Michigan And Ohio Wool

Ilon. J. ï. Cobb of Kalamazoo, read Et paper recently at a Farmer's Insütulo held at Schoolcraft, Michigan, on luindling wool, in which lie had this to say about tho relative prices of Oliio mu! Michigan wools. Astheprice depènds in no smal) degree upon handling tlie staple, Air. Cobb's suggestions may be read profltably by every one who raises sheep: There is no reason why Michigan wool should sell lower tliau Ohio just because it is grown in Michigan, althougli this is the case to agreatextent Tiow. Wool slionhl be sold as clioice, average and inferior, according ti conditionanü growth, not according to the state where it is giown. If Michigan Carmers will look af ter their flocka proj)eily and wash and get up theil wools for inaiket in a correct and honest manner (not that I think them dislionest), there is no reason wliy the present distinction in price between Micliigaw and Ohio wools shoukl not die out. Some Michigan wool is quite as gol as Ühio wool nów, and a great deal more niiglit be made so. In niany sections of Ohio the wool isno bettertlian good Michigan, but because it isgrown in Ohio it brings top prices. This season Ohio prices were pbtained for some large lot of Miclügan wool, and considerable fleeces washed from Indiana sold a.s Ohio because it was grown and handled like Ohio wool. IL wool dealei's were to name the section where grovvn, our manufacturera would not value it so higlily. Such is the preju cuco m iavor oí umo wooi. iiieivncnigan growers have it largely in tlieir power feo break down, to a great extent, the absurd prejudice against Michigan wool as compared with Ohio. Tlie wools most sought after are fine (full blood Merino) delainj, medium, clothing and eombing. The fine delaine is the long and elastic stapled Merino tleece. Medium clothing is the cross betweeu a Merino and coarser sheep, and medium combing isa cross between Merino and coarse liairetl wool, like Cotswold and Leicester. In Crossing, keep up the blood and do not let it degenerate. The full blocxl Cotswold and Leicester wools bring alowprice and appear to be going out of íavor, the fleeces also often become c'otted or matted. "YVhen medium sheep (half blood) degenerate or lose their blood through age or the breed not being kept up, or from want of care, the wool runs down, becomes coarser and grades quarter blood or No. 2. The more wool loses the less it is worth to the manufacturar. WeU handled wools will therefore always bring more than earelessly washed or BtufiEed fleeces. A wool that will lose 4r per cent. in scouring, leavea 55 pounds scoured wool, whicli at 50 cents before scouring, givcs a scoured wool at about 90 cents per pound. But on a basis of 90 cents per scoured pound to the manirfacturer, a wool bfaat will lose in grease and dirt .")" por cent. is only wortli 40 cents per pound bofore scouring, as it gives only 45 pounds of clean wools.