The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-16
Sheep-Raising Pretty Well
Spread Over Globe.

CpTedO over AiODC.
Washington. - Under Turkeys re.
Gently announced hve-year lndustrl.
alizatlon plan wool production and
manufacture will be among the four
major Industries encouraged by the
government
1T is natural TINT the wool In
dustry is Included In the new Turk
ish plan because wool Is one OF the
worlds basic commodities" says a
bulletin from the National Geo
graphic society
a meeting of all the worlds
wool growers would reveal motley
gathering of all creeds aud colors
from Ieelanders 20 South Africans.
from Canadians TO Argentines, from
Slberians 10 Indians. There also
would be present natives Of many
OF the Islands Of the seas" contin'
ucs the bulletin.
-Sheep-raising is pretty well con.
flned TO the temperate zones. sheep
do not like very cold countries, nor
do they thrive well In the tropics
except ut high attitudes
Sheep Population.
The worlds sheep population is
more than 5O0.OO0.OOO-a quarter as
great as the human population. The
annual world clip OF wool is more
than enough TO on l.333.0o0 one
ton trucks Australia. although a
comparative youngster In the wool
Industry. Is the worlds leading
wool producer. India and China are
the outstanding sheep countries Of
Asia. Argentina and Uruguay have
the heaviest sheep population In
South America. The greatest con-
centraiion Of sheep herds In Africa
IL along the Mediterranean coastal
zone from Gibraltar TO Tunlsia. and
In South Africa. Every country OF
Europe raises sheep. but in Nor
way. Sweden and Finland there are
few docks. scattered over wide
areas. The United States. with up
wards of 5O.0O0OOO head OF sheep,
Is the only country In North Amer
len that mas taken 10 wool growing
in what could be called big way.
"Abouf four.ffihs Of the sheep In
the United States Craze In the
mountains and on the plaieaus and
plains west OF the Mississippi river.
"As In the case OF cotton. histori-
ans and naturallsts have been
stumped by the query, when and
where was wool FIRST usedf' Sheep
and wool are mentioned In the b.
BILE and II is known that the Rom
ans practiced sheep breeding. Some
Of their prize animals wore Jackets
10 protect the fleece.
The growth OF the wool indus
try in the United States has been
phenomenal.
by 1910. just two centuries after
the first sheep arrived from Eng
land. there were 100000 sheep
grazing over the settled area OF
eastern United States.
Owe Much 20 Sheep.
ITO sheep. many regions OF the
world owe at least partially their
discovery and growth. for these ami
mails often have been the companl-
ons OF pioneers.
"whIle. In a few remote regions
OF the United States. homespun is
worn, factories haze almost entire
ly erased the home industry from
this country. One Of several hun
dred modern American manufacture
ing companies normally operates 60
wool mills that employ 10000 work
ers.
Wool greatly differs In quality.
The same breed OF sheep in the
same country may produce differ
ent qualities OF wool The best wool
grows on a sleeps shoulders and
sides.
when a sheep is sheared the
fleece holds together. The whole
fleece then is tied and with other
complete feeces IS placed for ship
ment in bags containing from 100
to 500 pounds each.
AT the factory expert workmen
sort the wool. Some sorting tables
are covered with wire netting
through which dust and other loose
foreign matters falls while the sort
ers tear the fleeces apart In some
growing countries wool is
washed before il is sheared from
the sheep. Unwashed fleeces contain
grease from the skins Of the ami
mails After sorting. the wool is
secured by passing 1t through Sc
ries Of vats of warm. soapy water.
From the washers 1t is conveyed to
drying rooms and thence to card
Ing rooms, where 1t begins the