Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-09-02
BRISTLING BUSINESS.
Interesting Statistics Concerning An Inter-
esting Trade.

While the American hog can produce
more and better meat than the pauper-
labor hogs of Europe, he cannot com
pete with the latter animal in the pro-
duction of brstles The American hog
is grown for his meat and is confined
in a pen and scientifically fatted up. A
long course of breeding for this purpose
has caused the American hog to grow
fat mainly and to neglect the growth of
bristles. The European hog, on the
contrary, or more particularly the Ger
man and Russian hog, is not confined
in a pen and fec for fairness, but either
roams round through the streos OF the
villages. seeking what he can devou, or
in large droves through the fields and
forests, feeding on nuts and roots under
fine care OF swineherds. The German.
Polish, and Russian hog has thus plenty
of exercise and is thin and muscular.
These hogs are almost entirely without
fat and are not killed when young as
here. Their brlstles grow long stiff and
elastic, and of good color. The Ameri-
can bristes are soft, have a tendency 70
become kinky, and very few are over
four inches in length, and IS per cent
are not over two and three-quarters
inches. Eighy-tive per cent Of them
are GRAY, the most undesirable color,
the other ID per cent being white Ger
man and Russian brstles run from four
to seven inches il length. and some of
the latter run up to fourteen inches.
The largest bristes are not bV any
means the best. Excellent lengths are
five to SIX and half inches, and the
value Of bristle depends as much upon
its color and elasticity as upon its
length. The German and Russian are
of tne following colors, placing them
in the order of their value: white, vel
low, black and gray, The French bris-
ties are the best for fine yarnsh and
artistic brushes. They are usually only
three or four inches in length, but are
the whtest and best dressed of all the
brlstles. They are imported in dress
ed state and not rough as are the Ger
man and Russian. The well-dressed
French brlstles are usually as white AS
chalk, with very soft ends, and are
strong and elastic, springing up under
the touch no matter how thickly charged
with color. They are used in the finest
freS,. brushes the best sash brushes,
the best quality OF shaving brushes, and
the largest brushes used by artists are
nlade oil them. Hairand toilet brushes
are also made from them.
ST, Petersburg, Russia. and Leipsic,
Germany, are the great bristle markets
of the world, the former being the
larger. The English get most OF their
bli,ics from vi. Petersburg, where only
Russian bristles are sold. The Amer-
cans get most OF theirs from Lepslc,
where both German and Russian are
sold, though the bulk is Russian. The
Russian brI>tles sold in Leipsic include
those Obtained from Poland. The bris-
ties are pulled out of the hogs and
brought 10 market They are brought
PRIME palIy in the spring of the year,
the Easter fairs being the time when
most of them are brought to market and
disposed of. The brlslles are dirty. and
there is a shrlnkage of ID to % per
cent in weight to the consumer after
they have been thoroughly washed and
cleaned Russian and German briStles
are pacAed N casks, the quantity rang
ing from 25O to 900 pounds, the casks
not being of the same capacity. Gen
er%lIy Il cask contains brlstleS of equal
length. but many times of different
quauy and color. Each quality and
color is put mp in separate bundle and
brush manufacturers sort them out.
These German, Polish. and the Russian
brNtIes sold IN Germany run very rrrgu-
lar and require he greatest caution and
best judgment IN buyng. They are n
great variety OF coors and quantities.
-bCStJu Commerce "a BuiietiH