The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-02
THE WooL CONrnOYEllsY.
.D- Returns 10 His Mutton and Ha
Something More 10 say 10 "R. n. m"
IN the ESIUor nj Ihs Tnlsui1etfSF

.D- Returns TO His Mutton and Ha'
Something More 10 say 10 "R. N. NJ"
To he Editor " Lhe IRtellg1eT.
slR-Iu your issue OF the 10Th ins.., was
an article over the signature Of R. NJ. NJ.
which 1t Is our intention to review,
and TO answer to come extent, thinking
that we will and can show TO any reason
able mind, that there are some other
questions that have much to do with the
heavy feeces Of fine wool that are gown
on the Spanish merino sheep, now being
generally raised or introduced throughout
this section ami all other parts Of the
United States.
We think that this class Of sheep was
first brought into Ohio county in January,
1858, and with them the foot-rot, We be-
lieye, in Ohio county They were brought
by Mr.. Campbell from Vermont, and
sold, ewes at $50, bucks at $40 and $50
Just as he could make sale, and with this
Introduction came the first greasy, gummy
wool in West Virginia.
Twill now say that am not interested
directly or Indirectly in the propagation oil
any class OF sheep, or in any sympathetic
mood with the manufacture OF wooden fab.
RIGS. We do not claim that we know even
all that We ought to, but, we think, know
enough to tell the difference between a
trade dollar and standard dollar when
the two are laid down side by side, but
we are sure we can tell the difference be-
tween gummy, dirty fleece Of wool and
one that Is clean and well washed, though
not wool buyer either. AS q large por-
ton OF the population OF the United States
are interested in the consumption OF wool
fabrics, the cost OF this is an item Of pecu-
MARY interest 10 every person, and il the
manufacturer has TO buy 27S pounds oil
dirty, gummy wool 10 get u pounds Of
secured wool, some person must pay for 81
pounds OF dirt.
r. NJ. N. In his article OF the 10Th inst.
goes squarely back upon his former state
ment. In his reply TO your editorial he
stated that when the wool buyers come
round to buy wool, the farmers, ell had
Saxony sheep, but the editor would come
round In coupling timehe would find them
about all using Spanish rams. Now, do
not think this all square, and l will say
that am not endeavoring to advance one
class or breed Of sheep over another. My
remarks have been called forth by the po-
sition taken by himself in the matter, and
l will say that there have been ways used
10 induce men to raise this class of sheep,
which r. NJ. NJ. admits he has got. Here
rs one, the farmer, who Ia making drive
in this class and is fixing up lot for sale
in the fall. He shears them in Augustabout
the first week. Along comes farmer Jones,
not well posted, calls upon farmer Craig,
finds Just what he wanis-a sheep OF long
staple woodland asks Mr.. Craig what time
he sheared his sheep. Mr.. Craig re.
plies, "about the usual time" which
Is about the first week in June. Now,
Mr.. Jones buys eight or ten fine
sheep, and clips them the next June is
delighted, and calls in friend to see hi1
long staple wool, entirely ignorant that his
wool is fourteen months growth instead oil
twelve. That this game has been played
none need 10 deny, and fleece taken from
the sheep, Of this class, at the first shearing
after their introduction into new hands, he
finds the staple length one.hali inch longer
than be can ever get in twelve months
growth, upon the same sheep. This was
the case Of those Spanish Merino sheep in.
troduced into Ohio county in 1858. So
great was the difference Of length Of the
wool the first sIearing from that OF the sec
ond, that some supposed that the first was
growth OF fifteen or eighteen months.
r. NJ. NJ. says when he was boy the
clip was lbs. OF wool for ram and q to
8 lbs. for ewee, Saxony stock. And II
more than that II must be Spanish. ]
will tell him that knew 100 Saxony ewes
In 1866 shear 81 lbs. Of clean washed wool
and had they been washed as sheep are
mostly at this day they would have cut A
lbs. each. Fifteen or eighteen years age
farmers washed their sheep by going into
a large pond OF clear water, took the sheep
in hand and pressing the wool made Il
clean and white, and then in seven Oh
eight days the shearing was done, and the
weol was in merchantable condition.
But not so now. The washing Is done
by swimming the sheep in some Cenven-
lent pond, put them In two or three times,
and oitentimes the back Of the sheep and
the neck are never touched with the water
And oftentimes when done the wool con.
tains more dirt than It did before washing
This Is the way some eight and ten pound
tleeces are obtained. Now, another way 10
get heavy Heeces is to sweep up all The tags
and dirt clipped of the legs Of the sheep
and stuff II into the fleece. This we have
seen done, and perhaps Of pound OIL
such put into tlsece and not one ounce OIL
wool in It.
There Is still another way to fix up the
fleece. Put all the pulled or dead wool
into the fleece, so that when the buyers
come round there Is no pulled wool on
hand-had none. We have seen at one
time a whole clip opened by the buyer, and
every fleece had handful Of pulled wool
In Il, and the farmers excuse was he had
forgotten. In the wool-house Of BEETLE 4
Bro, North Frontstreet, Philadelphia, they
called my attention 10 about half bushel
Of limestone in the window, and stated
that It came In bale OF wool from Ohio
county. This stone did not grow in the
wool, certainly.
lido not uphold any bad practice Of q
wool buyer. say that there Is but one
way to buy, and that Is to pay what II Is
worth in quality and condition. II clean,
dirty or bury, pay Just what II Is worth.
This Is what Mr.. Il. X. List, Of Wheeling,
has been adopting in his buying, and 1t Is
the true plan.
We think Mr. R. M. NJ. missed 1t in his
case Of Mr.. A buying, starting out to gather
up Mr.. BIS aud Mr.. C.'s clips, And now
In closing this sheep and wool question, We
say that there Is not farmer when buyer
comes to buy his wool Is willing 10 admit
there Is any difference in his wool; tits all
the same his father used 10 raise; II Is
saxony, and, In some cases tho father has