Preparation and marketing of wool
by Owen S Wirak
A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Science in Animal Industry
Montana State University
© Copyright by Owen S Wirak (1950)
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate methods of preparing and marketing apparel wool. This
involved several problems: 1. To outline the practices that have been and are being used to prepare
wool for market in the United States and other major apparel wool producing countries, 2. To outline
the wool marketing practices used in the United States and other major apparel wool producing
countries, 3. To determine the feasibility of skirting and grading wool at the shearing corral in
Montana.
The data used in this study came from primary and secondary sources. Primary data came from the
actual skirting, grading and marketing of 5,723 fleeces from two central Montana range sheep clips.
Secondary sources used included most of the information available on the subject of preparing and
marketing wool.
This study revealed that, in general, domestic producers offer wool for sale without knowing its
shrinkage, grade, or quality, whereas the buyer is usually equipped to know the value of the wool.
Domestic wools are prepared for market in a manner inferior to foreign wools. Only twenty-five houses
were reported as operating in marketing the Australian wool clip as contrasted to the United States
where over four hundred central dealers and a large number of local buyers are employed in buying and
disposing of a wool clip much smaller in else. Wool is purchased from American growers by a great
variety of methods whereas 90 percent of Australian wool is sold at public auction. Skirting wool at the
shearing shed does not appear to be practical in Montana. Two bids were made on the skirted and
graded wool which reflected the enhanced value of the wool due to the improved method of
preparation. Detagging and grading of some of the larger Territory clips at the shearing shed may be
feasible. PREPARATION AND MARKETING OF WOOL
by
OWEN S . WIRAK
ft
A THESIS
S u b m itted t o th e G rad u ate F a c u lty
in
p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e re q u ire m e n ts
f o r th e d e g re e o f
M a s te r o f S c ie n c e i n Anim al I n d u s tr y
at
M ontana S ta t e C o lle g e
A pproved!
Bead, Major D ep artm en t
Bozeman, M ontana
J u n e , 1950
Nl~T3
W14
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
II.
III.
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................
S
INTRODUCTION. ................................................................................................................
6
The P roblem . ................................
6
Review o f L i t e r a t u r e ............................ .......................................................
6
Need f o r th e S tu d y ................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
IV o c e d u re . .........................................................................................................
9
METHODS OF PREPARING WOOL FOR MARKET IN THE
UNITED STATES AND OTHER WOOL PRODUCING COUNTRIES . . . . . . .
10
P r e p a r a tio n o f
Wool f o r M arket in U n ite d S t a t e s ..............................10
P r e p a r a t io n o f
o o l f o r M arket i n A u s t r a l i a ....................................... 12
P r e p a r a tio n o f
Wool f o r M ark et i n New Z e a la n d ................................... 15
P r e p a r a t io n o f
Wool f o r M ark et i n S o u th A f r ic a . . . . . .
P r e p a r a tio n o f
Wool f o r M arket i n Canada ............................................16
16
METHODS OF MARKETING WOOL IN THE UNITED STATES
AND OTHER MAJOR AP0ARBL WOOL PRODUCING COUNTRIES...................................18
W orld A p p a re l Wool P ro d u c tio n . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
18
F a c to rs D e te rm in in g th e V alue o f G rease Wool . . . . . .
18
S h rin k a g e o f G rease Wool i n R e la tio n t o P r i c e s .......................
20
D e f i n i t i o n o f S h rin k a g e .......................................... . . . . .
20
Im p o rtan ce o f S h rin k a g e in D ete rm in in g Wool V alue . . 21
V a r ia t io n i n S h rin k a g e o f D om estic W ools. . . . . . .
22
S h rin k a g e and G r a d e .................. ..............................................
24
S h rin k a g e and L en g th o f S t a p l e . .....................................
25
S h rin k a g e and L o c a l i t y ..................................................
26
S h rin k a g e and C lim a tic C o n d i t i o n s ..................................... • 26
Wools M arketed i n G reasy C o n d itio n . ..................................... 27
G reasy Wools Quoted on a S coured B a s is . . . . . . . .
27
E f f i c i e n c y i n M a rk e tin g N eeded. . . . . .
....................... 28
98799
5
M a rk e tin g R r a o tio e e . . ..................................................
29
Time o f S e l l i n g Shorn W ool...................................................
29
C o n tr a c tin g o f Wool . .......................................... . . . . . .
30
C o n sig n in g o f W ool.................................................................................... 31
C o o p e ra tiv e M a rk e tin g o f W o o l........................................................ 31
How Wool i s Bought from G rowers .............................................. 32
Texas W arehouse S y stem ......................
53
D ir e c t Buying by C onsum ers..................................................................54
D e a le r O r g a n iz a tio n s . . . . . .
............................................... 35
H a n d lin g o f Wool in C e n tr a l M ark ets ..................................... 35
Wool A u c tio n s i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s . . ..........................................36
S a le s P r o c e d u r e ........................................................................................ 37
B uying C o m p e t i t i o n . .........................................
40
A d v an tag es o f A u c tio n s . . ................................................................. 40
D is a d v a n ta g e s o f A u c tio n s ................................................................. 41
M a rk e tin g Wool i n A u s t r a l i a . . . . . . . . . .
.......................
42
S a le s O r g a n is a tio n ....................... ..................................................*
43
Showing th e Sample B a l e s . . . ........................... . . . . .
46
Q u a n ti tie s O f f e r e d .......................................................................... . 46
R epacked o r R e c o n d itio n e d Wool. ....................................... . 46
A d v an tag es o f P r e s e n t A u s t r a li a n System o f Wool
M a rk e tin g ......................
47
M a rk e tin g Wool i n New Z e a la n d ...........................
50
M a rk e tin g Wool i n S o u th A f r i c a ............................ ............................... 60
M a rk e tin g Wool i n S outh A m eric a....................... ...........................
IV .
53
SKIRTING AND GRADING MONTANA WOOL......................................................................64
A c tu a l S k i r t i n g and G rad in g R ro c e s s ......................
55
Method o f O p e r a t i o n ............................................................................... 57
G rades and O f f - s o r t s M a d e ......................
68
L abor C o s t s ................................
58
V.
SELLING THE SKIRTED WOOL............................................................................................. 62
Core S h rin k a g e D ata ................................................................
S a le o f S k ir te d W ool. . . . . . . . . .
............................
B ids R e s u lt in g from th e S k i r t i n g and G rad in g P ro c e s s .
62
62
65
4
V I.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.............................................................................................. 76
Summary. . . . . .
............................
C o n o lu s io n e ...........................
. . . . . .
............................
76
77
LITERATURE CITED................................................................................................................80
6
ABSTRACT
The p u rp o se o f t h i s s tu d y was t o i n v e s t i g a t e m ethods o f p r e p a r in g
and m a rk e tin g a p o a r o l w o o l. T h is in v o lv e d s e v e r a l n ro b le m s : I . To
o u t l i n e th e p r a c t i c e s t h a t have been and a r e b e in g u se d t o p r e p a r e wool
f o r m a rk e t i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s and o th e r m ajo r a o p a r a l wool p ro d u c in g
c o u n t r i e s , 2 . To o u t l i n e th e wool m a rk e tin g p r a c t i c e s u sed i n th e
U n ite d S t a t e s and o th e r m a jo r a p p a r e l w ool p ro d u c in g c o u n t r i e s , 3 , To
d e te rm in e th e f e a s i b i l i t y o f s k i r t i n g and g ra d in g wool a t th e s h e a r in g
c o r r a l i n M ontana.
The d a t a u se d i n t h i s s tu d y came from p rim a ry and s e c o n d a ry s o u r c e s .
P rim ary d a t a came fro m th e a c t u a l s k i r t i n g , g ra d in g and m a rk e tin g o f
5 ,7 2 3 f l e e c e s from two c e n t r a l M ontana ra n g e sh eep c l i p s . S econdary
s o u rc e s u s e d in c lu d e d m ost o f th e in f o r m a tio n a v a i l a b l e on th e s u b je c t
o f p r e p a r i n g and m a rk e tin g w o o l.
T h is s tu d y r e v e a le d t h a t , in g e n e r a l, d o m e stic p ro d u c e rs o f f e r w ool
f o r s a le w ith o u t know ing i t s s h r in k a g e , g r a d e , o r q u a l i t y , w h ereas th e
b u y e r i s u s u a l l y e q u ip p ed t o know th e v a lu e o f th e w o o l. D om estic w ools
a r e p re p a re d f o r m a rk e t i n a manner i n f e r i o r t o f o r e ig n w o o ls . Only
tw e n ty - f iv e h o u ses w ere r e p o r t e d a s o p e r a t in g i n m a rk e tin g th e A u s t r a li a n
w ool c l i p a s c o n t r a s t e d t o th e U n ite d S t a t e s w here o v er f o u r hundred
c e n t r a l d e a l e r s and a la r g e number o f l o c a l b u y e rs a r e em ployed i n buy­
in g and d is p o s in g o f a wool c l i p much s m a lle r i n s i z e . Wool i s p u rc h a se d
from A m erican g row ers by a g r e a t v a r i e t y o f m ethods w h ereas 9C p e r c e n t
o f A u s t r a li a n w ool i s s o ld a t p u b lic a u c t i o n . S k i r t i n g w ool a t th e
s h e a r in g shed does n o t a p p e a r t o be p r a c t i c a l i n M ontana. Two b id s
w ere made on th e s k i r t e d and g rad ed wool w h ich r e f l e c t e d th e enhanced
v a lu e o f th e wool due t o th e im proved m ethod o f p r e p a r a t i o n . D etag g in g
and g ra d in g o f some o f th e l a r g e r T e r r i t o r y c l i p s a t th e s h e a r in g shed
may be f e a s i b l e .
6
CHAPTER I
IBTRODUCTION
The Problem
The p u rp o se o f t h i s s tu d y was t o i n v e s t i g a t e m ethods o f p r e p a r in g
and m a rk e tin g a p p a r e l w o o l.
1.
T h is in v o lv e d f i v e p ro b le m si
To o u t l i n e th e p r a c t i c e s t h a t hav e b een and a r e b e in g u sed t o
p r e p a re w ool f o r m a rk e t i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s and o th e r m a jo r a p p a r e l wool
p ro d u c in g c o u n t r i e s .
2.
To o u t l i n e th e w ool m a rk e tin g p r a c t i c e s u sed i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s
and o th e r m ajo r a p p a r e l w ool p ro d u c in g c o u n t r i e s .
3.
To s k i r t and g rad e a s u f f i c i e n t number of f l e e c e s a t th e s h e a r ­
in g shed t o o b ta in a c t u a l c o s t d a t a and t o a s c e r t a i n th e v a r io u s f a c t o r s
in v o lv e d i n su ch a p r o c e d u r e .
4.
To t r a c e th e s e l l i n g o f t h i s s p e c i a l l y p r e p a r e d w o o l.
5.
To e v a lu a te th e s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g p r o c e s s e s on th e b a s i s o f
th e c u r r e n t w ool p r e p a r a t i o n and m a rk e tin g p i c t u r e i n M ontana and o th e r
t e r r i t o r y w ool s t a t e s *
R eview o f L i t e r a t u r e
J o h n s to n ( ? ) h a s re v ie w e d th e e n d e a v o rs o f a number o f A m erican wool
grow ers i n th e w e s te rn s t a t e s t o e s t a b l i s h a system o f w ool im provem ent
and m a rk e tin g p a t te r n e d a f t e r A u s t r a l i a n m ethods d u r in g th e y e a r s j u s t
p r i o r t o 1920 .
He r e p o r t s t h e i r a tte m p ts w ere doomed t o f a i l u r e due t o th e
la c k o f w id e r o r g a n iz a ti o n among t h e i r a s s o c i a t e s i n th e t r a d e and th e d i s ­
a s t r o u s o p p o s itio n o f i n t e r e s t s opposed t o th e new sy ste m .
H a rro w e ll (1 0 )
7
s t a t e d t h a t any w e l l - c l a s s e d A m erican c l i p s f a c e a r i n g o f p r e ju d ic e d
b u y ers.
H ag en b arth (9 ) made t h e f o llo w in g s ta te m e n t i n h i s o p en in g ad ­
d r e s s a t th e f i f t h a n n u a l c o n v e n tio n o f th e N a tio n a l Wool G row ers A ssoc­
ia tio n .
" I t i s g e n e r a l l y acknow ledged t h a t th e i d e a l m ethod o f m a rk e tin g
w ool i s th ro u g h a u c t i o n s a l e s .
Y et i t i s d o u b tf u l i f t h i s sy stem can
e v e r be s u c c e s s f u l u n t i l th e A m erican f lo c k - m a s te r h as le a r n e d t o pro d u ce
a more u n ifo rm and s t a p l e p r o d u c t.*
H i l l (6 ) h a s b r i e f l y o u tl in e d th e
a tte m p te d e s ta b l is h m e n t o f th e A u s t r a l i a n sy ste m i n t h e U n ite d S t a t e s
b e g in n in g i n 1 9 1 5 .
He r e p o r t s f a i l u r e o f th e sy stem due t o la c k o f a
p ro p e r k in d o f s e l l i n g sy stem and th e f a c t t h a t A m erican b u y e rs had n o t
b een i n th e h a b i t o f b u y in g p ie c e s and l o c k s , ev en fro m A u s t r a l i a .
A n o th er f a c t o r t h a t c o n t r i b u te d t o th e f a i l u r e o f t h i s sy stem was p ro p a ­
ganda b y d e a l e r s who w ere v e r y w e ll s a t i s f i e d w ith th e o ld m ethods o f
s e l l i n g th e w ool u n g ra d e d .
M errio n and W ilk in s ( 8 ) , i n 19 5 9 , g rad ed th e
l a r g e s t c l i p i n U tah a t th e s h e a r in g c o r r a l s .
T h is c l i p was owned by th e
D e s e re t L iv e s to c k Company and c o n s is te d o f some 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o u n d s .
The
N a tio n a l Wool Grower (1 4 ) d e s c r ib e s an a tte m p t a t im proved wool p r e p a r a ­
t i o n i n M ontana i n 1947 when th e W illiam s and P au ly Ccmpany c l i p was
s k i r t e d and g rad ed b y Wm. H artp en c e o f W ilk in s and Company.
M elvin F e l l ,
B s n d le to n Woolen M i l l s , p a id 65 c e n ts p e r pound f o r th e t i e d f l e e c e s , f . o . b .
B illin g s .
and O regon.
Coon (5 ) made o b s e r v a tio n s on c o r r a l s k i r t i n g p r o j e c t s i n Idaho
He fo u n d th e s k i r t i n g p r o c e s s t o be i m p r a c t i c a l b eca u se o f
la c k o f q u a l i f i e d w ool men, w e a th e r h a z a r d s , la c k o f p r o p e r eq u ip m en t,
s m a ll s i z e o f a v e ra g e c l i p s , and th e d i f f i c u l t y o f g ra d in g a c c u r a t e l y i n
t h e s h e a r in g s h e d .
8
Heed f o r th e S tu d y
The p r e s e n t day sh eep i n th e w e s te r n r e g io n o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s a r e
much s u p e r io r t o th e ty p e s o f t h i r t y - f i v e y e a r s a g o .
The ra n g e sheepmen
have le a r n e d by e x p e r ie n c e t o p ro d u ce l a r g e r , f l e s h i e r lam bs and h e a v ie r
f l e e c e s o f more u n ifo rm w ool r e s u l t i n g i n a p r o g r e s s iv e im provem ent from
th e p r o d u c tio n s t a n d p o i n t .
However, an i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f th e p r e s e n t sy s­
tem o f m a rk e tin g w ool w i l l show t h a t th e w ool p r o d u c e r s ' m a jo r sy stem o f
m a rk e tin g raw w ool i s a lm o s t e x a c t l y th e same a s t h a t in u s e f o r t y t o
f i f t y y e a rs ag o .
A t th e p r e s e n t tim e sheep num bers i n M ontana and i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s
a r e e x tre m e ly low and th e tr e n d c o n tin u e s downward.
T here a r e a number
o f good r e a s o n s why t h i s tr e n d s h o u ld be s to p p e d and r e v e r s e d .
1.
N a tio n a l S e c u r i t y .
Wool p la y e d an im p o rta n t p a r t i n w in n in g
W orld War I I .
2.
Sheep f u r n i s h an e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f th e n a t i o n a l m a t su p p ly
w h ich i s e s s e n t i a l t o th e s e c u r i t y and w e ll - b e in g o f th e N a tio n .
3.
Tlie economy o f a g r e a t many W estern com m unities i s alm o st w h o lly
d e p e n d e n t upon th e sh e e p i n d u s t r y .
S e v e n ty - f iv e p e r c e n t o f th e sh eep
in th e U n ite d S t a t e s a r e lo c a te d i n th e tw e lv e W estern ra n g e s t a t e s and
T e x a s.
These sh eep p r o v id e # 1 2 5 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 w o rth o f w ool and ab o u t
# 1 2 5 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 o f m eat a n n u a l ly , a l l o f w h ich i s income t h a t g o es t o m ain­
t a i n th e l o c a l com m unities i n w h ich th e sheepmen l i v e .
In v esian en t i n
s h e e p , la n d , im p ro v em en ts, e t c . , i s e s tim a te d t o be i n e x c e s s o f
# 7 5 0 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 r e q u i r i n g th e s e r v ic e s o f o v er 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 o p e r a t o r s and h ir e d
h e lp .
N in ty - s ix p e r c e n t o f th e W e ste rn ra n g e la n d i s a d a p te d o n ly t o
9
th e r a i s i n g o f l i v e s t o c k .
F u r t h e r , th e b a la n c e o f th e a c re a g e i s g iv e n
o v e r a lm o s t e n t i r e l y t o r a i s i n g f e e d f o r th e s to c k in th e a r e a .
E xcept
f o r th e sh eep i n d u s t r y , much o f t h i s la n d w ould be n o n -p ro d u c in g and n c n t a x a b l e . (17 — p . 935)
A sound w ool m a rk e tin g program w ould add s e c u r i t y t o t h e sheep and
w ool i n d u s t r y and w ould go a lo n g way to w ard e n c o u ra g in g sheepm en t o m ain v t a i n o r in c r e a s e p r e s e n t num bers o r ev en t o change b ack t o r a i s i n g o f s h e e p .
P r a c t i c a l l y e v e ry a g r i c u l t u r a l com m odity, e x c e p t w o o l, i s s o ld by p ro ­
d u c e rs on th e p a r t i c u l a r m e r i ts o f th e com m odity.
In g e n e r a l, th e p ro d u c e rs o f f e r w ool f o r s a l e w ith o u t know ing i t s
s h r in k a g e , g r a d e , o r q u a l i t y , w h e re a s th e b u y e r i s u s u a l l y e q u ip p ed t o
know th e v a lu e o f th e w o o l.
