Year: 1865

We have been requested to, give the follow,
ing article from the United States Economist
published in New York, an insertion in our
columns, Farmers and all engaged IN the wool
trade will do well to give it an attentive peru
sal. -lHelel ejf


few days ago we received the following
inquiry from commission wool house in St
Louis, Missouri:


ain your issue of the 9th inst, in the wool re-
port, we read as follows: Manufactures are de-
termined to accept ptneither unwashed, half wash
ed, nor washed bucks, except at discount of
one-third.' Being unacquained with the mode
of conducting the wool trade in New York, you
will much oblige by explaining it in an editO-
rial, especially the extract above"


There are few persons engaged in the wool
business who are not aware that it has long been
a custom to deduct One-third from the weight of
unwashed heeces, this being about the average
which they would shrink more than those which
have been well washed; but there are large
number of heeces in every purchase which are
in such condition, that it has always been a
matter of controversy between buyer and seller
whether the sheep had ever been in the water
or not the seller invariably claiming that they
had, the buyer maintaining that they never had.
If the dealer was very anxious to sell, then the
buyers agrument prevailed; but if the anxiety
of the buyer exceeded that of the dealer then the
weight of the argument was on the side of him
who sold, and the wool was declared to be wash
ed. But this controversy has been brought to
a close the last Winter and the present Spring;
and all ieeces about which the slightest doubt
may be raised, and those which both would agree
the sheep had been in the water, but was badly
washed, are classed with the unwashed, and SUBJ
iect to the same deduction. Bucks feeces about
which there was no doubt all parties agreeing 3
that they were washed, yet the ends of the sta
pies full of gum and the staple full of grease,
and though manufactures never claimed any de-
duction for them before, and never liked to pur-
chase them if thay could avoid it. These are
now subjected TO the same deduction; so that
the custom may now be said to be-fairly estab-
lished in all the Eastern markets, to deduct for
all wool which does not give unmistakeable ev-
idence of having been well washed, and all
washed bucks ffeeces one-third of the weight.


Since the washed and unwashed bucks heeces
are both subject to the same deduction, we do
not in the future expect TO meet with many
washed bucks feeces, and we hope that the
system which has been inaugurated will work
the great'object for which it is iDtended-tbai
of compelling dealers to make a close examina-
tion of the condition of all fieeces before they





efits that ever came TO the farmer who washes
his wool well and brings it in good condition
into the market. Neither will any, we think
be so foolish as to risk deduction of one-third
for allowing their sheep Just to swim through
the water, but they viii either wash well OIL
not at all.


Should this system work well during the
coming wool season, we expect another, year to
see campaign against heavy strings. We may
expect a decuction on account of extra weight
of strings of about per cent. The sheep shear
ing season is close at hand and it is very impor-
tant that the farmer should understand thest
things in order that they may act understand.
ingly and prepare for the great change which
appears now to be awaiting them. he who haI
always labored hard to bring his wool into th'
market in good condition will rejoice that {
brighter day is Just about to dawn, and that ht
is going to reap the long delayed reward which
sooner or lateris the lot of him who never wear.
les is doing well.
The adoption of the system to which we have
referred has been serious loss to the dealer
during this season of stagnatlOn, for a grea
many had bought indiscriminately, withou
much reference to either washed or unwashed
| If they met with farmer who did not wash a
all his wool would be bought for unwashed
but during washing some sheep will get ava,
from the washers either before OF going int
the water, these have frequently been sold t
dealers for washed wool, and now when the
are submitted to very rigid examination, ant
this class of wool thrown out and subject to de
duction of one third the weight, it comes at
time when they are little able to bear such
deduction for, when added to the fall off in pric,
hom what they bought at, it makes a very
heavy loss, and if added to what they nigh
have sold for last Fall, il makes that loss such
tremendous one, and produces such an impres
sion upon their minds that we do not expect {,
find them buying without seeing that the WOO
is in such a condition that it can be bough
without being liable to deduction when in th,
Eastern market; and those farmers that hav,
been in the habit of only half washing thei
wool may expect that the day has gone by wheI
they can receive as much for it as those wht
wash well. Depend upon it, that nothing but
washed wool, done up in the bestpossible man
ner, will bring the bestprice, and be who woulC
stand at the bead of his neighbors for obtaining
the best price must have the best wool, the bes
washed, and no more string than sufficient Il
properly tie the fleece.