Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1920-11-25

4 - dangerous tnlng
and further investigation showd tina,
no one grade Of wool is ALWAYS the
most profitable. The actual marke,
value is determined by its clean con.
tent or, as We inersely call il. IFS
shrinkage. II will probably always be
the case that the finer the wool the
higher its price per clean pound. The
difference in value, however, between
line and crossbred woods the past wear
has been extreme. During the war
when the spread was not so great. the
coarser woods, such as three-eiehts-
blood and quarter blood, used exteo-
sively in khaki manufacture, outsold
the finer woods per grease pound las
they came from the Sheep because of
this lighter shrinkage. The difference
in shrinkage of our woods, we find,
averages perhaps per cent between
successive grades, decreasing with the
decrease in fineness or quality.
We learned that the quality Of WOO,
grown by any one breed of sheep is
fairly we'll fixed between rather mar
row limits and that to. attempt to in
crease or decrease the fineness as
much as one grade without cross
breeding would probably be the work
OF a lifetime; that fashion changes
raster than we can change our sleeps
coat and that if we ATTEMPTED 10 follow
we would only be chasing our shadows.
We discovered, when we did not al
ready know it, that the finest wool does
not usually grow on the best mutton
carcass though continual selection NAV
bring the two much nearer together;
but we found that the woods of best
all-around character grown in our
State were from the mutton breeds,
OF which we have the greatest num-
oers. In other words, we found our
three-eights-blood was better three
eights-blood than our fine was fine
wool. From this | gather that it is
best to produce a sheep suited to our
geenral conditions, and instead OF at
tempting to change the quality to strive
for other fleece characteristics that al
ways add to the value of the clip
Most Of us cornbelt farmers should cut
down the grades Of wool we grow. If
we did more grading of our sheep we
would need less grading of our wool.
If three-eights- blood quality is ideal,
fine and low-quarters are not, and
should be culled out. Our Heeces run
too wide for grade also. Some of them,
specially on crossbred sheep, are fine
on the shoulder and quarter blood on
the breech. There is natural tenden-
cy for the wool of the shoulder to show
more quality, but uniformity can be ac-
quired through careful attention.
We know from last seasons expert
ence and from price levels covering
long series of years that it pays to grow
combing rather than clothing wool of
any grade. We learn that length is
dependent not only upon the breed, but
the management and care Of the flock,
the pasture or feed afforded, and upon
the age and health or vigor Of the
sheep. Tn age and whether or not
eve produces a lamb also affect the
fleece, 80 one should not Gull his Door
feeced biddies until he glances over
their breeding records. That the
fleece is reflection of the portion of
the sleeps life in which it grew
quite true. Wool of good length that
is tender, or has break in it caused
by sickness or other adverse condi-
tons, is no more valuable than short
wool; it will not successfully under
go combing. Another reason why we
should insist upon length is that we
get increased weight with it,
Light conditioned woods, those with
out vegetable matter, dirt or an excess
sive, amount of grease bring a
premium over heavy, soggy ones. The
foreign matter present is the result of
the system of feeding and management,
but the grease present depends some
what upon the breeding of the sheep.
From all | can gather, either too much
or too little oil is Objectionable. A
fleece too dry is likely 10 become
frowsy and cotted; one with too much
grease wastes excessive in securing.
Woods of good character are worth
several cents more per pound than
those which lack it; they spin to bet
ter advantage. Character is shown by
life-like luster and pronounced and
even crimp. 1t is partly a que ton
of breeding and partly one of health
and condition.-F. Martin, Morgan