I t i s t o h e l p , i n a s m a ll way, i n overcom ing some o f th e many d i f f i ­
c u l t i e s w h ich a r e c a u s in g th e downward t r e n d i n sheep num bers and p r e v e n t­
in g m o d e rn iz a tio n o f th e w ool m a rk e tin g p r o c e s s e s , t h a t t h i s s tu d y was
u n d e r ta k e n .
P ro ced u re
The d a t a u se d i n t h i s s tu d y came fro m b o th p rim a ry and s e c o n d a ry
so u rc e s.
P rim a ry d a t a came from th e a c t u a l s k i r t i n g , g r a d in g , and m a rk e t­
in g o f 5 ,7 2 3 f l e e c e s from tw o c e n t r a l M ontana ran g e sh eep c l i p s .
Secon­
d a r y s o u rc e s u se d in c lu d e d m ost o f th e in f o r m a tio n a v a i l a b l e on th e s u b je c t
o f p r e p a r in g and m a rk e tin g w o o l.
10
CHAPTER I I
METHODS OP PREPARING WOOL FOR MARKET IN THE UNITED STATES
AND OTHER APPAREL WOOL PRODUCING COUNTRIES
P r e p a r a t io n o f Wool f o r M arket in U n ite d S t a t e s
D m nestio w o o ls i n a f r e e m a rk e t u s u a l l y s e l l a t a c le a n p r i c e s e v e r a l
c e n ts l e s s th a n f o r e i g n w ools o f com parable g r a d e .
T h is i s l a r g e l y b ecau se
d o m e s tic w o o ls a r e p re p a re d f o r m ark et i n a m anner i n f e r i o r t o f o r e i g n
w o o ls .
D om estic w o o ls o f te n c o n ta in e x c e s s iv e t a g s , p a i n t , and s t r i n g
w h ic h r e s u l t i n p r o c e s s in g d i f f i c u l t i e s and m u c h 'h ig h e r c o s t s .
B e tte r mar­
k e t i n g p r a c t i c e s a r e n e e d e d , b u t t h e r e i s l i t t l e o r no in c e n t i v e t o a t t a i n
th e m .
A d o m e stic w ool grow er who im proves h i s c l i p by o r u tc h in g th e s h e e p ,
b a g g in g t a g s , and o r u tc h in g s e p a r a t e l y , s e g r e g a t in g b u ck and b la c k f l e e c e s ,
and a v o id in g th e o v e r-u s e o f p a i n t , g e n e r a l l y r e c e iv e s no premium o v er h i s
n e ig h b o r who makes no a tte m p t t o im prove h i s p r o d u c t.
In f a c t , th e grower
who a tte m p ts t o im prove h i s p r o d u c t by s u c h p r a c t i c e s may s u f f e r f in a n ­
c i a l l y , s in c e b u y e rs g e n e r a lly w i l l n o t pay s u f f i c i e n t l y more f o r th e im­
p ro v ed w o o l.
A more e f f i c i e n t a p p r a i s a l sy ste m b ased upon a d e q u a te sam p lin g
w ould r e c o g n iz e th e g r e a t e r v a lu e o f an im proved p ro d u c t and w ould u n d o u b t­
e d ly y i e l d a h ig h e r r e t u r n t o th e p ro d u c e r o f im proved w o o ls . (1 7 - p . 225)
Even th o u g h th e a v e ra g e A m erican w ool p ro d u c e r h a s n o t re a c h e d th e
h ig h d e g re e o f e f f i c i e n c y i n o r e p a r in g h i s c l i p f o r m ark et a s t h a t a t t a i n e d
b y th e A u s t r a l i a n g ro w e r, he h as made c o n s id e r a b le p r o g r e s s s in c e th e t u r n
o f th e c e n t u r y .
I n th o s e d a y s , a c c o r d in g t o J o h n s to n , sheepm en w ere v e ry
c a r e l e s s i n p r e p a r in g t h e i r wool f o r m a rk e t.
m ost p a r t , v e r y p r i m i t i v e .
S h e a rin g sh e d s w ere f o r th e
Any k in d o f shed was good enough t o sh e a r i n .
11
Most o f them had d i r t f l o o r s w h ich w ere seldom c le a n e d , w ere in a d e q u a te ­
l y l i g h t e d , and had cram ped s h e a r in g and pen s p a c e .
The s h e a r e r s s q u a tte d
th e sh eep i n th e d u s t and manure and "h ack ed and s la s h e d " a t th e wool
u n t i l th e f l e e c e came o f f , v e ry o f t e n in p i e c e s .
The f l e e c e was th e n
r o l l e d up i n a ro u g h b u n d le , t i e d w i t h s t r i n g o r b in d e r tw in e and throw n
up on th e p a c k in g s ta n d t o be tram p ed i n t o a c o a rs e j u t e h e s s ia n s a c k .
Buck f l e e c e s and b la c k f l e e c e s w ere n o t sa c k e d s e p a r a t e l y i n th e m a jo r it y
of cases.
F a ls e p a c k in g o f w ool seemed t o have been p o p u la r . (7 )
More r e c e n t l y , p r e p a r in g o f w ool f o r m a rk e t h as b een im proved some­
w h a t.
Pens a r e k e p t c le a n and f l e e c e s a r e t i e d so th e y can be h an d led
b e t t e r i n th e s u b s e q u e n t o p e r a t i o n s .
At f i r s t , any k in d o f tw in e was con­
s id e r e d good enough t o t i e w ool w ith b u t now i t i s known t h a t th e v e g e ta b le
f i b e r s cau se t r o u b l e b e c a u se th e y w i l l n o t ta k e th e same dye t h a t i s u sed
f o r d y e in g w o o l.
P aper tw in e i s now u sed v e r y l a r g e l y i n t h e ran g e s t a t e s .
Any b i t s o f p a p e r tw in e t h a t s t a y w ith th e f le e c e a r e d is s o lv e d in th e
s c o u rin g v a t s and cau se no t r o u b l e .
packed s e p a r a t e l y .
B lack f l e e c e s and b u ck f l e e c e s a re
(6 )
There a r e two k in d s o f s h e a r s i n u s e , hand s h e a r s , and m achine
sh e a rs.
The hand s h e a r e r , as th e name i n d i c a t e s , s h e a r s d i r e c t l y by
hand u s in g a s h e a r s much l i k e th o s e u se d t o tr i m h e d g e s .
M achine men
w ork w ith power s h e a r s ru n by gas e n g in e o r by e l e c t r i c m o to r.
The
m achine s h e a r e r does a f a s t e r jo b and th e sh o rn sh eep lo o k s sm oother th a n
th e h a n d -s h o rn a n im a l.
The s h e a r in g i s u s u a l l y done on a sm ooth f l o o r ,
p la tf o r m o r l a r g e p ie c e o f h eav y c a n v a s .
th e f le e c e i s k ic k e d a s id e by th e s h e a r e r .
A f te r th e s h e a r in g i s co m p le te d ,
The f le e c e i s t i e d w ith th e
f l e s h s id e o u t w i t h an e i g h t and o n e - h a l f f o o t le n g th o f p a p e r tw in e .
12
A f te r th e f l e e c e i s t i e d , i t i s p ack ed d i r e c t l y i n th e b ag s f o r th e m ar­
k e t.
T h is w ork i s done by th e wool tr a m p e r , whose b u s in e s s i t i s t o tra m p
th e f l e e c e s a s s o l i d l y a s p o s s i b le i n t o th e s i x f o o t s a c k s t h a t c a r r y them
t o m a rk e t.
The sa c k s a r e su sp en d ed f r e e o f th e ground i n a fra m e , and th e
w ool tr a m p e r , s t a r t i n g a t th e b o tto m , r i s e s a s h i s sa c k f i l l s . T h is tra m p i
In g i s o n ly cu sto m ary i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s - i n A u s t r a l i a th e f l e e c e s a r e
p re s s e d i n t o th e b a l e s r i g h t a t th e s h e a r in g s h e d . (19 - p . H O )
P r e p a r a tio n o f Wool f o r M arket in A u s t r a l i a
A cco rd in g t o W ilso n , p r e p a r a t i o n o f th e c l i p f o r m ark et means more
th a n p u t t i n g w ool i n b a g s , i t in c lu d e s grow ing th e c l i p .
P r e p a r a tio n
s t a r t s j u s t tw e lv e m onths i n advance o f s h e a r in g .
A u s t r a l i a n s ta k e good c a re o f t h e i r sh eep t o in s u r e h a v in g so m eth in g
t o p r e p a re a t s h e a r in g tim e .
T h e ir sy stem o f m a rk e tin g w ool on i t s m e r i ts
ta u g h t them lo n g ago t h a t th e f e ll o w whose c l i p i s n o t w e ll grown and
sound g e t s s la p p e d aro u n d p le n ty when th e b u y e rs b id on i t .
As a u s u a l
t h i n g , c l i p s o f A u s t r a l i a n w ool a r e w e ll grow n, sound, and a t t r a c t i v e .
S h e d -c a tc h in g p e n s , a lle y - w a y s , and h o ld in g pens a r e a l l made w ith
s l a t t e d f l o o r s so t h a t u r in e and d ro p p in g s f a l l th ro u g h t o th e ground and
no w ool i s s t a i n e d by a sh eep t h a t f a l l s down.
The s h e a r in g f l o o r i s made
o f f i r s t c l a s s m atch ed lu m b e r, o f te n h ardw ood, and i t i s k e p t c l e a n .
In
f a c t , i t may be s c ru b b e d e v e ry two o r t h r e e d ay s w h ile w h e a rin g i s i n
p ro g re ss.
A u s t r a l i a n s h e a r e r s a r e no f a s t e r th a n U n ite d S t a t e s s h e a r e r s , b u t
t h e r e a r e tw o s t r i k i n g d i f f e r e n c e s .
F i r s t , th e A u s t r a l i a n s h e a r e r n e v e r
13
p u ts M b f o o t on an y p a r t o f th e s h o rn f l e e c e and se c o n d , sh en he r a i s e s
th e sh eep t o s h e a r th e f a r s i d e , he does i t g r a d u a lly i n o r d e r n o t t o t e a r
th e f l e e c e a p a r t ,
When he t u r n s th e a n im a l, h i s r i g h t f o o t t u r n s th e
f l e e c e w ith th e sh eep so t h a t when s h e a r in g i s co m p le te d , th e f l e e c e i s
ly i n g i n a sm a ll com pact p i l e w i t h th e b r i t c h on t o p .
s e p a r a t e l y on th e f l o o r .
The b e l l y i s l y i n g
W hile th e s h e a r e r i s g e t t i n g h i s n e x t sh e e p , th e
f l e e c e th ro w e r , u s u a l l y a b o y ab o u t High S ch o o l a g e , p ic k s up th e f le e c e
i n one p ie c e h o o k in g h i s tw o thumbs i n t o th e b r i t c h e n d .
Eb ru n s w ith i t
t o th e end o f th e s k i r t e r s ' t a b l e w here he t o s s e s i t th ro u g h th e a i r ,
b e in g c a r e f u l t o k eep th o s e thumbs i n th e b r i t c h .
The f l e e c e s p re a d s
o u t a n d , i f th e boy i s s k i l l f u l , i t la n d s on th e t a b l e l i k e a s p r e a d - o u t
b la n k e t.
Two s k i r t e r s th e n go a f t e r i t , rem oving a l l t a g s , s ta i n e d w o o l,
b u r r y and seed y p o r t i o n s , and head and n e c k p i e c e s .
The o p e r a tio n v a r i e s
n o t o n ly w ith th e k in d o f sh eep b u t w ith th e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f th e s e a ­
s o n 's c l i p .
At tim e s th e e n t i r e back may be removed fro m e a c h f le e c e by
th e s k i r t e r s , i f , f o r s e a s o n a l o r o th e r r e a s o n s i t does n o t m atch up w e ll
w ith th e o th e r p a r t s .
E v e ry th in g rem oved fro m th e m ain p a r t o f th e f le e c e
i s gone over by a p i e c e - p i c k e r who s e g r e g a te s i t a c c o r d in g t o ty p e .
The
s k i r t e r s f o l d i n th e two lo n g ed g es o f th e s k i r t e d f l e e c e s to w ard th e cen­
te r.
They th e n f o l d th e head end i n a s h o r t way, a f t e r w h ic h th e y r o l l th e
f l e e c e up b e g in n in g a t th e b r i t c h .
When th e y have f i n i s h e d , th e f l e e c e i s
i n a r o l l l i k e th e c o tto n b a t t i n g s e e n i n A m erican s t o r e s .
I t i s th e n
p la c e d on th e lo n g n arro w " c l a s s e r 's " t a b l e w here th e r e a l e x p e r t , th e
wool c l a s s e r , b o s s o f th e e n t i r e shed o f s h e a r e r s , d e te rm in e s i t s q u a l i t y
or g ra d e .
The f l e e c e i s n o t t i e d .
14
A long th e w a ll a r e b i n s , e a c h o f w h ic h i s r e s e r v e d f o r one grade o f
w o o l.
The o l a s s e r moves th e f l e e c e s from h i s t a b l e t o t h e i r p ro p e r p la c e s
and soon one o r tw o b in s w i l l have ac c u m u la te d enough w ool t o f i l l a b a l e .
Then th e b a l e r s go i n t o a c t i o n , co m p re ssin g a p p ro x im a te ly t h r e e hundred
pounds o f wool o f one g ra d e o n ly i n t o e a c h b a l e .
Thus when th e c l i p moves
i n t o th e g r e a t c o n c e n tr a ti o n c e n te r s t o be s o ld , i t h as a l r e a d y b een , n o t
o n ly g ra d e d , b u t p a r t i a l l y s o r t e d .
I t i s ev en and a t t r a c t i v e .
Buyers can
a p p r a i s e i t s v a lu e f a r more a c c u r a t e l y th a n th e y can a p p r a i s e A m erican woo),
w here f l e e c e s o f v a r io u s g r a d e s , v a r y in g i n c o l o r , le n g t h , and s t r e n g t h ,
a r e c o -m in g le d .
Wool o l a s s e r s i n A u s t r a l i a a r e h ig h ly s k i l l e d p e o p le , lic e n s e d by
th e Government t o p r a c t i c e t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n .
A cco rd in g t o W ilso n , e v e ry
c o lle g e o f a g r i c u l t u r e i n th e Commonwealth te a c h e s e v e ry a b le - b o d ie d s t u ­
d e n t how t o s h e a r sh e e p and how to c l a s s w o o l.
I f a s tu d e n t d e c id e s t o
become a p r o f e s s i o n a l w ool o l a s s e r and d e v o te h is l i f e t o i t , he w i l l p ro ­
b a b ly a t t e n d th e Gordon I n s t i t u t e o f T ech n o lo g y a t G e e lo n g .
When he g e ts
th ro u g h he knows e v e ry m ajo r c la u s e o f th e law s r e g u l a t i n g th e co n d u ct o f
th e s h e a r in g shed and th e r e l a t i o n s b etw een ow ner, o l a s s e r , s h e a r e r s , and
sh ed h a n d s .
He knows how t o o p e r a te a l l th e m a ch in ery and how t o b o s s
th e whole show.
Above a l l , he h a s a th o ro u g h know ledge o f w o o l.
Armed
w ith h i s c e r t i f i c a t e , he w i l l go t o w ork on v e ry sm a ll c l i p s i n sh ed s em­
p lo y in g o n ly f o u r o r f i v e s h e a r e r s .
As he g a in s i n e x p e r ie n c e and know­
le d g e , he w i l l move t o l a r g e r t a s k s and a f t e r some tim e , may g e t good
enough and f a s t enough t o h a n d le th e b ig sh e d s w here tw e n t y - f i v e o r t h i r t y
s h e a r e r s , o r ev en more s h e a r e r s , a r e g o in g a t to p s p e e d . (13)
16
P r e p a r a t io n o f Tfool f o r M ark et in New Z e a la n d .
I n Mew Z e a la n d , th e p r i n c i p l e s o f p r e p a r a t i o n f o llo w e d a r e q u ite
s i m i l a r t o th o s e i n A u s t r a l i a , b u t o p e r a tio n s a re s im p le r .
W hereas ab o u t
85 p e r c e n t o f A u s t r a l i a n f l o c k s a re M orinos ( 1 3 ) , 98 p e r c e n t o f New Zea­
la n d w ool i s c r o s s b r e d . ( I - p .8 4 )
New Z ea lan d f lo c k s a r e s m a lle r and c r o s s b r e d wool i s more e a s i l y
h a n d le d and c l a s s e d t h a n f i n e w o o l.
Because o f th e s m a lle r a v era g e s iz e
o f th e f l o c k s , i t i s n o t cu sto m ary t o make a s many s o r t s a s i n A u s t r a l i a .
The wool i s s k i r t e d .
B e lly w ool i s k e p t t o i t s e l f , a s a r e th e le g w o o ls ,
n e c k w o o ls , buck w o o l, and c r u t c h i n g s .
T h e se , w ith th e s m a ll b i t s o f good
w ool w h ich d ro p from th e f le e c e i n c l a s s i n g , c o n s t i t u t e th e g ra d e s a s w ool
comes from th e f a rm s .
T h e r e f o re , th e f o llo w in g c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s a re g e n e r­
a l l y fo u n d ; ( l ) s k i r t e d f l e e c e s m arked a c c o r d in g t o g r a d e , (2 ) b e l l i e s ,
(3 ) n e c k s , (4 ) p i e c e s , (b ) b ro e c h w o o l, and (6 ) c r u tc h in g s o r t a g s .
T h is c l a s s i n g i s done o n ly i n th e v e r y la r g e h o ld in g s - u s u a l l y ab o u t
a l l t h a t i s done w ith th e s m a lle r c l i p s i s t o remove th e b e l l y w o o l, th e
s e e d y o r b u r r y p o r t i o n s , and th e c r u t c h i n g s .
Bach s o r t i s p ack ed i n a
s e p a r a te b a le and i s la b e le d w ith th e b ra n d o f th e owner and th e c h a r a c te r
o f th e b a le *
Many o f th e owners o f s m a lle r f lo c k s make no e f f o r t t o c l a s s
t h e i r wool b u t p ack i t l i g h t l y i n b a l e s and b r in g i t t o th e b r o k e r 's w are­
h o u s e , w here i t i s opened and c la s s e d and m in g led w ith w ool o f s im i la r
ty p e and g ra d e t o be re p a c k e d u n d er some name ad o p ted by th e b r o k e r .
T h is
i s c a l l e d b in n in g and th e p r o c e s s i s s i m i l a r t o t h a t fo llo w e d by cooper­
a t i v e w ool a s s o c i a t i o n s i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s w ith r e g a r d t o sm a ll l o t s .
16
save f o r th e o p e n in g o f t h e f l e e c e .
