Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-07-23

Ah.o NtiON ioi l. NatG
seen tight three pound fleece shrunk
one-third because the buyer was told 1t
was unwashed, when the, lot contained
dozen HeecsS that would weigh from
eight to ten pounds that were half
grease aud gum, that raised no objec-
uon, that would waste more in cleans
ing than the tight fleece would weigh;
and threetourthS OF the wool that is
sold Is not bought on It's merits, washed
or not washed. So much per pound is
the ruling pilce Tor certain kinds of
wool, dirty or clean; nothing is held
out To induce u wool grower To wash
his wool clean and put it up nice, when
he gets the same price aS his neighoor
who ducks his sheep once and passes
them out OF the water which scarcely
reaches the skin. But it can be said of
these sheep, they were taken down INTO
the water, and came up out of the
water, and therefore their wool was
we'll washed. A man to be good
Judge Of wool, must have some expert
ence in either growing it or hand
ling it IN some way, but most of
the wool Is bought 10y agents with
out experience either way. a fleece
OF firm. nicely crimped Merino wool,
where the sheep have been housed
through the winter, never looks as well
after being washed MS before; it looks
mashed and crumpled, and loses that
shiny gloss that II had before washing,
and m agent must have practice and
judgment to understand these things,
which many of them do not possess.
1t requires more nice discriminating
judgment To handle wool than most
any other product of the farm, and yet
much OF it is handled by men that are
not judges.
My opinion is that wool should never
be washed on II Sleeps back 1t IN
duces wool growers 10 go through the
mock ceremony OF Washing when they
don't intend to get out n particle OF the
dirt, and then tell the buyer IT Is thor
ouehly washed, and he don't know the
difference. Hence more wool is bought
without the exercise OF any judgment,
than any other way. A buyer who UNI
derstands bis business don't need to
ask whether the wool is well washed or
not. His Judgment Will tell nm this.
If he depends on the word of the pro-
Queer for this information, he will not
always get M answer that IL strictly
true. | don't moan To say that wool
growers are more dishonest than otn,r
men nor quite rs mach so, for half the
buyers will cheat III weight If you give
them chance. There is just as much
sense for n man that has fat cattle To
SELL 20 tell the buyer they are very lat
when they are not, rs for n man to say
his wool is washed clean when it is very
dirty. No buyer would take the mans
word on the cattle, but would buy on
his own judgment. Just SO it should
be on wool. Yet it requires more ex-
perlenCe on wool than on cattle. The
only correct way is to shear without
washing, aud then there is no deception
on the part Of the grower, and no chance
ici any; and If he asks more for his
wool than it is worth, and the buyer
paws the price, nobody is to blame.
And then there are other objections
to washing. Some people have TO keep
up the old custom OF getting n jug OF
whisky or some old, hard cider that
would make hog squeal to taste of,
and get about half drunk, which is An
objection IN moral point Of view.
And many times sheep are half drown
ed by indifferent aud careless hand
ling, and become so exhausted they
have To be drawn home in wagon,
which is taken along for the purpose of
picking up the ones that have fallen
out by the wayside by bad usage.
Then many persons take cold from GO
ing into the water, not being used to it.
In conclusion | would say everything
can be urged against washing and
nothing in its favor, for, God knows,
people are strongly enough inclined to
be dishonest without any Inducements
held on. to them to be so.-Cor. ohio
Fountcr