
This we take as standard, and COM
pare it in turn with the wool from the
ribs and thigh, the rump and the hinder
parts, and the nearer the wool from these
various portions of the animal approach
es the standard the better.
First we scrutinize the fineness, and If
the result be satisfactory we pronounce,
the fleece, in respect to fineness, very
'seven." Next, we inquire into the
length of the staple; and, if we and
that the wool on the ribs, thigh and
back, approximates reasonably inplength
to that OF our standard, we again de-
clare the sheep, as regards length Of sta
pie, true and even.
We next desire to satisfy ourselves Of
the density OF the fleece; and we do this
by closing the hand upon portion of
the rump and the ioin woods, the fleece
at these points being usually thinnest
and most faulty, and, if this again give
satisfaction, we signify the fact by de-
signaling the wool seven" as respects
density.
Now to summarize these separate ex-
aminations, if you find the feeces of
nearly equal fineness from the shoulder,
rib, thigh and back, and of equal densi-
ty at the shoulder and across the loins,
you may conclude that you have per
feet sheep.