In Hew Z e a la n d , a s i n A u s t r a l i a , a l l
f l e e c e s a r e c l a s s e d i n th e b in n in g p r o c e s s . (20 - p . 53)
P r e p a r a t io n o f Tiool f o r M arket i n S o u th A f r ic a
The p a s t o r a l i n d u s t r y in th e U nion o f S o u th A f r ic a , th o u g h i t has
d e v elo p ed much more s lo w ly th a n i n A u s t r a l i a and New Z e a la n d , d a te s b ack
t o th e e a r l y y e a r s o f th e 1 8 th C en tu ry when th e f i r s t M erino sheep w ere
im p o rted by th e D utch s e t t l e r s .
S p o ra d ic im p o r ta tio n s c o n tin u e d b u t i t
was n o t u n t i l th e l a s t q u a r te r o f th e 1 9 th C e n tu ry t h a t an y c o n c e rte d
e f f o r t was made t o im prove th e s to c k s by th e im p o r ta tio n o f p e d ig re e sh eep
i n la r g e num bers from F r a n c e , th e U n ite d S t a t e s , and l a t e r , A u s t r a l i a .
The M erino i s now th e p re d o m in a n t sh eep th ro u g h o u t S o u th A f r ic a .
A r a p i d a d v a n c e , b o th i n th e im provem ent o f South A f r ic a n w ools and
i n m ethods o f m a rk e tin g h as ta k e n p la c e s in c e th e f i r s t l o r l d War.
S h ear­
in g I s done by hand by n a t i v e la b o r and th o u g h th e o r g a n i s a t i o n o f s h e a r ­
in g i s l e s s e l a b o r a t e th a n i n A u s t r a l i a , th e w ork i s u s u a l l y c a r r i e d o u t
e ffic ie n tly .
S k i r t i n g i s u n d e rta k e n i n m ost c a s e s b u t a c e r t a i n p r o p o r ti o n o f
u n s k i r t e d w ool s t i l l f i n d s i t s way o n to th e m a rk e t.
Owing t o th e s m a lle r
s i z e o f f l o c k s , l e s s e l a b o r a t e c l a s s i f i c a t i o n i s p r a c t i c e d th a n i n A u s tra ­
l i a , i n c o n se q u e n c e , t h e r e i s a s m a lle r number o f s k i l l e d c l a s s e r s .
(5 - p . 66)
P f e p a r a t io n o f Wool f o r M ark et in Canada
Canada ra n k s low i n t o t a l p r o d u c tio n o f a p p a r e l w ool b u t th e
17
p r i n c i p a l s o f p r e p a r a t i o n a r e g e n e r a lly s u p e r io r t o th o s e i n th e U n ited
S t a t e s , hence i t s m e n tio n i n t h i s p a p e r .
T here a r e two m ethods o f s h e a r in g i n C anada, hand and m a ch in e, w ith
th e l a t t e r r a p i d l y r e p l a c i n g th e o ld - tim e hand m ethod.
R e c e n tly w e l l -
o rg a n iz e d s h e a r in g s c h o o ls u n d er governm ent d i r e c t i o n have en d en d ered
g r e a t e r i n t e r e s t i n im proved s h e a r in g and f l e e c e p r e p a r a t i o n m eth o d s.
The
o ld - t im e , c a r e l e s s , h a p h a z a rd p r a c t i c e o f rem o v al and i n d i f f e r e n t p ackag­
in g i s b e in g r e p la c e d w ith u p - to - d a t e p r e p a r a t i o n and p a c k in g o f ea c h i n d i ­
v id u a l f l e e c e f u r a m a rk e t w h ich i s more and more d i s c r i m i n a t i n g .
As i t f a l l s away fro m th e body o f th e s h e e p , e a c h f l e e c e i s sp read
o u t on a c le a n s u r f a c e , sh o rn s id e down, and a l l t a g - l o c k s , b u r r y , o r
v e ry c h a f f y p o r ti o n s a r e removed b e f o r e th e s id e s a r e f o ld e d o v er and th e
f l e e c e i s r o l l e d t i g h t l y from b r i t c h t o n e c k .
In many c a s e s a cheap,
s p e c i a l l y d e s ig n e d , s l a t t e d t a b l e i s u s e d , e a c h f le e c e b e in g removed from
s h e a r in g f l o o r t o th e t a b l e w here i t i s sh ak en o u t, ta g - l o c k s removed a n d ,
i f deemed n e c e s s a r y , c e r t a i n u n d e s ir a b le p o r t i o n s a r e s k i r t e d b e f o r e r o l l ­
in g o r t y i n g .
Each f l e e c e i s t i e d w ith a s p e c i a l e i g h t f o o t le n g th o f
p a p e r tw in e and th e f l e e c e s a r e tram p ed i n t o s ta n d a r d j u t e w ool s a c k s ,
t h i r t y in c h e s by n i n t y in c h e s i n s i z e .
A w ool s a c k h o ld s b etw ee n tw e n ty -
f i v e t o f i f t y f l e e c e s and w eig h s from two h u n d red t o f o u r h u n d red p o u n d s,
d ep e n d in g upon th e w e ig h t and c o n d i tio n o f th e f l e e c e s . (2 - p . 123)
18
CHAPTER I I I
LBTHODS OF KARKETIira WOOL IR THE URITED STATES MD OTHER
MAJOR APPAREL WOOL PRODUCING COUNTRIES
World A p p a re l Wool P ro d u ctio n ,
A bout f o u r - f i f t h s o f th e w o rld w ool p r o d u c tio n i s c l a s s i f i e d as
a p p a ro l w ool (M erino and C ro s s b re d ) and o n e - f i f t h as c a r p e t w ool.
Sorae wool i s p ro d u ced i n n e a r l y e v e r y c o u n try in th e w o r ld , b u t th e
b u lk o f th e w o r ld ’ s c l o t h i n g wool e n t e r i n g I n t e r n a t i o n a l T rade comes
fro m f i v e c o u n t r i e s i n th e S o u th e rn H em isp h ere, nam ely A u s t r a l i a , Argen­
t i n a , New Z e a la n d , S o u th A f r i c a , and U ru g u ay .
T o g eth er th e s e f i v e coun­
t r i e s a c c o u n t f o r o v er 80 p e r c e n t o f w o rld w ool e x p o r t s , w e ll o v er oneh a l f o f w o rld w ool p r o d u c tio n , and t h r e e - f o u r t h s o f w o rld o u tp u t o f
a p p a r e l w o o l.
The U n ite d S t a t e s i s th e w o rld ’ s f o u r t h l a r g e s t p ro d u c e r
o f w o o l, ra n k in g a f t e r A u s t r a l i a , A r g e n tin a , and New Z e a la n d .
At th e
same t i n e , th e U n ite d S t a t e s b elo n g s t o th e group o f " d e f i c i t c o u n t r i e s "
w ith s u b s t a n t i a l q u a n t i t i e s o f wool b e in g im p o rte d .
The o th e r main
" d e f i c i t c o u n t r i e s " a r e th e U n ite d Kingdom, F ra n c e , Germany, and
C anada. ( I - p . 82)
F a c to r s D e te rm in in g th e Value o f G rease Wool
In any d i s c u s s i o n o r s tu d y o f w ool m a rk e tin g , c o n s i d e r a t i o n m ust be
g iv e n t o th e f a c t o r s d e te r m in in g th e v a lu e o f g re a s e w o o l.
F i r s t i n im p o rta n c e i s th e s h rin k a g e o f th e w o o l.
Second i n im p o rta n c e i s th e g rad e o r q u a l i t y o f th e w o o l.
c a l l y th e q u a l i t y i s th e d ia m e te r o f th e f i b e r .
T echni­
19
T h ird , and o f p r a c t i c a l l y e q u a l im p o rta n c e t o g rad e o r q u a l i t y , ie
le n g th .
A lth o u g h t h e r e h as b een a g r a d u a l im provem ent i n combing m ach in ery
e n a b lin g m a n u fa c tu r e r s t o u t i l i z e c o m p a ra tiv e ly s h o r t wool i n t o p s , t h e r e
s t i l l re m a in s a m arked premium f o r w ools o f e x t r a good l e n g t h , hence th e
s h o r t e r w ools a r e l e s s v a lu a b le th a n th e s t r i c t l y lo n g w o o ls .
F o u r th , and s t i l l o f alm o st e q u a l im p o rta n c e t o th e seco n d and t h i r d
f a c to r s , i s s tre n g th .
s t r a i n o f m a n u fa c tu r e .
The f i b e r m u st be s tr o n g enough t o w ith s ta n d th e
I t fo llo w s t h a t i f th e wool i s t e n d e r , f r e q u e n t ly
c a l l e d na b re a k " by th e g ro w er, i t i s g r e a t l y d e p r e c ia te d i n v a lu e as i t
n o t o n ly f a i l s t o p ro d u ce a s tr o n g y a rn b u t w i l l a l s o p ro d u ce more " n o i l s " ,
a b y -p ro d u c t u s u a ll y o n e - h a l f t o o n e - t h i r d l e s s v a lu a b le th a n sc o u re d w o o l.
O th er f a c t o r s e n t e r i n g i n t o th e d e te r m in a tio n o f v a lu e a r e c o lo r s a s
th e y p e r t a i n t o th e s c o u re d p r o d u c t.
y e l lo w is h c o l o r when s c o u r e d ) .
( C e r ta in o n e s , f o r ex am p le, have a
Wools s h o u ld have a c e r t a i n s o f tn e s s or
" f e e l " , th o u g h f o r some m a t e r i a l s h a r s h n e s s i s d e s i r e d .
A n o th er im p o r ta n t f a c t o r i s th e u n if o r m ity o f th e f l e e c e a s a w h o le,
t h a t i s , a c l a s s w h ich i s " ru n o f f " o r o f a lew q u a l i t y on th e s k i r t s ,
i s w o rth much l e s s th a n one w h ich d o es n o t have su ch c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
The amount o f ta g s i n w ool g r e a t l y a f f e c t s i t s v a lu e .
The e x t e n t t o w h ich
t a g s w i l l d e p r e c ia te th e v a lu e o f a c l i p i s v e ry d i f f i c u l t t o e s tim a te and
e x c e s s iv e t a g s w i l l v e r y l a r g e l y a l t e r th e c le a n c o s t o f w o o l.
A c lip
w ith e x c e s s iv e t a g s b u t i n o th e r r e s o e o ts a v e r y good c l i p , w i l l som etim es
be d e p r e c ia te d 2 t o 3 c e n ts i n th e g r e a s e .
Wool sh o u ld hav e p ro p e r f e l t i n g
q u a l i t i e s i f th e m a t e r i a l t o be made r e q u i r e s " f u l l i n g " .
20
F le e c e s sh o u ld be w e ll t i e d sc a s t o in s u r e th e m a n u fa c tu re r e a s y
s o r t i n g as w e ll as e a s y g r a d in g f o r th e m e rc h a n t.
P o o rly t i e d f le e c e s
y i e l d much b ro k e n and o f f p ie c e s known a s " lo c k s " w hich m ust be s o ld a t
a b ig d is c o u n t .
B lack f l e e c e s s h o u ld be t i e d s e p a r a t e l y .
B la c k sheep
sh o u ld r e a l l y be sh o rn i n a s e p a r a te pen so as t o a v o id h a v in g any b la c k
f i b e r s I n th e w o o l.
For some m a t e r i a l s i t i s r u in o u s t o have even a
s i n g l e b la c k f i b e r to a m i l l i o n w h ite o n e s .
T h e r e f o r e , a m i l l b uyer w ant­
in g wool f o r such m a t e r i a l s w i l l be co m p elle d t o a v o id c a r e l e s s l y packed
w o o l.
B u rrs o r th e v e g e ta b le m a tte r s e r i o u s l y a f f e c t th e v a lu e o f w o o l.
E x c e ss iv e p a i n t i s a l s o a f a c t o r .
R eg ard in g th e g r a d in g o f w o o l, th e g r a d e r i s g u id ed by th e m ajor
p o r t i o n o f th e f l e e c e , hence a whole f l e e c e m ust be c o n s id e r e d in d e t e r ­
m in in g i t s g ra d e and n o t a h a n d f u l o f f i b e r s ta k e n from th e f l e e c e a t r a n ­
dom.
A f l e e c e g rad ed i n t o a p i l e o f h a l f b lo o d w ool, i f b en ch s o r t e d ,
w i l l be f u r t h e r d iv id e d i n t o t h r e e to se v e n s o r t s d ep e n d in g upon th e even­
n e s s o f th e f l e e c e and th e amount o f o f f - s o r t s such a s t a g s , b u r r s ,
b e l l i e s , e t c . (11 - p . 20)
S h rin k a g e o f G rease tfool i n R e l a ti o n t o P r ic e s
D e f i n i t i o n o f S h r in k a g e .
cfhen s h o rn from th e s h e e p , w ool c a r r i e s
v a r ie d q u a n t i t i e s o f n a t u r a l wool g r e a s e , d r ie d p e r s p i r a t i o n , d i r t , c h a f f ,
s e e d s , and b u r r s .
" g re a s e w o o l" .
In t h i s c o n d i tio n , i t i s c a l l e d " g r e a s y w o o l" or
B efo re " g r e a s e w ool" i s m a n u fa c tu re d , th e n a t u r a l g re a se
and f o r e i g n m a tte r m ust be rem oved.
T h is i s u s u a l l y a c c o m p lish e d by &
c l e a n s in g p r o c e s s c a l l e d " s c o u r in g " w h ic h c a u se s a c o n s id e r a b le lo s s from
th e w e ig h t o f th e o r i g i n a l " g re a s e w o o l" .
T h is l o s s i n w e ig h t i s known
21
I n th e t r a d e a s " s h r i n k a g e " .
I t i s e x p r e s s e d a s a p e r c e n ta g e o f th e
o r i g i n a l w e ig h t o f th e " g re a s e w o o l" .
Thus a pound o f " g r e a s e w ool" i s n o t a pound o f p u re wool f i b e r .
A
pound o f " g re a s e w o o l" t h a t s h r in k s 60 p e r c e n t c o n s i s t s o f f o u r - t e n t h s o f
a pound o f p u re w ool f i b e r and s i x - t e n t h s o f a pound o f g r e a s e , d i r t , and
o th e r f o r e i g n m a t t e r .
Im p o rtan ce o f S h rin k a g e in D ete rm in in g Wool V a lu e .
A lth o u g h d i s ­
c u s s e d among sheepm en f o r y e a rs and y e a r s , th e q u e s tio n o f s h rin k a g e o f
c l i p s i s r a r e l y u n d e rs to o d by a wool g ro w e r.
O ften tim e s , th o s e who con­
s ig n and have t h e i r c l i p s s o ld a t th e m a rk e ts by e x p e r ts who can e s tim a te
s h rin k a g e s a s a c c u r a t e l y a s can th e m i l l b u y e r s , do n o t alw ay s g e t from
th e c o n s ig n e e th e in f o r m a tio n a s to th e e s tim a te o f s h r in k a g e upon w h ich
s a l e o f th e c l i p was b a s e d .
And y e t s h rin k a g e i s th e p r i n c i p a l f a c t o r
i n s e t t i n g th e p r ic e o f any c l i p a t any tim e o r p l a c e .
Of c o u r s e , le n g th
and g r a d e , c h a r a c t e r , c o l o r , and o th e r f a c t o r s a r e im p o r ta n t, b u t th e
s h rin k a g e m ust be d e te rm in e d by th e b u y er so t h a t he may know w hat p e rc e n ­
ta g e o f th e g re a s e and d i r t o f b u y in g w e ig h t w i l l come o u t i n th e s c o u r in g
p ro c e ss.
A few grow ers have had t e s t s o f t h e i r c l i p s made and know i t s a p p ro x i­
m ate s h r in k a g e , o r y i e l d f o r th e t e s t y e a r .
When t h e r e i s know ledge o f
th e a c t u a l s h rin k a g e i n a r e c e n t y e a r , th e grow er can e s t i m a t e , i n a u s e ­
f u l way, th e y i e l d o f th e n e x t y e a r 's c l i p th ro u g h h i s know ledge o f th e
d if f e r e n c e i n w e a th e r and f e e d c o n d itio n s u n d e r w h ich th e u n te s t e d c l i p
was grow n, p ro v id e d t o o , t h a t t h e r e has b e e n no m a t e r i a l change i n th e
c h a r a c t e r o f th e ra n g e or i n th e b r e e d in g and care o f th e f l o c k .
22
However, c a s 3 i n w h ic h th e grow er i s a b le t o f i g u r e a t a l l a c c u r a te ­
l y th e v a lu e o f h i s c l i p from a good e s tim a te o f i t s s h r in k a r e q u ite
ra re .
F or th e m a jo r it y , th e a p p r a i s a l b e f o r e p r i c i n g m ust be made p r i n ­
c i p a l l y on th e b a s i s o f w h at su p p o se d ly s i m i l a r c l i p s a r e s e l l i n g f o r and
on th e hope o f s u f f i c i e n t c o m p e titio n among b u y in g h o u ses t o g e t a p r ic e
somewhere n e a r th e t r u e v a l u e .
The home s e l l i n g o f wool c a n n o t a p p ro a c h a s c i e n t i f i c b u s in e s s p r a c ­
t i c e u n t i l th e grow er can t e l l w ith i n 2 o r 3 p e r c e n t o f w hat h i s c l i p w i l l
s h r in k and can c a l c u l a t e from r e p o r t s o f m a rk e t p r ic e s on a sc o u re d b a s is
f o r th e c l a s s o r g ra d e co m p rised in w h at he se e k s t o s e l l .
V a r ia tio n in S h rin k a g e o f D om estic W ools.
T aking i n t o c o n s id e r a tio n
a l l w ool p ro d u c in g a r e a s i n th e U n ite d S t a t e s and a l l g ra d e s o f w o o l, th e
s h rin k a g e s o f g r e a s y , s h o rn d o m e stic w o o ls ran g e from a p p ro x im a te ly 38 p e r ­
c e n t t o aro u n d 75 p e r c e n t .
The a v e ra g e s h rin k a g e o f th e d o m e stic c l i p s
o f r e c e n t y e a r s has b een e s tim a te d by members o f th e w ool t r a d e and manu­
f a c t u r e r s a t aro u n d 60 p e r c e n t .
T h is means t h a t , on th e a v e r a g e , o n ly
a b o u t f o r t y pounds o f s c o u re d wool w i l l be o b ta in e d from one hundred
pounds o f g re a s y s h o rn w o o ls.
A few o f th e l i g h t e s t s h r in k in g d o m e stic
w ools may y i e l d a s much a s s i x t y - f i v e pounds o f sco u red w o o l, w h ereas many
o f th e h e a v i e s t s h r in k in g d o m e stic w ools y i e l d o n ly tw e n t y - f i v e pounds
o f s c o u re d wool from one h u n d red pounds o f g r e a s y w o o l.
