Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-05-02
V.-WOOA.
(Concluded.)

Carpet woods are the cheapest. coars-
est and harshest sorts of woods. In
commerce they come principally from
Russia. Turkey, Greece. Turlsey-in-
Asia. Chile, etc: also from the noun
famous districts OF England and Scot
land. Carpet wcols approach more mar
~ to hair than other woods. The only
| wool of this sort grown in the United
states IS that grown on the original
Mexican sheep of the great southwest.
Few of these Mexican sheep are now
left, for they have been improved out of
their original condition by cross breed
Ing. But they constitute the founcation
stock Of most OF our western NockS-
locks that now produce superior cloth
ing CT combn2 wool
The distinction between clothing or
carding woods on the one hand and
coupling woods on the other is an old
one. CombnS wools arc so called be-
cause they are prepared for being spun
| by "combins.' CardinE woods, as q rule.
are shorter than combng woods. In adj
dition. they possess to IL greater de-
gree than combing WOODS the power
which all woods more or less possess Of
"fclting" -that is. OF mating together
INFO close. compact mass or 'fclt"
when pounded or pressed. Combing
woods. on the other hand, are not only
longer than cardng woods. bu; they are
also harder and less inclined 10 be
spiral or crinlky and are more lustrous.
The fundamental distinction between
"card!ng' and "CombinS' as applied to
woods is that in card!nS the fihers Of tho
wool ere made to cross and in.eriace
and nterlock with one another before
heng spun. whereas in combing the
fibers of the wool are made to lie paral-
lei with one anOthel before being spun.
In former times all fabrics made from
cardcd woods were called cloths" and
all fairies made from combed woods
were called "worstcds." The yarn of
cloth from being spun OF carded
wool, was soft, light and fluffy The
yarn OF "worsteds" on the other hand,
was spun 80 as 10 be compact, hard.
smooth. firm and level.
Again. 'cloths''--that Is. the fabrics
| made from cdrded wool. when woven
were 'milled" or "fclted"-that Is. put
through sort OF packing process by
which the surface wool of the fabric
was raised up so that the grain of the
weaving could not he seen; but worst
eds" from being woven out Of hard,
compact yarn could not be 50 treated
In modern methods OF manufacture
most Of the old distinctions between
cloths" and "worsteds" no longer cx-
list; and even the old distinctions be
tween 'cardnG woods" and "comblns
woods are frequently disrcgarded ia
manufacture. woods that once would
have been considered exclusively card
ing woods being now sometimes comb
| ed. and woods that once would have
| been considered comhing woods beins
now sometimes carded. But the pros
cess of crossing and intcrlocking the
iibers before they are spun, is cXcll-
sively applicable to wool. II cannot he
| applied to any other sort of textile
fiber. And it is this process which dis
tinSuishes cloths" from "worsteda"
And ii is the greater or less suitability
! or unSuitablity OF woods 10 comply
| with Inc prOccEs Whch distinguish
''carding' or clothing" woods from
''combng" WOODS.
| Thc wool best known to commerce as
n ''carding" wool or Clothing" wool is
that obtained from the sheep called the
| Merino. The fleece @: the Merino is
Very fine tnnor than that Of most othe.
| wools), strong. elastic and of good
color. and besides. II POSSESSES a high
telling" power. Though naturally
short. it is now grown of good length.
and the fleece is very dense. The
Mcr.no sheep, so far as authentic his
tory knows, is native of Spain, and
| spain was for many years the chief
country Of its production. 1t was also
! in past centuries much bred in Eng
land, and English wool owes much 10
the Merino for the Improvement it has
| effected in the nccces of other sorts
OF English sheep. 1t was also intro
duced into Saxuny, and was highly
i
| to surDass Spanish wool in iirmne5s.
sottness ana telling properties.
The MerinO sheep was Introduced in
to this country about the beginning of
! this century. By 1910 5000 AIcrino
! sheep had been imported and these s.
900 sheep formed the basis or foiinda-
| ton of most of the finewOol producing
foclSs OF our country to- day About
| the same time, or a little earlier. The
| McrnO. was introduced into Australia
where it is now the prevailing breed
| For many years the Merno vas the
principal stock in the flock.s OF Argen-
| tina.
In England. which is the native home
of the worsted manufacture. the breeds
OF sheep that formerly had most ro-
nown were those that produce combing
woods. OF these "combnr- vccl', or
long wool" breeds the most noted ora
the Lincoln, the CotswOld and tho T.oi-
cester. Tho wool of the Lincoln j. tbs
longest and most us;rous of all I,na-
lish WOODS. Of the shor,-rooI brcoSs
the most famous are the Downs :,
especially the Southdown. the Harm.
shire Down. the oxford Down and the
Shropshire Down. a sheep producing
wool of an intermediate grade js The
Dorset Horned. By modern methods Of
manufacture all these Down woods
are used as combing woods. as wall as
cardinG woods. g.
| All the English breeds OF sheep here
named are mutton PRODUCERS. The
nieriho Is not mutton producer at
leasl not IN the form usually bred.
owing 10 the connection which the
great shee:, farms or REACHES OF Aus
traiia ana Argentina have been able to
| make in the world's d.. ,,,o,,