River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-05-10
WOOL FOR MARKET.
Facts of Interest to Wisconsin Farm
ets Concerning Proper Prepa-
ratian Of Thin Article.

Facts of Interest to Wisconsin FARM
CTS Concerning roper Prepa-
ration of Article.
University of Wisconsin, May THE
Importance of proper preparation OF
any article exposed for sale by either
manufacturers or producers is pretty
generally recognized and appreciated,
and especially is this true of staple ar
%ticles- Very often, however, we find
that the producer of farm products
fails to realize the Importance of this
vital point in marketing his products
when highest prices are desired. The
aim should always be to have every ar
ticle present the neatest and most at
tractive appearance possible consistent
with honesty and a due consideration
of the desires of the purchaser as to.
the manner in which the package
should be prepared.
Many parts of the state of Wisconsin
are e|minently adapted for the keeping
Of sheep and the production of a high
quality Of mutton and wool at re.
munerative prices. There will prob
ably never again be a time when these
two farm products will be divorced. In
other words. the aim of all sheep owH.
Frs in Wisconsin should be the keeping
Of sheep of a good mutton form that
viii clip a heavy fleece of good wool. as
here is no antagonism in the produc-
tion of these two products by the same
animal. The writer has frequently been
puzzled to know why so large a per.
centage of Wisconsin woods graded so
low in the large wool markets, and
with the object of getting some relia-
BILE information along this line letters
were addressed TO a number of the
largest dealers in Wisconsin woods. IN
reply TO the question:: "What are the
chief defects in Wisconsin woods re.
ceived by your firm" the swe in all
eases agreed in stating: TOO much
chat, dirty tags, seeds and burrs in the
wool"
In reply to the question as to what
percentage of the Wisconsin woods We're
injured by chaff. dirt. tags. etc. and
the average discount on such feeces
the replies in all eases indicated that
at least ten per cent. of W%isconsin's
wool clip graded low on this account
and was discounted from three to five
cents per pound. From the latest sta.
tistics relating to sheep and wool in
Wisconsin il is found that in 1895 there
were approximately 704,O20 sheep and
lambs in the state with an average
wool clip of seven pounds per head.
making a total for the state that yea1
of 4,92S.140 pounds of wool. ten pei
cent. of which being discounted at an
average of four cents per pounds.
amounts to $19.7t2.5G. which, if the
wool were properly cared for might
find its way into the pockets of the
wool growers of the state instead of
being a direct loss to all parties con
cerned.
In view of the strong statement just
given, which we have every reason TO
believe TO be correct. il will not be
out of place if a proper method of
folding and tying a fleece is given
here.
Care should be observed during the
shearing process to preserve the fleece
without parting or breaking it in any
way. When all parts of it have been
removed from the sheep the fleece
should be spread on a level floor OF
table with the dark or outer side up.
permost. all dirty tags or locks OF
wool clothed with manure should be
removed from every fleece and kept
separate so they may be washed and
sold by themselves. When the dirty
tags have all been removed. gather
the fleece as nearly as possible into
the shape and density il had when on
the animals back. The breech WOO
should be folded in first, next the
flank. then the neck and lastly the
flank TO which the belly piece is at
tached. This will leave the fleece al
most square. when by laying the left
arm down the middle of the square
the operator can fold one-half upon
The other after which it is a simple
matter to roll the fleece into a neat
and tidy cylindrical roll.
Two pieces of Irvine are then tieC
snugly around the roll at a little dis.
lance from each end. The object
whatever the method of tying the
fleece, should not be to compress il
INTO a very small and compact bundle.
as this interferes with the eXamina.
ton of a fleece. and is quite objec-
tionable. but il should be tied suf-
fcientlv firm so that it will remain
in a reat tidy form and yet will be
of an attractive and lofty character
As before stated. the use of coarse
sisal binder Irvine should by all means
be discontinued. \ small linen or a
soft hemp Irvine are the only kinds
| that should be used; what is known
as wool Irvine. or No. IS hemp, is rec
commended, as it fulfills all require
ments. and only costs from eight 10
ten cents per pound. and a single
pound will answer for from 100 to
100 feeces. depending TO some extent
on the size of the fleece and the
method of tying. Very short and
heavy heeces, such as Merinos. will
require much more Irvine and TO be
more carefully tied than will the
lighter and longer woods.
1t is to be hoped that our Wiscon-
sin wool growers will give more at
tention to some of these minor. yet
all important. points in connection
with the production of wool in our
states.
w. l.. CARLYLE.
Professor of Animal Husbandry.
MINOR NEWS ITEMS.