23
TABLE I - APPROXIMATE SHRINKAGE RANGES OF DOMESTIC! WOOLS
tirade
B rig h t
B src e n t
F in e
l / 2 Blood
3 /e Blood
l / t Blood
Low l / 4 Blood
Common & B ra id
Source *
F le e c e Wools
S e m i-B rig h t
Pe r c e n t
6 7 -6 3
62-6 8
4 4 -5 0
4 1-46
38-43
38-45
63-70
57-64
52-58
4 7 -5 5
4 3 -5 0
43-5 0
T e r r i t o r y Wools
R orcent
64-76
68-67
63-62
48-67
44-53
44-53
N a tio n a l Wool G rower, J a n u a r y , 19 3 9 .
i
The above t a b l e ro u g h ly i n d i c a t e s th e ra n g e s o f s h r in k a g e found i n two
w ell-k n o w n g ro u p s o f d o m e stic w o o ls .
These s h rin k a g e p e r c e n ta g e s w ere com­
p i l e d from e s ti m a t e s r e p o r te d b y d e a l e r s , m i l l b u y e r s , and i n v e s t i g a t o r s
who a re e x p e rie n c e d i n h a n d lin g o r s tu d y in g d o m e stic w o o ls .
T e r r i t o r y w ools a r e w o o ls grown u n d e r ra n g e c o n d itio n s in th e ran g e
a r e a s o f W ash in g to n , O regon, and I n t e m o u n t a i n S ta t e s in c lu d in g A rizo n a
and New M exico and in th e ra n g e a r e a s o f th e D a k o ta s, N eb rask a, K an sas,
and Oklahom a.
T e r r i t o r y w ools have a w ide ran g e in s h r in k a g e and i n c o l o r .
O th e r w e s te r n w o o l-g ro w in g s t a t e s p ro d u ce w ools t h a t show wide ra n g e s
o f s h r in k a g e s .
Texas f lo c k s u n d e r norm al c o n d itio n s p ro d u c e some c l i p s
t h a t s h r in k o n ly 55 t o 57 p e r c e n t f o r good le n g th tw elv e m o n th s' w o o l.
The a v e ra g e tw e lv e m onths* w ools a r e u s u a l l y e s tim a te d t o s h r in k around
60 p e r c e n t t o 64 p e r c e n t b u t some s h r in k o v e r 65 p e r c e n t and i n th e Pan
24
H an d le, o c c a s io n a l c l i p s w ith s h r in k a g e s ru n n in g betw een 70 and 80 p e r c e n t
have b een r e p o r t e d .
C a l i f o r n i a p ro d u ced w o o ls show a w ide ra n g e o f s h r in k a g e s .
F in e c l i p s
from sh eep o f M erino and k a m b o u ille t f lo c k s o f Humboldt and M endocino
c o u n tie s som etim es have s h r in k a g e s u n d er 50 p e r c e n t b u t th e a v e ra g e f o r
th e s e c o u n tie s i s 52 p e r c e n t t o 61 p e r c e n t .
S o u th e rn C a l i f o r n i a , on th e
o th e r h a n d , have s h r in k a g e s a s h ig h a s 70 p e r c e n t o r m ore.
O regon w ools lik e w is e have v a r ie d s h r in k a g e s .
The s o - c a l l e d " v a ll e y
w o o ls " o f Oregon - th o s e p ro d u ced from fa rm f lo c k s i n th e W illa m e tte
V a lle y , som etim es have s h r in k a g e s l i g h t e r th a n th e s h r in k a g e s o f Ohio
f l e e c e w o o ls , w h ile some o f th e ra n g e w o o ls o f Oregon may have s h rin k a g e s
e q u a l t o th e h e a v i e s t s h r in k in g i n T e r r i t o r y w o o ls .
S h rin k a g e v a r i a t i o n s a r e c l o s e l y a s s o c i a t e d w ith f i n e n e s s and le n g th
o f wool s t a p l e a s w e ll a s w ith th e l o c a l i t y i n w hich th e w ool i s grown,
p r o d u c tio n p r a c t i c e s , and c l i m a t i c c o n d i t i o n s .
S h rin k a g e and G rad e.
S h rin k a g e s o f g r e a s y w ools v a ry d i r e c t l y w ith
th e d e g re e o f f i n e n e s s o r g r a d e .
Under o r d in a r y c o n d itio n s i n a g iv e n
l o c a l i t y , f i n e w o o ls s h r in k more th a n h a l f b lo o d w ools and h a l f b lo o d
w o o ls s h r in k more th a n t h r e e - e i g h t h s b lo o d w o o ls .
H ence, s h rin k a g e s o f
g re a s y w o o ls te n d t o d e c lin e w ith e a c h s te p o f in c r e a s e i n th e c o a r s e n e s s
o f th e f i b e r .
H ow ever, c o n d itio n s v a ry fro m one l o c a l i t y t o a n o th e r .
As
an i l l u s t r a t i o n , th e t h r e e - e i g h t h s and q u a r t e r b lo o d g ra d e s o f wool o f one
l o c a l i t y may have h e a v ie r s h r in k a g e s th a n th e h a l f b lo o d g ra d e wool o f
a n o th e r l o c a l i t y , a s can be r e a d i l y n o te d by a s tu d y o f th e o v e rla p p in g o f
th e s h rin k a g e ra n g e f o r T e r r i t o r y w ools shown in T ab le I .
T h is makes i t
26
n e c e s s a r y t o s tu d y th e g ra d e o f wool in c o n n e c tio n w ith th e l o c a l co n d i­
t i o n s t h a t in f lu e n c e s h r in k a g e .
S h rin k a g e and L e n g th o f S t a p l e .
la te d to le n g th of s ta p l e .
b lo o d w o o ls .
S h rin k ag e v a r i a t i o n s a r e a ls o r e ­
T h is i s e s p e c i a l l y tr u e o f f i n e and h a l f
I n c o a r s e r w o o ls , le n g th i s n o t so im p o rta n t a f a c t o r in
s h rin k a g e v a r i a t i o n s a s i t i s in h a l f b lo o d and f i n e w o o ls .
The u s u a l
te n d e n c y i n f i n e w ools i s f o r th e lo n g s t a p l e t o show l i g h t e r s h rin k a g e s
th a n th e s h o r t s t a p l e w o o ls .
S h rin k a g e s o f s t a p l e combing le n g t h f in e
w o o ls i n i n d i v i d u a l l o t s may ru n I p e r c e n t t o 2 p e r c e n t l i g h t e r th a n
s h rin k a g e s o f F ren ch com bing le n g th and 2 p e r c e n t t o S p e r c e n t l i g h t e r
th a n s h r in k a g e s o f c l o t h i n g le n g th w o o ls .
The same te n d e n c y i s found i n
d i f f e r e n t le n g th s o f h a l f b lo o d w o o ls , b u t th e d if f e r e n c e in s h rin k a g e due
t o le n g th i s i n c l i n e d t o be s m a lle r th a n i n f i n e w o o ls .
S h rin k a g e and L o c a l i t y .
V a r i a b i l i t y o f s h rin k a g e s i n g r e a s y wool i s
a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c b y no means p e c u l i a r t o th e w ools o f t h i s c o u n tr y .
Wools
from A u s t r a l i a and S o u th A m erica have v a r i a t i o n in s h r in k a g e s t h a t a re
c l o s e l y a s s o c ia t e d w ith th e c o u n try i n w h ich th e w ools a r e p ro d u c e d .
L ik e ­
w is e , th e w ools o f e a c h c o u n try have s h rin k a g e d i f f e r e n c e s t h a t a r e more
o r l e s s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e d i f f e r e n t p ro d u c in g a r e a s i n th e c o u n try .
R e c o g n itio n o f th e u n i v e r s a l te n d e n c y o f th e s h rin k a g e s o f w o o ls t o v a ry
le d t o th e a d o p tio n by th e C o n g ress o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s o f a t a r i f f law
w h ic h , i n r e g a r d t o w o o l, p r o v id e s t h a t th e d u ti e s be le v i e d upon th e
c le a n c o n te n t r a t h e r th a n upon th e a c t u a l w e ig h t o f th e w ool im p o rte d .
T hat s h r in k a g e s v a r y a s betw een p a r t i c u l a r l o c a l i t i e s i s t r u e b eca u se
o f n a t u r a l c o n d itio n s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e l o c a l i t y .
The c h a r a c te r o f th e
26
s o i l o v er w h ich sh eep g ra z e h a s a d e c id e d b e a r in g upon th e s h rin k a g e o f
th e w o o l.
In p a s tu r e s and r a n g e s t h a t hav e a lo o s e san d y s o i l and a t h i n
c o v e rin g o f v e g e t a t i o n , f o r e i g n m a t e r i a l l i k e sand i s l i k e l y t o g e t i n t o
th e f l e e c e s .
S h rin k a g e s a r e i n c l i n e d t o be h eav y when san d co m p rises any
c o n s id e r a b le p a r t o f th e f o r e i g n m a tte r i n f l e e c e s , a lth o u g h a p p e a ra n c e s
o f f l e e c e s ma^ be m is le a d in g f o r th e wool may be l i g h t i n c o l o r , s u g g e s t­
in g l i g h t n e s s o f s h r in k a g e .
On th e o th e r h an d , f l e e c e s may o f te n be q u ite
d a rk b e c a u se o f th e p re s e n c e o f d a rk c o lo r e d s o i l o f th e g r a z in g la n d or
d u s t from c o r r a l s , b u t th e s h rin k a g e may n o t be v e r y h e a v y b eca u se su ch
d i r t i s c o m p a r a tiv e ly l i g h t i n w e ig h t.
Sheep t h a t have b e e n g ra z e d on h ig h - p r o d u c in g p a s t u r e s produce
f l e e c e s w i t h c o m p a ra tiv e ly l i g h t s h r in k a g e s b e c a u se th e d e n s e sod re d u c e s
th e q u a n t i t y o f lo o s e s o i l o r sand t h a t comes i n c o n ta c t w i t h th e w o o l.
The b lu e g r a s s p a s tu r e s o f K entucky have c o n t r i b u te d t o th e r e p u t a t i o n o f
w ools from t h i s a r e a f o r l i g h t s h r in k a g e s .
The san d y , s p a r s e l y v e g e ta te d
a c re a g e s common t o many o f th e w e s te r n sh eep p ro d u c in g s t a t e s a r e l a r g e l y
r e s p o n s ib le f o r th e h eav y s h rin k a g e o f w o o ls coming from t h a t a r e a .
V a r ia t io n s i n n a t u r a l c o n d itio n s t h a t in f lu e n c e s h r in k a g e s , l i k e s o i l s
and v e g e t a t i o n , a r e su ch t h a t som etim es w ith i n a d is ta n c e o f f i f t y m ile s ,
d i f f e r e n c e s i n s h rin k a g e o f 5 p e r c e n t t o 8 p e r c e n t a r e fou n d i n wool c l i p s
o f com parable g rad e and l e n g t h from sh eep o f s i m i l a r b r e e d s .
S h rin k a g e and C lim a tic C o n d itio n s .
The c l im a t ic c o n d itio n s t h a t p r e ­
v a i l i n a g iv e n l o c a l i t y d u r in g a y e a r a r e ta k e n i n t o c o n s id e r a tio n in
e s t i m a t i n g th e p ro b a b le s h rin k a g e o f wool p ro d u ced i n t h a t l o c a l i t y .
D roughts and t h e i r d e t r i m e n t a l e f f e c t upon p a s tu r e s and r a n g e s may cau se
27
th e g ro w th o f th e w ool t o be l e e s th e n norm al an d s h o r t s t a p l e w ools te n d
t o ru n h e a v i e r i n s h r in k a g e s th a n do lo n g s t a p l e w o o ls .
Then d ro u g h ts
f r e q u e n t l y a r e a t te n d e d by d u s t and sand sto rm s w hich may g r e a t l y in ­
c r e a s e th e s h r in k a g e o f w o o ls p roduced i n d ro u g h t a r e a s o r i n th e a r e a s
o v er w h ich c lo u d s o f d u s t and san d a r e d r i v e n .
Heavy r a i n s t h a t o ccu r
j u s t b e f o r e s h e a r in g may w ash a c o n s id e r a b le p o r t i o n o f th e f o r e ig n m a tte r
o u t o f th e f l e e c e s b e f o r e th e y a r e sh o rn and c a u se w ools t o have u n u s u a lly
l i g h t s h r in k a g e s .
A c o n tin u o u s b la n k e t o f enow on ra n g e s d u r in g th e w in te r
h e lp s t o k eep f l e e c e s c le a n and f r e e from f o r e i g n m a tte r w h ic h means t h a t
th e s h r in k a g e s w i l l be l i g h t w h ile an open w in te r te n d s t o in c r e a s e s h r in k ­
a g e s a s th e sheen c o n s t a n t l y come i n t o c o n ta c t w ith d i r t , s a n d , and o th e r
f o r e i g n m a t e r i a l s t h a t g e t i n t o th e f l e e c e s .
Wools M ark ete d i n G reasy C o n d itio n .
G rowers s e l l t h e i r w ools in th e
g r e a s y c o n d i tio n a s th e e s t a b l i s h e d p r a c t i c e .
W orsted m a n u fa c tu re rs and
to p m ak ers p r e f e r t o make t h e i r o r i g i n a l e x a m in a tio n o f a l o t o f wool t o
a s c e r t a i n th e g r a d e , l e n g t h , s t r e n g t h , c h a r a c t e r , and u n if o r m ity b e fo re
th e wool i s s c o u r e d .
s c o u re d .
They u s u a l l y r e f u s e t o buy w ools t h a t have been
T h is p r a c t i c e i s g e n e r a lly fo llo w e d th e w o rld o v e r by p r o c e s s o r s
who u s e th e w o rs te d sy stem o f m a n u fa c tu r in g .
The wool i s p a id f o r a t a c e r t a i n p r i c e p e r pound o f g r e a s y w ool, b u t
b e f o r e th e b id i s m ade, th e b u y er e s t i m a t e s th e ap p ro x im ate p e rc e n ta g e o f
c le a n wool f i b e r t h a t th e g re a s y w ool w i l l y i e l d , and b a s e s h i s b id on
th a t e s tim a te .
G reasy Wools Quoted on & S coured B a s is .
M arket p r i c e s o f w ool, w ith
b u t few e x c e p t i o n s , a r e q u o ted on a s c o u re d b a s i s .
Wools grown i n th e W est,
28
S o u th w e s t, and i n s e v e r a l s t a t e s o f th e co rn b e l t have s h r in k a g e s o f su ch
w ide v a r i a t i o n s t h a t p r i c e s on a g re a s e b a s i s a lo n e g iv e l i t t l e
a s t o m ark et p r i c e s .
in fo rm a tio n
The g re a s e b a s i s p r i c e on th e i n d i v i d u a l l o t o f
g r e a s y w ool may r e p r e s e n t th e m ark et p r i c e f o r t h a t p a r t i c u l a r l o t b u t may
n o t be w ith i n f i v e c e n ts p e r pound o f th e m a rk e t p r i c e o f a n o th e r l o t o f
w ool h a v in g a s i m i l a r d e g re e o f f i n e n e s s and le n g th o f s t a p l e b u t a d i f ­
f e r e n t s h r in k a g e .
Wools t h a t a r e q u o te d on a s c o u re d b a s i s a r e a c t u a l l y w o o ls t h a t a re
s t i l l i n th e g re a s y c o n d itio n - n o t y e t s c o u r e d .
u n d e r s to o d .
T h is f a c t i s o f te n m is­
The s c o u re d b a s i s p r ic e i s f o r th e c le a n w ool f i b e r t h a t w i l l
be g o t t e n from th e g re a s y w o o l.
In a c t u a l t r a d i n g , th e q u a n t i t y o f p u re
wool f i b e r in g r e a s y w ool i s e s tim a te d o r o b ta in e d from a co re t e s t .
The
c o s t o f s c o u r in g i s n o t in c lu d e d i n th e s c o u r e d - b a s is p r i c e .
In a c c o rd a n c e w ith s h rin k a g e v a r i a t i o n s , p r i c e s p a id f o r g re a s y wool
v a r y o v e r a r a t h e r w ide r a n g e .
U s u a lly p r i c e s f o r g re a s e w ool show a ra n g e
much w id e r th a n th e ra n g e f o r s c o u r e d - b a s is p r i c e s f o r w ools o f s im ila r
f in e n e s s and l e n g t h .
G r e a s e - b a s is p r i c e s on o r i g i n a l b ag l i n e s o f f in e
T e r r i t o r y w oo ls o f com parable le n g th have b een o b serv ed t o v a r y a s much
a s t e n t o tw e lv e c e n ts p e r pound d u r in g th e same week i n th e B oston m a rk e t,
b e c a u se o f th e w ide v a r i a t i o n s i n s h r in k a g e s o f th e g re a s y w o o ls . (12)
E f f i c i e n c y i n M a rk e tin g N eeded.
G r e a te r e f f i c i e n c y i n p r o d u c tio n ,
p r e p a r a t i o n f o r m a rk e t, and m a rk e tin g i s s tr o n g ly i n d i c a t e d i f we a r e t o
have a sh eep and wool i n d u s t r y c a p a b le o f overcom ing p r e s e n t an d f u tu r e
d iffic u ltie s .
Many wool g ro w ers a r e aw are o f t h a t f a c t b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y .
29
to o many p a rs o n s h a v in g an i n t e r e s t i n th e w ool in d u s tr y a r e n o t f u l l y
aw are o f t h i s s i t u a t i o n .
G rowers s t i l l s u f f e r from th e " a v e ra g e p r i c e " o r " a r e a b u y in g "
sy ste m o f m a r k e tin g .
Not many y e a r s a g o , th e av e ra g e grow er was u n ab le
t o v a lu e h i s c l i p b eca u se o f la c k o f in f o r m a tio n on th e s h r in k a g e and
g ra d e s i n h i s w o o l.
Wools from la r g e a r e a s w ere s o ld t o b u y e rs f o r v a ry
n e a r l y th e same p r i c e , f i n d i n g a s p re a d o f o n ly a few c e n ts p e r pound be­
tw een th e h o s t and th e w o r s t c l i p s i n some l a r g e a r e a s .
The p ro d u c e r o f
h eav y s h r in k in g , p o o r ly p r e p a r e d wool o f te n r e c e iv e d v a ry n e a r l y as much
p e r pound f o r h i s wool a s d id th e p ro d u c e r o f w e ll p re p a re d l i g h t s h r in k ­
in g w o o l.
A cc o rd in g t o th e Farm C r e d it A d m in is tr a tio n , in one Wyoming C ounty,
w ools s o ld d u rin g th e s h e a r in g s e a s o n in any one y ear p r i o r t o th e War
w ere s o ld w ith i n a s p re a d o f l e s s th a n 5 c e n ts p e r pound b etw een " b e s t"
and " l e a s t d e s i r a b l e " c l i p s .
The " a r e a b u y in g system " p u ts a premium on
h eav y s h r in k in g and p o o r ly p re p a re d w ools and a d is c o u n t on l i g h t s h r in k ­
in g and w e ll p r e p a r e d c l i p s .
