Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-06-18
Wool Grading in Maine

c. H. Crawford, the sheep expert
connected with the Maine Depart
ment of Agriculture, said today con-
corning the progress being made in
the new system of cooperative work
in grading and selling wool for the
farmers:
1T is meeting with great favor
and will be a success. We started
the work of grading, bagging and
shipping wool for the members of the
Sheep and Wool Growers Associa-
ton on Monday, June Z, in Farming
ton. l being in charge and having c..
NJ. White, agent in marketing, and
Joseph Hanson, expert wool grader
from the United States Bureau of
Markets, with me. The wool graded
last week was as follows:
Harrington, June Z, 1902 pounds:
Wilton, June 8, from growers in Will
ton. North Jay, East Dixfield, Weld
and Dryden. 1903 pounds; Rangeley,
June 9. 5133 pounds; Gardiner, June
IL, 1850 pounds.
This work of grading wool is con-
sidered an educational feature, as
Mr.. Hanson takes much pains in ex-
planning to the growers what con.
stitutes the different grades and the
qualities of the wool. While in a few
cases, the growers have been some
what disappointed, after seeing the
work done and having 1t explained.
they have been wholly satisfied.
I'm some cases the wool was tied
I with, min ,
manufacturers seriously object to, as
the fibres get into the wool and the
only way to remove it is by hand, a
very expensive operation. These
hbres have to be removed before the
wool can be manufactured, as they
will not take the dye and if left in
the wool will injure the quality of the
| fabric.
Mr.. Hanson says that on the
whole, the wool thus far brought in
for grading has been very good in
/ quality and he is much gratified to
find the growers delivering such a
| large percentage of clean and mar
ketable wool.
"Mr. Hanson has been in New
Hampshire for work in grading on
June Is and 16. returning to Maine
on Thursday. We will take up the
work of grading in Piscatauuis
county on Friday. June Is. at Gull
ford at 10 o'clock time at the railroad
station. On Saturday, June 10 at s
A. NJ. local time in Dover.
THE grading in Washington county
will be during the week of June 81
as follows. all hours being standard
time: Tuesday, June %, Q A. NJ. at
Harrington; Wednesday,, June %. 9
A. NJ. Machias; Thursday, June "A. 9
A. NJ, Trescott; Friday, June 25, 9
A. NJ. Perry.
THE following week will be given
to cleaning up the scattering sec
tons. including Waterville, South
China and Jay and we expect to do
some in Jefferson
THE officers of the association feel
that the grading in the presence of
the farmers cannot fail to have a far
reaching influence in building up the
sheep industry and establishing a
standard of quality for the wool pro-
duced in Maine. In all cases where
the growers have been shown that
they had low quality of wool. they
have invariably been able to tell
which sheep produced it and zach one
says he will sell that sheep and re-
place it with one of higher grade.
The men in charge of the grading
have taken pains to explain the way
that the quality of wool can best be
improved, through the use of pure
bred sires and more careful selection
Of the eve lambs for breeding pur-
poses. BY adopting these methods
the quality of wool in Maine can
surely be much improved. All of
which means more profit to the own
ers. 1t was often found that some of
the lower qualities of wool brought
in to be graded came from sheep in
fected with parasitic disease, which
in many cases could be easily elimi-
mated. The men in charge take great
pains to explain all these matters to
the growers.
I'VE expect that DR.. L. S. Cleaves
of the University of Maine will be
with us to assist in the work in Pts
cataquis and Washington counties"
Fish and Game