T h is sy stem n a t u r a l l y c a u s e s th e wool grow er
t o p ro d u ce heavy f l e e c e s , p a y in g s e c o n d a ry o r l i t t l e
a t t e n t i o n t o s h rin k a g e
o r p ro p e r c l ip *
Wool gro w ers have b e e n g r e a t l y e n l ig h te n e d on th e n a t u r e o f t h e i r
wool c l i p s d u r in g th e Commodity C r e d i t C o rp o ra tio n b u y in g p ro g ram . (15)
M ark e tin g P r a c t i c e s
Time o f S e l l i n g S horn W ool.
I t h as b een n o te d t h a t th e a n n u a lly sh o rn
p o r t i o n o f th e d o m e stic c l i p , w h ich c o n s t i t u t e s ro u g h ly 95 p e r c e n t o f th e
50
t o t a l sh o rn wool o u tp u t o f th e c o u n tr y , i s s h o rn c h i e f l y i n th e m onths
from F e b ru a ry t o J u l y , i n c l u s i v e .
In m ost y e a r s th e m a jo r it y o f g ro w ers s e l l t h e i r w ool a t o r soon
a f t e r s h e a r in g t i m e ,
h e n c e , th e g r e a t e r p o r t i o n o f th e sh o rn wool p ro ­
duced i n t h i s c o u n try i s u s u a l l y s o ld by th e p ro d u c e rs i n th e S p r in g and
Summer.
However, th e tim e when th e g ro w ers s e l l i s s u b je c t t o c o n s id e r a b le
v a ria tio n .
In a l l y e a r , seme wool and i n somo y e a r s a c o n s id e r a b le p o r­
t i o n o f th e c l i p i s s o ld by th e g row ers w e ll i n advance o f s h e a r in g .
advance s e l l i n g u s u a l l y o c c u rs i n D ecem ber, J a n u a r y , and F e b r u a r y .
Such
On th e
o th e r h an d , i n a l l y e a r s a s u b s t a n t i a l p o r ti o n o f th e c l i p , and i n some y e a r s
w e ll o v e r o n e - h a lf o f i t i s c o n s ig n e d by th e g ro w e rs, i . e . , s h ip p e d u n s o ld ,
t o d e a l e r s and g ro w e rs ' c o o p e r a tiv e a s s o c i a t i o n s .
be s o l i f o r many m o n th s.
C o n tr a c tin g o f W ool.
C onsigned w ool may n o t
Sometimes i t i s h e ld f o r one o r two y e a r s .
The b u y in g o f wool from grow ers i n ad v an ce o f
s h e a r in g i s te rm ed "b u y in g w ool on th e s h e e p 's b a c k ” , or " c o n tra c tin g * * .
D e a le rs c o n t r a c t on t h e i r own a c c o u n t when th e y b e l ie v e t h a t th e consumer
demand f o r w ool w i l l be l a r g e r e l a t i v e t o th e s u p p ly o f i t and t h a t p r i c e s
w i l l c o n s e q u e n tly a d v a n c e .
Consumers f r e q u e n t l y c o n t r a c t by e x e c u tin g
c o n t r a c t i n g p u rc h a s e s th r o u g h d e a l e r s .
B oth d e a l e r s and consum ers c o n t r a c t i n te rm s o f g re a s e p r i c e s , j u s t
aa th e y buy w ool a t s h e a r in g t i m e .
S in ce i t i s im p o s s ib le t o e s tim a te th e
s h rin k a g e o f w ool on th e s h e e p 's back w ith an y d eg ree o f e x a c tn e s s , con­
t r a c t i n g b u y e rs ru n th e r i s k o f i n c u r r i n g h eav y l o s s e s by u n d e r e s tim a tin g
s h r in k a g e s , a s w e ll a s assume th e r i s k o f l a t e r downward movements o f c le a n
rool p r i c e s .
The s h rin k a g e o f a c l i p may in c r e a s e a f t e r a b u y er h as c o n tr a c te d
SI
f o r su ch c l i p , due t o w e a th e r c o n d i t i o n s , su ch as d u s t s to r m s .
In con­
seq u en ce o f th e r i s k s in v o lv e d in c o n t r a c t i n g , d e a l e r s and consum ers a r e
n e c e s s a r i l y c o n s e r v a tiv e i n s e t t i n g th e g r e a s e p r i c e s t h a t th e y w i l l pay
f o r w ool on th e s h e e p ’ s b a c k .
C o n sig n in g o f W ool.
Growers c o n s ig n wool t o d e a l e r s i n g r e a t e s t
volume i n y e a r s when p r i c e s a t s h e a r in g tim e a r e r e l a t i v e l y low , th e low­
n e s s o f p r i c e s le a d in g th e grow ers t o a n t i c i p a t e h ig h e r p r i c e s l a t e r .
I n y e a r s i n w h ich p r i c e s o f wool a t s h e a r in g tim e a r e lo w , th e con­
sig n m e n ts t o d e a l e r s a r e la r g e and many g ro w ers i n c e r t a i n a r e a s in th e
T e r r i t o r y S t a t e s and i n T exas and many l o c a l b u y e rs i n t h e f l e e c e wool
S t a t e s , a r e l i k e l y t o c a r r y s u b s t a n t i a l am ounts o f w ool i n s to r a g e in
th e p ro d u c in g a r e a s , h a v in g d e c lin e d t o s e l l b eca u se p r e v a i l i n g p r ic e s
a re u n s a t i s f a c t o r y t o th em .
The s m a lle r grow ers i n th e f l e e c e wool
S t a t e s , o th e r th a n members o f th e c o o p e r a tiv e a s s o c i a t i o n s and p o o ls ,
u s u a l l y s e l l t h e i r c l i p s a t s h e a r in g tim e r e g a r d l e s s o f p r i c e s , b u t th e
l o c a l b u y e rs i n th o s e S t a t e s may h o ld s u b s t a n t i a l a c c u m u la tio n s .
Cooper a t i v e M a rk e tin g o f W ool.
In e a c h o f a b o u t tw e n ty m a jo r wool
grow ing S t a t e s , t h e r e i s a w ool g ro w e rs ' c o o p e r a tiv e m a rk e tin g a s s o c ia ­
t i o n , th e m em bership o f w h ic h c o n s i s t s o f i n d i v id u a l grow ers w ith i n th e
S ta te .
E v ery grow er b e lo n g in g t o a S t a t e a s s o c i a t i o n e n t e r s i n t o a con­
t r a c t w ith i t , by w h ich he a g r e e s t o c o n s ig n h i s e n t i r e c l i p t o th e
a s s o c i a t i o n e a c h y e a r d u r in g th e l i f e o f th e C o n tr a c t.
A ll o f th e
S t a t e a s s o c i a t i o n s e x c e p t t h a t in O hio, h o ld s to c k i n , and a r e , t h e r e f o r e ,
s h a re ow ners o f a s e l l i n g ag en c y c a l le d t h e N a tio n a l Wool M a rk e tin g Cor­
p o r a t i o n , th e o f f i c e s o f w h ich a re i n B o s to n .
The S t a t e a s s o c i a t i o n s
32
have c o n t r a c t s w ith th e N a tio n a l Wool M a rk e tin g C o rp o ra tio n u n d e r w h ich
th e y c o n s ig n a l l w ool r e c e iv e d from t h e i r grow er members t o th e C orpor­
a tio n .
The N a tio n a l Wool M a rk e tin g C o rp o ra tio n th u s a c t s a s th e s e l l i n g
ag en c y f o r th e S ta t e a s s o c i a t i o n s , a n d , i n e f f e c t , f o r th e grow er mem­
b e r s o f th o s e a s s o c i a t i o n s .
I t makes ad v an c es t o th e S ta t e a s s o c i a t i o n s
on th e wool r e c e iv e d b y i t from th e g ro w ers b e lo n g in g t o th o s e a s s o c ia ­
tio n s .
The S t a t e a s s o c i a t i o n s in t u r n make ad v an ces t o th e g ro w e rs.
The
N a tio n a l M a rk e tin g C o r p o r a tio n o b ta in s lo a n c a p i t a l p a r t l y fro m p r iv a t e
banks and p a r t l y from th e ^arm C r e d it A d m in is tr a tio n .
The N a tio n a l Wool
M a rk e tin g C o r p o r a tio n s e l l s o n ly t o consum ers - t h a t i s t o s a y , t o to p m akers and m a n u f a c tu r e r s .
The Ohio Wool Growers C o o p e ra tiv e A s s o c ia tio n
s e l l s th e w ool r e c e iv e d from i t s grow er members th ro u g h an ag en cy i n B oston
w h ich s e r v e s o n ly t h a t a s s o c i a t i o n .
B esid e t h e S ta t e c o o p e r a tiv e a s s o c i a t i o n s and th e N a tio n a l Wool
M a rk e tin g C o r p o r a tio n , t h e r e i s a c o o p e r a tiv e a s s o c i a t i o n w h ich o p e r a te s
i n th e f a r W est, c a l l e d th e P h c lf ic Wool G row ers.
T h is a s s o c i a t i o n
c o n s i s t s o f i n d i v i d u a l wool g ro w ers l i k e th e S ta t e a s s o c i a t i o n s d e s c r ib e d ,
b u t i t s m em bership i s d i s t r i b u t e d o v er s e v e r a l S t a t e s .
I t m e rc h a n d ise s
th e w ool t h a t i t r e c e i v e s from i t s grow er members from i t s o f f i c e in
P o r tla n d , O regon, c h i e f l y th r o u g h s e l l i n g c o n n e c tio n s i n B o sto n .
How Wool i s Bought from G row ers.
In th e T e r r i t o r y S t a t e s , where
th e c l i p s ru n t o l a r g e w e ig h ts , th e b u y e rs g e n e r a lly buy a t th e r a n c h e s .
As a r u l e , th e y make an e f f o r t t o be a t th e s h e a r in g p en s when th e c l i p s
a re b e in g s h o rn , t o see how th e wool ru n s i n s h rin k a g e and q u a l i t y .
In
53
p e r io d s o f a c t i v e b u y in g , h ow ever, th e y may n o t be a b le t o gee th e s h e a r ­
in g o f th e g r e a t e r p o r t i o n o f th e wool t h a t th e y p u r c h a s e .
When a b u y er
does n o t se e & c l i p s h o r n , he may exam ine i t i n th e b a r n on th e g ro w e r's
r a n c h o r he may buy i t w ith o u t ex am in in g i t , on th e b a s i s o f h i s knowledge
o f p r e v io u s c l i p s o f th e same g ro w er.
Most o f th e b u y e rs a r e r e s i d e n t
a g e n ts o r t r a v e l i n g b u y e rs f o r c e n t r a l m a rk e t d e a l e r s , more p a r t i c u l a r l y
B oston d e a l e r s .
T hus, m ost T e r r i t o r y w ool i s v i r t u a l l y s o ld d i r e c t t o
c e n t r a l m ark et d e a l e r s .
I n th e f l e e c e w ool S t a t e s , w h ere m ost o f th e c l i p s a r e s m a ll, th e
b u lk o f th e wool i s b o u g h t on th e f a r m s .
The b u y e rs a r e g e n e r a l l y e i t h e r
c o u n try d e a l e r s who r e s i d e in n e a rb y tow ns and who buy w ool a s o n ly one
o f t h e i r b u s in e s s a c t i v i t i e s o r th e l o c a l a g e n ts o f su ch d e a l e r s .
The
c o u n try d e a l e r s commonly acc u m u la te w ool on t h e i r own a c c o u n t, s p e c u la ­
t i v e l y , b u t t o a la r g e e x t e n t th e y buy on com m ission a g a i n s t o rd e rs from
c e n t r a l m a rk e t d e a l e r s .
In many c a s e s , d e a l e r s in c e n t r a l m a rk e ts f in a n c e
th e c o u n try d e a l e r s i n th e f le e c e w ool s t a t e s th r o u g h whom th e y o b ta in
f l e e c e w o o l. (4 )
Texas W arehouse S y stem .
In T ex as, i n m ost y e a r s , g ro w ers s h ip a
la r g e p o r t i o n o f w ool p ro d u ced i n t h a t S ta t e t o w arehousem en in n e a rb y
tow ns and have th e w arehousem en s e l l i t f o r th em .
However, when b u y e rs
a r e e a g e r f o r w o o l, many o f them go t o th e ra n c h e s and buy d i r e c t from th e
g ro w e rs .
A t y p i c a l Texas w areh o u se i s a b u s in e s s e s ta b l is h m e n t , e i t h e r in c o r ­
p o r a te d o r p r i v a t e l y owned, t h a t o f f e r s t o th e cu sto m ers co m p lete f a c i l i t i e s
f o r h a n d lin g e i t h e r w ool o r m ohair from th e tim e i t i s h a u le d in from th e
34
ra n c h e s u n t i l i t i s s o l d , s h ip p e d , and p a id f o r .
The p r o c e s s i s some­
th in g lik e t h i s .
The c l i p i s h a u le d i n t o th e w a re h o u se , w eighed in and e a c h bag i s
g iv e n an i d e n t i f y i n g m a rk .
As soon a s i t i s in th e w a re h o u se , i t i s
im m e d ia te ly and a u t o m a ti c a l ly co v ere d w ith in s u r a n c e .
A f t e r w ool i s
s o ld , i t i s a g a in w eig h ed a s i t i s lo a d e d i n t o r a i l r o a d c a r s .
The grow er i s u s u a l l y c o n s u lte d a b o u t th e s e l l i n g p r i c e .
Many
g ro w ers g iv e s p e c i f i c i n s t r u c t i o n s t h a t t h e i r a p p ro v a l m ust be o b ta in e d
b e f o r e a s a l e i s c o n c lu d e d .
One o f th e m ethods o f s e l l i n g i s th r o u g h s e a le d - b id s a l e s .
o p tio n o f r e f u s i n g b id s i s alw ay s r e s e r v e d .
The
I f a l l b id s a r e r e j e c t e d ,
t h a t f a c t i s an n o u n ced , and th e name o f th e h ig h e s t b id d e r i s g iv e n , b u t
no p r i c e s b id a r e g iv e n o u t.
M ohair i s n e v e r s o ld a t s e a le d b id s a l e s , alw ays by p r i v a t e nego­
t i a t i o n and u s u a l l y i n la r g e l i n e s .
The com m ission s h a re v a r i e s b u t i t i s u s u a ll y ab o u t 2 l / 2 p e r c e n t
o f th e p ro c e e d s o f th e c l i p .
fin a n c in g .
The w areh o u ses do a c o n s id e r a b le amount o f
There i s v e r y l i t t l e
co n sig n m en t t o e a s t e r n d e a l e r s .
R e c e n t­
l y , t h e r e h a s been c o n s id e r a b le s e n tim e n t f o r a u c tio n ty p e s e l l i n g . (1 6 )
D ir e c t Buying by C onsum ers.
Consumers o f wool - t h a t i s topm akere
and m a n u fa c tu r e r s - buy from 5 t o 10 p e r c e n t o f th e t o t a l c l i p o f th e
c o u n try d i r e c t from g ro w ers o r c o u n try d e a l e r s .
Consumers who a re lo c a te d
o u ts id e o f th e w ool g ro w in g s e c ti o n s g e n e r a lly make su ch d i r e c t p u rc h a s e s
i n p ro d u c in g a r e a s by s e n d in g t h e i r own men t o th o s e a r e a s on b u y in g t r i p s .
They do n o t g e n e r a lly have p erm an en t b u y in g o r g a n is a t io n s o r perm anent
55
b u y in g c o n n e c tio n s i n th e w ool grow ing s e c t i o n s .
The g r e a t e r p o r ti o n o f
th e d i r e c t b u y in g by d i s t a n t consum ers o c c u rs i n T e x a s, b u t t h e r e i s much
o f i t i n th e f l e e c e wool S t a t e s a l s o .
D e a le r O r g a n iz a tio n s ,
fterhaps t h r e e - f o u r t h s o r more o f th e sh o rn
w ool goes th r o u g h d e a l e r s in c e n t r a l m a r k e ts .
The m a jo r it y o f su ch d e a l e r s
a r e in B o sto n , w here t h e r e a r e ab o u t f i f t y d e a le r s h o u se s engaged i n mer­
c h a n d is in g s h o rn w o o l, p u ll e d w o o l, o r b o t h .
Wool d e a l e r h o u se s v a ry g r e a t l y i n s i z e o f o r g a n iz a ti o n and i n volume
o f wool h a n d le d .
The m a jo r it y o f them a r e i n d i v id u a l p r o p r i e t o r s h i p s or
p a r t n e r s h i p s , b u t many sure c o r p o r a t i o n s .
T h ere has b een a te n d e n c y f o r
d e a l e r h o u se s t o change from p a r t n e r s h i p s t o c o r p o r a t i o n s .
A sm all h o u se ,
h a n d lin g w ool fro m o n ly one p a r t o f th e c o u n tr y , may have o n ly one t r a v e l ­
in g b u y e r , p e rh a p s f iv e o r s i x r e s i d e n t a g e n ts i n th e p ro d u c in g a r e a i n
w h ich i t o p e r a t e s , and one s a le sm a n .
A l a r g e h o u s e , h a n d lin g w ools from
v a r io u s p a r t s o f th e c o u n tr y , may have two o r t h r e e t r a v e l i n g b u y e r s ,
f o r t y o r f i f t y r e s i d e n t a g e n ts i n p ro d u c in g a r e a s , and t h r e e o r f o u r s a l e s ­
m en.
The m a jo r it y o f h o u se s h a n d le T e r r i t o r y and Texas w o o ls .
H a n d lin g o f Wool i n C e n tr a l M a rk e t.
I f th e B oston d e a l e r has a lr e a d y
s o ld th e w ool t o a consum er when th e r e s i d e n t a g e n t buys i t f o r him , th e
d e a l e r h a s th e wool s h ip p e d d i r e c t t o t h e m i l l o f th e b u y er or t o w h a te v e r
o th e r d e s t i n a t i o n th e b u y e r h as s p e c i f i e d a s th e p o in t a t w h ich he w i l l
accep t d e liv e ry .
O th e rw is e , th e d e a l e r h a s th e w ool s h ip p e d t o B oston,
and i t goes i n t o th e d e a l e r ’ s w arehouse t h e r e .
S hould th e w ool be o f m ixed
l o t s and hence i t h a s t o be g ra d e d , th e d e a l e r has i t ta k e n o u t o f th e
o r i g i n a l b ag s and g rad ed i n t o p i l e s on th e w arehouse f l o o r f o r in s p e c t io n
56
b y consum er b u y e r s .
I f th e wool can be m e rc h a n d ise d t o consum ers In
th e o r i g i n a l b a g s . I t re m a in s i n th o s e b a g s . ( 4 )
Wool A u c tio n s i n The U n ite d S t a t e s
The g r e a t e r p a r t o f th e W o rld ’ s wool c l i p o r i g i n a t i n g i n A u s t r a l i a ,
New Z e a la n d , and th e Union o f S o u th A f r ic a , i s m a rk e te d th ro u g h a u c t io n s .
In th e U n ite d S t a t e s , h ow ever, t h i s m ethod o f m a rk e tin g i s c o m p a ra tiv e ly
new.
D u rin g th e p a s t f o r t y y e a r s , some m a rk e tin g e f f o r t s have b een
a d v e r t i s e d a s a u c t io n s w h ic h , i n r e a l i t y , w ere o n ly s e a le d - b id s a l e s .
The f i r s t o f th e p r e s e n t- d a y a u c tio n s was h e ld i n 19 3 4 , w ith a
p r i v a t e c o n c e rn a s s e m b lin g th e w ool f o r an a u c t io n in Ogden, U ta h .
T his
same c o n c e rn a l s o opened a u c t io n s i n D enver, C o lo ra d o , i n 1 9 3 6 , and B i l l i n g s
and M ile s C i t y , M ontana and B o sto n , M a s s a c h u s e tts , in 1 9 4 0 .
A p riv a te
i n d i v i d u a l h e ld a u c t io n s i n San A n g elo , T exas i n 1959 and 1940, and a
c o o p e r a tiv e opened a u c tio n s i n P o r tla n d , O regon, and S to c k to n , C a l i f o r n i a
in 1940.
In 1940 t e n a u c tio n s a l e s w ere h e ld i n seven s t a t e s .
Four o f
th e s e a u c tio n s w ere c o n d u cted by a c o o p e r a tiv e ag en c y , th e re m a in in g s i x
by p r iv a te firm s .
The o f f e r i n g s o f wool a t a l l s e r i e s o f s a l e s a t an y one p o in t from
1954 th ro u g h 1940 ra n g e d fro m a low o f 4 2 8 ,0 0 0 pounds t o a h ig h o f
6 ,5 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o u n d s, w ith a t o t a l o f 5 4 ,5 4 1 ,0 0 0 pounds o f f e r e d .
Of t h i s
am ount, 2 4 ,4 5 3 ,0 0 0 p o u n d s, o r 61 p e r c e n t , w as s o ld .
I n 1940, 1 4 ,9 0 0 ,0 0 0 pounds o f w ool was o f f e r e d a t a u c t i o n s .
This
to n n a g e o r i g i n a t e d i n f i f t e e n s t a t e s , w ith Wyoming, U ta h , M ontana, and
C o lo ra d o s u p p ly in g 74 p e r c e n t o f th e v o lu m e.
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o te
57
t h a t i n th e c a se o f C o lo ra d o , 15 p e r c e n t o f th e t o t a l p r o d u c tio n o f th e
S t a t e nras c o n sig n e d t o a u c tio n s f o r s a l e ; th e n e x t t h r e e r a n k in g S ta t e s
i n th e p r o p o r tio n o f p r o d u c tio n c o n sig n e d t o a u c tio n s w ere Nevada w ith
14 p e r c e n t , Wyoming w ith 13 p e r c e n t , and Uteih w ith 12 p e r c e n t (T ab le I I )
The f ir m s c o n d u c tin g th e a u c t i o n s , b o th c o o p e r a tiv e and p r i v a t e ,
c a r r y on a y e a r - r o u n d p ro g ram o f e d u c a tio n and f i e l d w o rk .
M a te r ia l i s
p u b lis h e d a t v a r io u s tim e s t e l l i n g o f r e s u l t s o f p r e v io u s a u c tio n s and
com paring a u c t io n s a l e s w ith m a rk e t q u o t a t i o n s .
P taap h lets a r e a l s o s e n t
o u t t o g ro w ers from tim e t o tim e e x p l a in in g th e a u c tio n s i n d e t a i l and
a n s w e rin g q u e s tio n s w h ich m ig h t a r i s e .
D u rin g th e a c t i v e m a rk e t se a s o n ,
th e r a d i o h a s b e e n u sed e x t e n s i v e l y t o l i n k a u c tio n a c t i v i t i e s w ith gen­
e r a l m a rk e t n ew s.
A u c tio n s e l l i n g d a t e s a r e announced th r o u g h th e t r a d e
p a p e r s , grow er ho u se o rg a n s , and th e g e n e r a l p r e s s .
S a le s P ro c e d u ro .
On th e m orning o f th e day on w h ich th e a u c tio n
o p e n s , sam ple b ag s o f i n d i v i d u a l c l i p s and g rad ed l o t s a r e open f o r
i n s p e c t i o n and a p p r a i s a l o f b u y e r s , and a sam ple o f e a c h l o t i s d i s ­
p la y e d i n w e l l - l i g h t e d showroom s.
Ample sp ace i s p ro v id e d f o r th e hand­
l i n g and i n s p e c t i o n o f th e s e sa m p le s .
id e a s o f s h rin k a g e and v a l u e .
Here b u y e rs f o r m u la te t h e i r own
C a ta lo g s l i s t i n g th e l o t s , g iv in g s iz e o f
c l i p and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f th e w o o l, a lo n g w ith some d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e
c l i p and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f th e w o o l, a lo n g w ith some d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e
c l i p b e in g o f f e r e d , a r e is s u e d f o r th e u se o f b u y e r s .
At m ost a u c t i o n s , th e a c t u a l s e l l i n g ta k e s p la o e i n a n o th e r room away
from t h e w arehouse w here th e w ools a r e d is p la y e d .
The b u y e rs b id on th e
b a s i s o f th e n o te s made w h ile in s p e c t in g t h e sam p les.
58
TABLE I I - WOOL PRODUCTION, AMOUNT OFFERED AT SUIffiIER AUCTIONS,
AND THE PERCENTAGE OF PRODUCTION OFFERED AT AUCTIONS B T STA TES,
1940
S ta t e
Wool
P r o d u c tio n
O ffe re d a t
A u c tio n l /
Thousand
Pounds
Thousand
Pounds
P e rc e n ta g e
o f P ro d u c tio n
O ffe re d a t
A u c tio n
P e rc e n t
A riz o n a
C a lifo rn ia
C o lo rad o
Id ah o
K ansas 2 /
M ontana
N ebraska 2 /
Nevada
New M exico
N o rth D ak o ta 2 /
O regon
S o u th D akota 2 /
U tah
W ashington
Wyoming
4 ,4 7 1
2 7 ,2 8 0
1 4 ,1 7 0
1 6 ,6 2 7
4 ,0 6 5
2 9 ,9 4 6
5 ,2 7 4
5 ,8 4 0
1 6 ,9 4 4
7 ,1 0 8
16,4 4 6
11,706
2 0 ,5 8 1
6 ,8 0 4
55 ,2 7 1
154
432
2,176
939
SO
2,3 8 4
46
805
656
149
462
60
2 ,3 8 4
208
4 ,1 5 7
3 .0
1 .6
1 5 .3
5 .6
0 .7
8 .0
1 .4
1 3 .8
3 .4
2 .1
2 .8
0 .5
1 1 .6
5 .6
12.5
T o ta l
2 1 6 ,5 2 1
14,900
6 .9
1 9 0 ,5 8 0
1 4 ,6 1 6
7 .7
11 W este rn Range
S ta te s
D i s t r i b u t i o n among th e S t a t e s b a s e d on in c o m p le te c a t a l o g l i s t i n g s
w h ic h a c c o u n te d f o r 8 2 .4 p e r c e n t o f th e t o t a l o f f e r i n g s .
2/
O th e r th a n W e ste rn Range S t a t e s .
S ource t
P ro d u c tio n f i g u r e s from U. S . B ureau o f A g r i c u l t u r a l E conom ics.
O r ig in and am ount o f o f f e r i n g s fro m c a ta lo g s and r e p o r t s o f th e
M e rrio n and W ilk in s A u c tio n Company, Ogden, U ta h , and th e P h o if ic
Wool G row ers, P o r tla n d , O regon.
39
Bach d a y ’ s o f f e r i n g s u s u a l l y c o n s i s t o f a v id e v a r i e t y o f ty p e s o f
w o o ls, b o th g rad ed and o r i g i n a l b a g , a s w e ll a s a w ide ra n g e i n s iz e o f
lo ts o ffe re d .
T h is w id e v a r i a t i o n i n o f f e r i n g s g iv e s th e s m a lle r consum er
a s good a chance t o buy a s th e l a r g e r o p e r a t o r .
The a u c t io n b e g in s e a r l y i n th e a f te r n o o n w ith an a u c t io n e e r in c h a rg e
o f th e s e l l i n g .
The a u c t i o n e e r c a l l s e a c h l o t by num ber, announces th e
w e ig h t, and g iv e s a d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e l o t o f w ool by ty p e , o r i g i n , and
g ra d e .
Then he a sk s f o r b i d s .
A ll b id s a r e made by bona f i d e b u y e r s .
K o st o f th e b id s advance by a q u a r t e r o f a c e n t .
The a u c t io n e e r i s
a s s i s t e d by a r i n g man who ch eck s th e b id w ith th e b id d e r and by one o r
more c l e r k s who ch eck on b i d s , s a l e s , and l o t s t h a t a r e p a s s e d .
R ing men
do n o t s o l i c i t b i d s .
The grow er h a s a r i g h t t o p la c e a r e s e r v e b id on h is c l i p , w hich he
u s u a lly d o es.
The M gh b id d e r e i t h e r h a s th e c l i p knocked down t o him i n
th e r i n g o r p a s s e d t o him a t h i s b i d .
I f h i s b id d oes n o t e q u a l th e r e s e r v e
b id and th e c l i p i s p a s s e d t o him , he lias th e s o le p r i v i l e g e f o r th e n e x t
tw e n ty -f o u r h o u rs o f d e a lin g p r i v a t e l y w ith th e owner o f th e w ool.
The
a u c tio n f ir m b r in g s th e b id d e r and owner t o g e t h e r b y te le p h o n e or p e rs o n a l
in te rv ie w ,
TSfhether t h i s p r a c t i c e h a s b e n e f i te d th e grow er o r n o t i s
d i f f i c u l t t o d e te r m in e .
I t seems n o t t o have d is c o u ra g e d th e b u y e r s ; on
th e o th e r h an d , n e i t h e r th e grow er n o r th e b id d e r shows h i s f u l l hand a t
th e open a u c t i o n , and i t i s p o s s i b l e , i f to o much o f th e wool i s s o ld by
p r i v a t e t r e a t y , t h a t i t w i l l d e f e a t some o f th e p u rp o s e s o f th e a u c t io n .
In m ost i n s ta n c e s o f p r i v a t e - t r e a t y s a l e s , th e b u y er r a i s e s h i s b id and
40
th e grow er lo w e rs h i s a s k in g p r i c e .
Some g ro w ers have r e p o r t e d t h a t very-
s u b s t a n t i a l r a i s e s i n b id s have b een made f o llo w in g th e open a u c tio n .
A ll s a l e s a r e f . o . b . w e s te r n a u c t io n p o i n t and th e a u c t io n o f f i c i a l s
g iv e b u y e rs in f o r m a tio n on f r e i g h t r a t e s t o e a s t e r n p o i n t s .
I f th e w ools a r e n o t d is p o s e d o f a t th e a u c tio n s a l e s o r im m e d ia te ly
f o ll o w in g , th e a u c tio n company a r r a n g e s f o r a s a l e , w i t h th e g ro w e r's
p e r m is s io n , w henever th e m a rk e t a p p e a rs t o j u s t i f y i t .
Buying C o m p e titio n .
A s tu d y o f th e b id d in g p r a c t i c e s and a compar­
is o n o f b id s w ith B oston q u o ta tio n s i n d i c a t e s t h a t c o m p e titio n a t th e
a u c tio n s i s r e a l .
Be cau se to p m ak ers and m a n u fa c tu re rs a r e som etim es r e ­
p r e s e n te d i n th e r i n g by d e a l e r s o r o r d e r b u y e r s , i t i s im p o s s ib le t o
d e te rm in e th e number o f e a c h m aking b i d s .
I t i s b e l ie v e d t h a t th e number
o f d e a l e r s and s p e c u l a t o r s g r e a t l y outnum ber th e to p m ak ers and m anufac­
t u r e r s , h o w ev er, a v a i l a b l e in f o r m a tio n i n d i c a t e s t h a t 60 t o 70 p e r c e n t o f
w ool s o ld i n th e a u c t io n was p u rc h a s e d by to p m ak ers and m a n u f a c tu r e r s .
At
c e r t a i n s a l e s , d e a l e r s o u tb id m i l l b u y e r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y on g rad ed l o t s ,
h o w ev er, i t i s n o t known w h e th e r th e s e d e a l e r s w ere b id d in g f o r t h e i r own
a c c o u n t o r had b u y in g o r d e r s fro m m i l l s .
T here has b een no doubt t h a t
some o f th e b e s t b u y in g low er i n th e c o u n try has p a r t i c i p a t e d in th e a u c t i o n s .
A d v an tag es o f A u c tio n s .
Many g ro w ers who have p a t r o n i z e d th e auc­
t i o n s have e x p r e s s e d th e m s e lv e s in f a v o r o f them b e c a u s e , a s th e y s t a t e d ,
i t g iv e s th em an o p p o r tu n ity t o make im m ediate s a l e s .
how ever, i s n o t alw ays t r u e .
T h is c o n d itio n ,
Som etim es o n ly a sm all p e r c e n ta g e o f th e
o f f e r i n g s may be s o ld w i t h th e r e s u l t t h a t c l i p s may be h e ld o v er f o r
a n o th e r a u c t i o n s a l e s e v e r a l m onths l a t e r .
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I f th e wool i s p r o p e r ly a p p r a is e d and shown, i t i s q u i t e l i k e l y t h a t
e a c h o l i p w ould s e l l a t th e a u c tio n on a g rad e and m e r it b a s i s .
The m e r i ts
and f a u l t s o f a c l i p show p l a i n l y when d is p la y e d a lo n g w ith o th e r c l i p s .
P r i c e s , t h e r e f o r e , s h o u ld r e a c h t h e i r p ro p e r l e v e l when b u y e rs a re b id d in g
s e rio u s ly .
A u c tio n s a r e o f e d u c a tio n a l v a lu e t o g ro w e rs, t o o , b e c a u se f o r th e
f i r s t tim e a g r e a t many g ro w ers l e a r n so m eth in g ab o u t th e g rad e and s h r in k ­
age o f t h e i r c l i p s .
They a r e a b le to compare t h e i r c l i p s w ith th o s e o f
t h e i r n e ig h b o rs and a l s o w ith c l i p s from o th e r s e c ti o n s and o th e r S t a t e s .
F or th e f i r s t t i m e , t o o , a c t u a l s a l e s p r i c e s a re b e in g made p u b lic and
g ro w ers a re co m p arin g p r i c e s and f in d i n g o u t why one c l i p s e l l s f o r more
th a n a n o t h e r .
G rowers a re e n a b le d t o know t h e i r h a n d lin g and m a rk e tin g
c o s t s and th u s a r e a b le t o f i g u r e th e s p r e a d b etw een l o c a l b id s and B oston
q u o ta tio n s .
D is a d v a n ta g e s o f A u c tio n s .
A common c r i t i c i s m o f th e a u c tio n s has
b een th e c o m p a r a tiv e ly s m a ll number o f m a n u fa c tu re rs p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n th e
b id d i n g .
The b u y e r r e g i s t r a t i o n l i s t s i n d i c a t e t h a t d e a l e r s have been i n
th e m a j o r i t y a t p r a c t i c a l l y e v e ry s a l e .
Some o f th e l a r g e m a n u fa c tu r e r s ,
have e x p re s s e d a lukewarm a t t i t u d e to w ard th e a u c tio n m ethod o f s e l l i n g .
Some w ere v e ry o u tsp o k e n a g a i n s t a u c t i o n s .
O th er m a n u f a c tu r e r s , when d i s ­
c u s s in g th e E a s t e r n a u c t i o n s , s t a t e d t h a t th e y w ere n o t i n f a v o r o f au c­
t i o n s o r any o th e r new s y s te m , b u t i f a u c tio n s w ere h e l d , t h e y w ould c e r ­
t a i n l y sen d a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e t o a t te n d th e m .
I t was le a r n e d t h a t c e r t a i n
m a n u f a c tu r e r s , w h ile n o t f a v o r a b le t o a u c t i o n s , d id p u rc h a se wool th ro u g h
them by g iv in g t h e i r o r d e r s t o an in d e p e n d e n t b u y er o r a d e a l e r .
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The argum ent p u t f o r t h by some m a n u fa c tu r e r s i s t h a t th e y do n o t w ant
t h e i r c o m p e tito r s t o know w h at th e y a r e d o in g by b id d in g a t a u c tio n s #
These same m a n u f a c tu r e r s , how ever, buy a t f o r e ig n a u c tio n s th ro u g h b r o k e r s .
In fo rm a tio n c o n c e rn in g p u r c h a s in g o p e r a t io n s c a n n o t u s u a l l y be k e p t from
th e c o m p e tito r , how ever, ev en when th e m a n u fa c tu re r does n o t b u y th ro u g h
an a u c t io n .
The s m a lle r m a n u f a c tu r e r s , e s p e c i a l l y th o s e i n th e W estern
p a r t o f th e c o u n tr y , a p p e a r t o l i k e th e a u c tio n sy ste m .
I t o f f e r s them
a n o p p o r tu n ity t o b id on c e r t a i n sm a ll l o t s w hich th e y m ig h t n o t o th e rw is e
have a chance t o b u y .
M illiaen have i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e i r m ain o b je c tio n t o a u c tio n s i s t h a t
t h e r e i s no a s s u r a n c e o f g e t t i n g th e g ra d e th e y w a n t, th u s n e c e s s i t a t i n g
th e s a l e o f s u b s t a n t i a l p e r c e n ta g e s o f t h e i r p u rc h a s e s a s r e j e c t s . (1 8 )
A n o th er d is a d v a n ta g e o f a u c tio n s i s th e p r a c t i c e o f h a v in g one s a le
d ay i n th e y e a r r a t h e r th a n s e v e r a l .
M a rk e tin g Wool i n A u s t r a l i a .
The g r e a t b u lk o f th e w ool e x p o rte d fro m A u s t r a l i a i s s o ld i n th e
g r e a s y s t a t e , n o t more th a n 5 p e r c e n t b e in g sc o u re d in th e D om inion.
R ou g h ly , 90 p e r c e n t i s s o ld a t p u b lic a u c t i o n a t c e n t r a l m a rk e ts i n
S ydney, M elb o rn e, B r is b a n e , and e ls e w h e r e .
N e a rly t h r e e - f o u r t h s o f th e
A u s t r a l i a n c l i p i s s o ld a t Sydney, Mel b o m e , and B ris b a n e , and th e s i z e
o f th e s e s a l e s , a p a r t fro m th e q u a l i t y o f th e w o o l, j u s t i f i e s th e a tte n d a n c e
o f l a r g e b u y e rs fro m a l l ov er th e w o r ld .
The wool i s c o n s ig n e d t o th e s e l l ­
in g b r o k e r s a t th e p o r t s o f sh ip m en t - i t i s t h e r e s to r e d on th e b r o k e r s '
p re m is e s and sam p les a r e draw n, v a lu e d a s a b a s i s f o r a r e s e r v e and
43
o ffe re d f o r in s p e c tio n by b u y e rs.
These p re m is e s a r e , a s a r u l e , v e ry
u p - t o - d a t e , and th e to p f l o o r , w h ich i s commonly d ev o ted t o sam p lin g ,
alw ays h a s s p e c i a l l i g h t i n g f a c i l i t i e s . (6 - p . 56)
The le a d in g b ro k e ra g e c o n c e rn s a r e s to c k co m p an ies, form ed th ro u g h
th e s a l e o f s h a r e s .
Such s to c k may be h e ld by an y o n e, and l a r g e b lo c k s
o f i t a r e t o be fo u n d i n w ool p r o d u c e r s ’ h a n d s .
Some o f th e b ro k e ra g e c o n c e rn s a r e c l a s s e d a s c o o p e r a tiv e , b u t th e
sy ste m o f h a n d lin g p r o d u c ts and m aking r e t u r n s i s i d e n t i c a l .
The cooper­
a t i v e w o o l-b ro k e ra g e h o u se s a r e f in a n c e d th r o u g h s e l l i n g s t o c k , and th e
s a v in g s t h a t a c c ru e above o p e r a t in g e x p e n s e s a r e r e tu r n e d t o grow er mem­
b e r s on a p a tro n a g e b a s i s .
S a le s O r g a n iz a tio n .
th e wool t r a d e ;
There a r e t h r e e o r g a n iz a ti o n s i n c o n n e c tio n w ith
I . The A u s t r a l i a n Wool G rowers C o u n cil}
2 . The N a tio n a l
C o u n cil o f W o o l-S e llin g B ro k e rs , w h ich c o n s i s t s of a l l w o o l - s e l l i n g b r o k e r ­
age h o u s e s , i n c lu d in g c o o p e r a tiv e s }
3 . The iifool B u y e rs ' A s s o c i a ti o n .
N a t u r a l l y th e s e l l i n g b r o k e r s , who occupy an in te r m e d ia te p o s i t i o n , have
a g re e m e n ts w ith b o th th e p ro d u c e r and th e p u r c h a s e r .
The r e l a t i o n w ith
th e p ro d u c e r w i l l be c o n s id e re d f i r s t .
The b ro k e r h o ld s no c o n t r a c t w ith th e grow er f o r th e d e l i v e r y o f h i s
w ool e x c e p t a s he may have a c la im t o i t on money ad v a n c e d .
t r u e o f th e c o o p e r a tiv e s as w e l l .
T h is h o ld s
U nder th e s e c o n d i t i o n s , th e grow er i s
a t l i b e r t y t o c o n s ig n h i s w ool t o th e c o n c e rn w hich he t h i n k s can g iv e him
th e b e s t s e r v ic e o r n e t him th e g r e a t e s t r e t u r n f o r h i s w o o l.
The w ool b ro k e ra g e house d oes a s t r i c t l y b ro k e ra g e b u s in e s s and buys
no wool f o r i t s own a c c o u n t.
T h is i s one p o i n t i n f a v o r o f th e g ro w er.
He
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He i s n o t co m p elled t o h a re h i s w ool i n c o m p e titio n w ith p r i v a t e l y p u r­
c h a se d w ool w h ich m ig h t g e t th e ad v a n ta g e o f a good s a l e .
The f o llo w in g
a r e o th e r c o n d i tio n s o f th e w o o l-b ro k e ra g e house sy stem w h ich a r e f a v o r ­
a b le t o th e g ro w e rs ' i n t e r e s t s t
The w ool m u st be o f f e r e d a t a u c t io n s a l e , and th e grow er may s e t a
minimum p r i c e w h ic h , i f n o t r e a c h e d , w ith d ra w s th e w ool from th e a u c t io n .
Such wool may be o f f e r e d l a t e r a t p r i v a t e s a l e u n d e r c e r t a i n c o n d itio n s .
Wool i s s o ld o r c a ta lo g u e d f o r s a l e i n t h e o rd e r i n w h ich i t a r r i v e s
a t th e b r o k e r 's w a re h o u s e , and a t l e a s t 20 p e r c e n t o f th e t o t a l c l i p m ust
be i n s t o r e t o c o n s t i t u t e an e n t r y .
T h is p ro v id e s t h a t e a r l y sh o rn and
d e l i v e r e d w ool i s th e f i r s t l i s t e d f o r s a l e , u n le s s th e g ro w er w is h e s t o
r e s e r v e i t f o r a l a t e r d a t e , w h ich m ust be done a t th e tim e o f th e a r r i v a l
o f th e w o o l.
I t a l s o p r e v e n ts th e d e l i v e r y o f a few b a l e s o u t o f a la r g e
o l i o i n o r d e r t o s e c u r e a p la c e e a r l y i n th e s a l e s , a s w as done o c c a s io n ­
a l l y b e f o r e th e 20 p e r c e n t c la u s e w ent i n t o e f f e c t .
A dvances on w ool may be made upon su c h te rm s as th e grow er and b ro k e r
may d e te rm in e *
There i s no s o e c i f i c r u l e c o v e rin g th e am ount o r r a t e o f
a d v a n c e , e x c e p t a s may be a g re e d upon i n c o n ju n c tio n w ith th e A u s tr a lia n
Wool Growers C o u n c il.
The b ro k e r f u r n i s h e s s to r a g e sp ace f o r h o ld in g w ool and show f l o o r s
f o r d i s p la y in g a u c t io n l o t s , and he c o v e rs th e wool w i t h in s u r a n c e .
ch arg e f o r t h i s s e r v ic e a p p e a rs t o be u n if o r m .
He a l s o p la c e s a p p ro x i­
m ate v a l u a t i o n s on th e wool a s i t e n t e r s h i s s t o r e s , f o r th e g ro w e rs'
g u id a n c e .
The
45
The b r o k e r p r e p a r e s c a ta lo g s f o r th e a u c t io n s a l e s , l i s t i n g e a c h
co n sig n m en t o f f e r e d a s t o m a rk in g s , g ra d e , and su c h ite m s , and in con­
j u n c t i o n w ith o th e r b r o k e r s , he d e te rm in e s th e tim e o f e a c h s e r i e s o f
a u c t io n s a l e s .
T here a r e c e r t a i n m a tte r s w h ic h th e a s s o c i a t i o n s o f b r o k e r s and wool
p ro d u c e rs w ork o u t j o i n t l y , i n a m e e tin g o f th e two b o d ie s .
These a re as
f o ll o w s :
They a l l o c a t e th e q u a n t i t y o f wool t o be o f f e r e d a t an y s e r i e s o f
s a l e s o r d u rin g an y m onth, and w ork o u t q u a n t i t i e s t o be o f f e r e d by eac h
s e l l i n g c e n t e r , b a s e d on q u a n t i t y o f w ool h e ld i n su ch c e n t e r s on a p e r­
c e n ta g e b a s i s .
They d e te rm in e th e tim e o f s a l e s and th e p e r io d th r o u g h w h ich th e y
may r u n .
T h is p e r io d g e n e r a l l y c o v e rs a b o u t se v e n m onths.
They a r r i v e a t some b a s i s f o r f in a n c in g th e c l i p , d ep en d in g on i t s
c h a r a c t e r and o th e r f a c t o r s .
The N a tio n a l C o u n cil o f W o o l-S e llin g B ro k e rs and Wool B u y e rs' A ssoc­
i a t i o n a re v o lu n ta r y o r g a n iz a ti o n s and hav e no Government s u p e r v is io n o r
c o n tro l.
A greem ents re a c h e d may be changed from tim e t o tim e a s th e
e x ig e n c ie s o f th e b u s in e s s may demand.
The N a tio n a l C o u n c il o f W o o l-S e llin g B ro k ers d e te r m in e s :
b ro k e ra g e f e e c h a rg e d ;
2 . S to ra g e and in s u r a n c e r a t e s ;
I . The
3 . Terms o f
s a l e , j o i n t l y w i t h th e w ool b u y e r s .
Showing th e Sample B a le s .
A ll sam ple b a l e s m ust be shown on to p
f l o o r s o n ly , and m ust be p r o p e r ly l i g h t e d and sp aced f o r e a s y in s p e c t i o n .
I n f i v e t o t e n b a l e l o t s , t h r e e b a le s a r e shown, 20 p e r c e n t o f l o t s o v er
46
t e n and u n d e r tw e n ty b a l e s , 15 o e r e e n t o f l o t s o f tw e n ty b a l e s o r o v er and
u n d er one hun d red b a l e s , and 10 p e r c e n t o f l o t s o f one h u n d re d b a l e s o r
o v e r.
The b a le s a re draw n a t random so t h a t th e y may more f u l l y r e p r e s e n t
th e e n t i r e l o t .
For b a l e s n o t c a r r y i n g th e o r i g i n a l b ra n c h o f th e g ro w er,
a g r e a t e r o e r c e n ta g e o f th e l o t m ust be shown.
Q u a n ti tie s O f f e r e d .
The o f f e r i n g s a r e d iv id e d i n t o two c l a s s e s -
la r g e l o t s c o n s i s t i n g o f f i v e b a l e s o r more o f one ty p e o f wool and s t a r
lo t s o f fo u r b a le s or u n d e r.
These c l a s s e s o f w ool a r e c a ta lo g u e d
s e p a r a t e l y and a r e shown on d i f f e r e n t f l o o r s i n th e a u c t io n room .
Under
c e r t a i n c o n d i t i o n s , i t i s o e r m is s a b le t o combine two o r more l o t s o f th e
same ty p e and g rad e from d i f f e r e n t ow ners so a s t o make l a r g e l o t s .
t h i s e v e n t , a l l o r i g i n a l makks o r b ra n d s m ust be k e p t i n t a o t .
In
T h is p ra c ­
t i c e is c a lle d i n t e r l o t t i n g .
Bepacked o r R e c o n d itio n e d W ool.
R ep ac k in g o r r e c o n d i t i o n i n g m ust n o t
be done by th e b r o k e r who s e l l s th e w o o l, b u t i s done a t s e p a r a te s t o r e s
u n d e r a u th o r iz e d c l a s s e r s , and th e w o o l, when p la c e d on s a l e , i s d e s ig n a te d
a s h a v in g b een c l a s s e d o r r e c l a s s e d a t su ch a u th o r iz e d p l a c e .
Sm all l o t s may be so c la s s e d and th e wool o f v a r io u s ow ners combined
t o make u n ifo rm l o t s .
I t i s th e n s o ld a s r e c o n d itio n e d w ool and b e a rs
some d i s t i n c t i v e b ra n d t o i d e n t i f y i t .
In su ch c a s e s , g ro w ers a re c r e d i t e d
w ith th e q u a n t i t y o f w ool o f eac h ty p e o r g rad e w hich th e y c o n t r i b u te t o
th e l o t and a r e p a id a c c o r d in g t o p r i c e s r e c e iv e d f o r th e v a r io u s g r a d e s .
Wool i s n o t p e r m itte d t o come up f o r a u c tio n more th a n tw ic e i n one
s e a s o n , n o r can i t be t r a n s f e r r e d t o a n o th e r b r o k e r f o r s a l e a f t e r a b id
has b een r e j e c t e d .
I f th e w ool i s n o t s o ld a f t e r b e in g o f f e r e d th e second
47
ti m e , i t m ust be d is p o s e d o f p r i v a t e l y ,
Eo w ool oan be o f f e r e d a t p r i ­
v a te s a l e u n le s s i t h as b e e n f i r s t o f f e r e d a t a u c t i o n , and th e n n o t u n t i l
t h e l a s t b id d e r h a s b e e n n o t i f i e d i n w r i t i n g and g iv e n an o p p o r tu n ity t o
p u rc h a s e th e l o t a t th e r e s e r v e p r i c e s .
From tw o t o th r e e days tim e i s
g r a n te d th e b id d e r i n w h ich t o make h i s d e c i s i o n .
B id d in g i s done o r a l l y , and a f t e r th e i n i t i a l b i d a l l b id s m ust a d ­
vance a t l e a s t a f a r t h i n g ( l / 2 c e n t) a b i d .
S a le s a r e p u t th r o u g h v e r y
r a p i d l y , a v e r a g in g aro u n d f o u r h u n d red l o t s a n h o u r .
S a le s a r e made on g u a r a n ty t h a t o u tw e ig h ts s h a l l t o t a l o r ex ce ed
in w e i g h ts .
The in w e ig h t i s th e amount in v o ic e d t o th e b u y e r , h ow ever,
u n l e s s o u tw ie J h t s a re dem anded.
The b u y e r i s a llo w e d t h r e e d ay s i n w h ich t o pay f o r th e w ool and
remove i t from th e s t o r e .
A f t e r t h i s p e r io d , s to r a g e c h a rg e s a r e made
and a f e e i s g r a n te d th e s e l l i n g b ro k e r f o r d e l i v e r y o f th e w o o l.
An
a llo w a n c e o f one pound t a r e o f e a c h one h u n d red tw e lv e oounds i s made to
th e b u y e r and e le v e n and o n e - h a l f pounds i s a llo w e d f o r ea c h b a l e .
T h is
t a r e a llo w a n c e o f one pound i s an o l d - e s t a b l i s h e d custom and r e a l l y am ounts
t o almost I p e r c e n t d is c o u n t , a s m ost w ool g a in s i n w e ig h t a t se a b o a rd and
i s p u rc h a s e d on in w e ig h ts .
In th e e v e n t o f a d is p u te a s t o a s a l e , th e m a tte r i s l e f t t o an
um pire o r a r b i t r a t o r , and h i s d e c i s i o n i s f i n a l .
A dvantages o f P r e s e n t A u s t r a l ia n S ystem o f Wool M a rk e tin g .
The c h i e f
a d v a n ta g e s o f th e p r e s e n t sy stem o f m a rk e tin g wool i n A u s t r a l i a , a s r e ­
v e a le d b y th e p r e s e n t s tu d y , may be sum m arized a s fo llo w s *
48
C la s s in g o f wool p r o v id e s e x a c t l y th e ty p e and g rad e w h ich th e
b u y e r d e s i r e s , w ith o u t h i s h a v in g t o c o n s id e r th e r e s a l e v a lu e o f " o f f s o rts " .
Some o th e r c o n c e rn may be i n t e r e s t e d o n ly i n w ool t h a t i s n o t
u s e f u l t o th e f i r s t p u r c h a s e r , and e a c h p a r t y w i l l p ay more f o r th e wool
w h ich i s j u s t w hat he w a n ts .
For e x a m p le , a m i ll i n t e r e s t e d in s ta p le
wool may have no u se f o r th e p e r c e n ta g e o f c l o th in g w ool fo u n d i n c a s e s
i n w hich th e e n t i r e f l e e c e i s p u t up t o g e t h e r ; a n o th e r b u y e r may w ant
o n ly c l o th in g w o o l, o r one m i ll may w an t o n ly wool f r e e fro m b u r r s , w here­
a s a n o th e r may n o t be so e x a c t i n g .
A ll w ool i s c l a s s e d b e f o r e i t e n t e r s
th e p ro c e s s o f m a n u fa c tu r e , and m i l l s t h a t p u rc h a se u n s o r te d o r u n c la s s e d
wool m ust make e s ti m a t e s on nO f f s o r t s tt s u f f i c i e n t l y h ig h t o make them­
s e lv e s s a f e and a llo w f o r e x t r a ex p en se and t r a n s p o r t a t i o n c o s t s i n th e
d i s p o s i t i o n o f su c h w o o l.
A ll o f th e s e c h a rg e s come o u t o f th e g ro w e r's
r e t u r n s and c o u ld be e l im i n a te d by c l a s s i n g wool b e f o r e i t i s s o ld t o
m ills .
The h a n d lin g o f w ool by m a rk e tin g f ir m s on a b ro k e ra g e b a s i s te n d s
t o r e a c t t o th e o w n e r's a d v a n ta g e .
Such f ir m s a r e d ep en d e n t upon th e
good w i l l o f t h e i r c l i e n t s f o r c o n t in u a ti o n i n b u s in e s s and so m ust r e n d e r
e f f i c i e n t s e r v ic e a t f a i r r a t e s .
The u n d e r s ta n d in g b etw een g ro w e rs ' and b r o k e r s ' a s s o c i a t i o n s a s t o
th e q u a n t i t y o f w ool t o be o f f e r e d from tim e t o tim e p r e v e n t s , t o some
e x t e n t , m a rk e t g l u t s and r e s u l t a n t p r i c e d r o p s .
I t a l s o g iv e s th e p ro ­
d u c e r some v o ic e i n th e s a l e o f h i s p r o d u c t.
The a u c tio n s a l e sy stem a s d e v e lo p e d i n A u s t r a l i a , i s p e rh a p s th e
b e s t t h a t co u ld be d e v is e d f o r su ch a c o u n tr y , as wool i s a p ro d u c t t h a t
49
i s a lm o s t w h o lly e x p o r te d ( l e s s th a n 5 p e r c e n t i s m a n u fa c tu re d l o c a l l y ) ,
and w h ic h commands th e a t t e n t i o n o f th e w hole t e x t i l e w o rld on a c c o u n t o f
i t s volume and q u a l i t y .
T h is p ro v id e s an abundance o f c o m p e titio n f o r a l l
o f th e v a r io u s ty p e s o f w ool p ro d u ced and s a l e s g e n e r a lly r e f l e c t th e
w o r l d 's c u r r e n t v a l u e s .
H o ld in g th e s a l e s a t th e p o i n t o f o r i g i n p e rm its
th e c l o s e s t and c h e a p e s t d e l i v e r y o f th e p r o d u c t to an y p u rc h a s in g c o u n try ,
w ith o u t added c h a r g e s .
The e d u c a tio n o f boys i n th e t e c h n i c a l s id e o f sh eep and wool p ro d u c­
t i o n and c l a s s i n g i n a g r i c u l t u r a l and t e c h n i c a l s c h o o ls , p r o v id e s a g r e a t
number o f men who a re c a p a b le o f p r e p a r in g w ool f o r m a rk e t and o f i n t e l ­
l i g e n t l y b r e e d in g s h e e p .
T h is a s s u r e s a c o n s ta n t s u p p ly o f t r a i n e d men
f o r e v e ry b ra n c h o f th e b u s in e s s .
The c l a s s i n g o f h i s wool and i t s s u b se q u e n t c o m p arativ e v a lu e a f f o r d s
th e p ro d u c e r an in d e x t o h i s b re e d in g o p e r a tio n s w h ich sh o u ld be o f g r e a t
b e n e f i t t o him .
The num ber o f w o o l-b ro k e ra g e h o u se s engaged i n h a n d lin g w ool a re few ,
th u s a f f o r d in g a good volum e o f b u s in e s s f o r e a c h and th e c o rre s p o n d in g
a d v a n ta g e s o f b e t t e r - t r a i n e d men, w id e r t r a d e c o n t r a c t s , and low er o v er­
head e x p e n s e .
O nly tw e n t y - f i v e h o u ses w ere r e p o r te d b y D a lg e ty as o p e r a t­
in g i n m a rk e tin g th e A u s t r a l i a n w ool o l i p - o f t h e s e , t e n c o n c e rn s h an d led
80 p e r c e n t o f th e b u s i n e s s .
In th e U n ite d S t a t e s o v er f o u r h u n d red c e n t r a l
d e a l e r s and a l a r g e number o f l o c a l b u y e rs a r e em ployed i n b u y in g and d i s ­
p o s in g o f a w ool c l i p much s m a lle r i n s i z e .
In A u s t r a l i a , w here th e sh eep p ro d u c in g a r e a i s much more e x te n s iv e
th a n t h a t o f th e U n ite d S ta t e s and w ith wool p r o d u c tio n a b o u t f iv e tim e s
50
a s l a r g e , th e c l i p i s s o ld th r o u g h o n ly s i x s t r a t e g i c m a rk e tin g c e n t e r s ,
nam ely Sydney, M elb o u rn e, B r is b a n e , A d e la id e , P e r th , G eelo n g , and
A lb u ry . (8 - p . 12)
M a rk e tin g Wool i n Hew Z ealan d
In b ro a d o u t l i n e , th e sy stem o f m a rk e tin g i n New Z ea lan d c o rre s p o n d s
to th a t in A u s tr a lia .
p o rts o f d is p a tc h .
N e a rly a l l w ool i s s o ld by p u b li c a u c t i o n a t th e
The w ool m a rk e ts i n New Z ealan d a r e W e llin g to n ,
A u ck lan d , D u n ed in , and C r is tc h u r c h .
(6 - p . 62)
M a rk e tin g Wool i n S o u th A f r ic a
Modern m ethods o f w ool s e l l i n g i n S o u th A f r ic a have d ev elo p ed c o i n c i­
d e n t w ith b e t t e r wool p r o d u c tio n .
se e n b etw ee n th e tw o .
In f a c t , a d i s t i n c t r e l a t i o n may be
I t i s somewhat d e b a ta b le w h e th e r a b e t t e r m ethod
o f m e rc h a n d is in g came a b o u t th ro u g h th e e f f o r t s o f th o s e who w ere im prov­
in g t h e i r f l o c k s t o o b ta in f u l l v a lu e f o r t h e i r w o o l, o r w h e th e r th e
i n s t i t u t i o n o f a s a l e s sy ste m w h ich in c lu d e d paym ent a c c o r d in g t o th e v a lu e
o f th e c l i p l e d t o a b e t t e r p r o d u c t. (8 - p . 19)
U n t i l th e F i r s t W orld W ar, p r o d u c tio n c o n d itio n s and outw orn m a rk e t­
in g m ethods com bined t o g a in an u n e n v ia b le r e p u t a t i o n f o r S o u th A f r ic a n
w ools i n th e b u y in g c e n t e r s .
The em ploym ent o f c o m p a ra tiv e ly u n s k i l l e d
l a b o r , s h e a r in g u n d e r p o o r c o n d i tio n s , and th e s a le o f w ool t o u p - c o u n tr y
d e a l e r s and s t o r e k e e p e r s , who were f in a n c e d by la r g e s u p p l i e r s on th e
c o a s t and who, i n t u r n , f in a n c e d th e p r o d u c e r , a l l r e a c t e d a d v e r s e ly on
th e c l i p .
"G ret-up" was b a d , c o m p la in ts o f d e c e i t f u l p a c k in g w ere f r e q u e n t ,
and l i t t l e
o r no d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n i n p r i c e was made by th e p e d le r - p u r c h a s e r
51
b etw een "good" and "bad" w o o l.
A r a p i d a d v a n c e , b o th i n th e im provem ent
o f S o u th A f r ic a n w o o ls and m ethods o f m a rk e tin g , h a s ta k e n p la c e in r e c e n t
y e a r s . (5 - p . 66)
T here i s no d o u b t t h a t th e en h an ced v a lu e s d u rin g th e F i r s t World
W ar, and g o v e rn m e n ta l c o n t r o l had much t o do w ith b r in g in g a b o u t a b e t t e r
sy stem o f w ool s e l l i n g .
By 1927, a b o u t 90 t o 95 p e r c e n t o f th e wool o f
th e U nion was h an d le d on a b ro k e ra g e b a s i s f o r th e a c c o u n t o f th e p ro ­
d u c e r o r th r o u g h h i s own c o o p e r a tiv e a s s o c i a t i o n s .
The s m a ll p o r ti o n w h ic h
was p u rc h a s e d o u t r i g h t was s i m i l a r l y d is p o s e d o f by th e b u y e r s , so t h a t
p r a c t i c a l l y th e e n t i r e c l i p p a s s e d th r o u g h th e hands o f t h e b r o k e r s .
The sy stem o f m a rk e tin g v a r i e s somewhat i n d i f f e r e n t c e n t e r s a s t o
m inor d e t a i l s , b u t i n th e m ain th e m ethods a r e s i m i l a r .
No c e n t r a l o rg a n i­
z a t i o n e x i s t s w h ic h c o n t r o l s w ool movements and p r i c e s a s i n A u s t r a l i a , b u t
e a c h w ool c e n t e r m a in ta in s an o r g a n iz a ti o n o f b r o k e r s c o n t r o l l i n g su ch
m a tte r s a s a p p ly t o t h a t p a r t i c u l a r m a r k e t.
Growers have no su c h o rg a n i­
z a t i o n r e p r e s e n t i n g them a s a w h o le, n o r a re th e r e ev en u n i t s o f grow ers
n e a r m a rk e tin g c e n t e r s , b u t t h e i r i n t e r e s t s a r e r e p r e s e n t e d t o a c e r t a i n
e x t e n t by th e b r o k e r s , whose l o c a l o r g a n iz a ti o n s e n t e r i n t o ag ree m en ts
w ith th o s e o f th e b u y e rs a s t o te rm s o f s a l e , q u a n t i t i e s o f f e r e d , and
w ith d r a w a ls .
The m ost r a p i d l y grow ing w ool c e n te r i s D urban.
H ere a r e found th e
s t r i c t l y E n fo rc e d r u l e s c o v e r in g w ool s e l l i n g , w h ich a r e made and en­
f o r c e d by th e D urban Wool B ro k e rs A s s o c i a ti o n s .
lows*
B r i e f l y th e s e a r e a s f o l ­
52
1.
A ll w ool coming i n t o th e m a rk e t m ust f i r s t be o f f e r e d a t p u b lic
a u c tio n .
2.
No b u y e r can o b ta in wool e x c e p t a s so o f f e r e d o r th ro u g h p r i v a t e
s a le a f t e r i t has b een so o f f e r e d th r o u g h r e c o g n is e d b ro k e ra g e h o u s e s .
T h is
p r e v e n ts b u y e rs from a c q u i r in g wool p u rc h a s e d o u t r i g h t fro m th e grow ers a t
p riv a te t r e a t y .
3.
S a le s a r e h e ld w eek ly d u r in g th e s e a s o n , w h ich c o v e rs a p p ro x i­
m a te ly f i v e m o n th s, b e g in n in g i n November and en d in g e a r l y i n A p r il o f f e r i n g s a r e made i n th e o rd e r o f a r r i v a l o f c l i p s a t b r o k e r s w a re h o u s e s .
4.
B uyers can demand t h a t a l l o f a c l i p be p la c e d on th e s a le f l o o r
fo r in s p e c tio n , i f d e s ire d .
5.
A ll l o t s o f tw o b a le s o r u n d e r a r e c la s s e d as s t a r l o t s and a r e
o ffe re d s e p a ra te ly .
6.
I n te r l o tf c i n g may be done a t th e d i s c r e t i o n o f th e b r o k e r .
7.
R e c la s s in g may be r e s o r t e d to p b u t t h i s i s n o t g e n e r a lly d o n e.
An a d d i t i o n a l c h arg e i s made f o r r e c l a s s i n g .
8.
B ro k erag e c h a rg e s ru n from I l / 2 t o 2 l / 2 p e r c e n t f o r s e l l i n g ,
d e p en d in g upon th e s i z e o f th e c l i p , p lu s s t o r a g e , in s u r a n c e , and c o s t o f
d e l i v e r y t o th e b u y e r .
A c h a rg e o f 24 c e n ts p e r b a le i s made f o r l o t t i n g
and $ 1 .2 0 p e r b a le f o r p r e s s in g and m a r k e tin g .
I n Capetown and P o rt E l iz a b e th some w ool i s p u rc h a s e d th r o u g h p r iv a t e
t r e a t y b etw een th e b u y e rs and th e b r o k e r s .
w ool i s so d is p o s e d o f .
At E a s t London th e b u lk o f th e
There i s no ag ree m en t t o p r e v e n t b u y e rs from o b ta in ­
in g w ool d i r e c t from g ro w ers o r s to r e k e e p e r s e x c e p t a t D urban.
Some
g ro w ers s t a t e t h a t th e r e a s o n D urban i s g ro w in g so r a p i d l y a s a w ool c e n te r
53
i s b e c a u se th e r e g u l a t i o n s i n f o r c e t h e r e p r o t e c t th e p ro d u c e r b e t t e r
th a n do th o s e o f o th e r c e n t e r s . (8 - p . 20)
M a rk e tin g wool i n S o u th A m erica
The m a jo r s h a re o f a l l wool e n t e r i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r a d e i s s o ld by
p u b li c a u c t i o n .
The S o u th A m erican c o u n t r i e s a r e th e o n ly im p o rta n t w o rld
m a rk e t c e n t e r s w here fa rm e rs s e l l t h e i r wool by p r i v a t e t r e a t y .
D uring
W orld War I I , S o u th A m erican w ools c o n tin u e d t o be s o ld i n a f r e e m a rk e t,
w ith th e U n ite d S ta t e s b e in g by f a r th e l a r g e s t b u y er th ro u g h o u t th e War
p e r io d .
The S outh A m erican c o u n t r i e s have fo u n d i t more p r o f i t a b l e t o ev o lv e
b re e d s o f a d u a l-p u rp o s e t y p e .
Today c r o s s b r e d w ool c o n s t i t u t e s 86 p e r­
c e n t o f th e c l i p s o f A r g e n tin a and U ru g u ay .
( I - p . 96)
64
CHAPTER 1 7
SKIRTING AND GRADING MONTANA WOOL
The " p r e p a r a t io n f o r m a rk e t" d i f f e r e n t i a l s betw een p r i c e s f o r domes­
t i c w ools and p r i c e s f o r f o r e i g n w o o ls a r e w e ll known.
However, th e un­
econom ic p r a c t i c e s o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s wool g ro w ers in p a c k in g wool f o r
m a rk e t g iv e u se t o th e s e d i f f e r e n t i a l s .
A u s t r a l i a n w o o ls , t o c i t e an ex am p le, a r e s k i r t e d and c l a s s e d a s th e
f l e e c e s come fro m th e s h e a r in g f l o o r .
T h is p r a c t i c e r e s u l t s i n r e l a t i v e l y
homogeneous p a c k a g e s o f w ool, r e g a r d l e s s o f th e wool t y p e .
In c o n t r a s t w ith th e A u s t r a l i a n p r a c t i c e . U n ite d S t a t e s g ro w ers pack
f l e e c e s w ith o u t b e in g s k i r t e d , and o f te n w ith o u t ta g g in g .
B u rry and seedy
wool f r e q u e n t l y may be packed w ith c le a n w o o ls , and som etim es b la c k o r
g ra y w o o ls a r e fo u n d i n th e same b a g w ith w h ite w o o ls.
Such p r a c t i c e s have
g iv e n r i s e t o tr a d e p r a c t i c e s o f m aking f l a t d is c o u n ts f o r t a g s and o th e r
o ff-w o o ls r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e th e r th e y have b een packed s e p a r a t e l y by g ro w e rs.
Even w here w ools a r e p ack ed f r e e o f ta g s and o f f s , th e f l e e c e s i n
e a c h package a r e u n s k i r t e d and o f s e v e r a l g r a d e s .
A ll o f th e w ools from
th e fa rm s t a t e s have t o be g ra d e d b e f o r e s a l e t o m i l l s .
Many o f th e ran g e
c l i p s , how ever, may be s o ld i n o r i g i n a l b a g s , s in c e th e s e c l i p s o f te n com­
p r i s e la r g e q u a n t i t i e s o f r e l a t i v e l y u n ifo rm f l e e c e s .
B e t t e r p r e p a r a t i o n o f w ool f o r m a rk e t may a i d in e s t a b l i s h i n g a so u n d er
m a rk e tin g program f o r d o m e stic w o o ls .
P rim a ry c o n s i d e r a t i o n has b een g iv e n i n t h i s s tu d y t o th e f e a s i b i l i t y
o f s k i r t i n g f l e e c e s a t th e s h e a r in g f l o o r and t o s e g r e g a t io n o f o f f - w o o l.
C o n s id e r a tio n h as a l s o b een g iv e n t o th e g r a d in g o f w ool a t th e s h e a r in g s h e d .
55
A o tu a l S k i r t i n g and G ra d in g P ro c e ss
The s k i r t i n g and g ra d in g p r o j e c t was c a r r i e d o u t i n c o o p e r a tio n w ith
th e M ontana Wool L a b o r a to r y and th e U n ite d S t a t e s D ep artm en t o f A g ric u l­
tu re .
C o o p e ra tin g wool g ro w ers w ere th e C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company and
G a u g le r.
A t o t a l o f 5 ,7 2 5 f l e e c e s was s k i r t e d and g ra d e d .
The s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g w ork was done a t th e C-B B ar L iv e s to c k
Company s h e a r in g s h e d , lo c a t e d t h r e e and o n e - h a l f m ile s fro m J u d itJ i Gap
i n c e n t r a l M ontana.
B oth o p e r a tio n s w ere c a r r i e d o u t u n d e r d i r e c t s u p e r­
v i s i o n and g u id a n c e o f Wm. H a rtp e n c e , a com m ercial wool g r a d e r from
B i l l i n g s , M o n tan a,
The f o llo w in g men p a r t i c i p a t e d i n th e s k i r t i n g p r o c e s s i n a d d i t i o n
t o H a rtp e n c e i
G. C u r t i s H ughes.
Jam es Drummond. .
Owen S . W irak . .
L e s l ie Burnham. .
.S u p e r v i s o r , M ontana Wool L a b o ra to ry
. A s s i s t a n t S u p e r v is o r , M ontana Wool L a b o ra to ry
.G ra d u a te S tu d e n t, M ontana S ta t e C o lle g e
.Wool G ra d e r, U n ite d S t a t e s D ep artm en t o f A g r ic u ltu r e
A t l e a s t tw o o f th e above men a s s i s t e d H artp en c e a t a l l t i m e s .
The s h e a r in g crew c o n s is te d o f e i g h t men f o r f o u r and o n e - h a lf days
and n in e men f o r one and o n e - h a lf d a y s .
These men w ere c l e a n , f a s t
s h e a r e r s , a v e r a g in g one h u n d red tw e n ty t o one h undred t h i r t y sheep i n an
e i g h t- h o u r d a y .
S h e a rin g o p e r a tio n s b eg an a t e i g h t i n th e m orning and
ended a t f i v e i n th e a f te r n o o n .
F ig u re I , on th e f o llo w in g page shows th e arra n g e m e n t o f th e s h e a r in g
and s k i r t i n g f a c i l i t i e s .
The sh ed was in a d e q u a te ly l i g h t e d , e s p e c i a l l y
i n th e a f te r n o o n , th u s n e c e s s i t a t i n g th e u se o f a r t i f i c i a l l i g h t a t a l l
DOOR.
U'
SH ££P
SKIRTlMCr
TABLE.
/
S ' k f ''
COUMT
OMeAeiNCr
noon
S A C K IN G
■ irA M P
Ol
O
FIOXIRB I - PORTION OF C-B BAR LIVESTOCK COMPANY SHEARING SHEB
SHOWING SHEARING FLOOR AND SKIRTING FACILITIES
57
tim e s .
The s k i r t i n g t a b l e had a s l a t t e d to p w h ich a llo w e d sm a ll dung
b a l l s , f r i b s , t w i c e - c u t w o o l, e t c . , t o f a l l th r o u g h t o th e f l o o r u n d e r­
n e a th .
Method o f O p e r a tio n .
The f le e c e c a r r i e r , u s in g a l a r g e b u r la p
a p r o n , c a r e f u l l y removed th e f l e e c e from th e s h e a r in g f l o o r and to s s e d
i t o n to th e s k i r t i n g t a b l e w ith th e w e a th e re d s id e u p .
The f i r s t p ro c e s s
w as t o remove th e b e l l y w ool w hich was b in n e d s e p a r a t e l y .
N ex t, h a i r y
b r i t c h e s , c h a f f y n e c k s , s t a i n e d w o o l, and o th e r i n f e r i o r w ool w as r e ­
moved w henever fo u n d .
The f l e e c e was th e n g rad ed and c l a s s i f i e d and
p a s s e d on t o th e f l e e c e - t i e r .
A f te r r o l l i n g and t y i n g , th e t i e r p la c e d
th e f l e e c e in th e p r o p e r s a c k o r b i n , w h ic h e v e r th e case m ig h t b e .
Bach
g r a d e - l i n e and o f f - s o r t was bagged s e p a r a t e l y and th e b ag s b ra n d e d w ith
th e bag num ber, g ro w e r’ s b ra n d , g ra d e , and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n .
S in c e no
d e f i n i t e c o n t r a c t had been made w ith any m i l l i n r e g a r d t o p u rc h a s e o f th e
w o o l, i t was th o u g h t a d v is a b le t o t i e a l l f l e e c e s so t h a t t h e i r in d i v id u a l
i d e n t i t y c o u ld be m a in ta in e d .
As much a s p o s s i b l e , th e sh eep w ere s e g r e g a te d a s t o b la c k w o o l, ew es,
b u c k s , and y e a r l i n g s b e f o r e th e y w ere p u t i n t o th e h o ld in g p e n s .
T h is
sp eed ed up w ork a t th e g r a d in g t a b l e and i t was e s p e c i a l l y h e l p f u l in
k e e p in g th e o f f - c o l o r w ool from b e in g m ixed w ith th e w h ite w o o l.
The grow ers o f b o th c l i p s w ere on hand th ro u g h o u t th e w hole p ro c e s s
and i t o f f e r e d th e o p p o r tu n ity f o r them t o l e a r n a g r e a t d e a l more ab o u t
t h e i r sh eep and wool th a n th e y had e v e r known b e f o r e .
They w ere soon a b le
t o d i s t i n g u i s h betw een th e v a r io u s g ra d e s and t o r e a l i z e th e need f o r s k i r t ­
in g
68
The b in e w ere n o t la r g e enough t o s t o r e a s u f f i c i e n t q u a n t i t y o f
t h e s k i r t e d w ool and i t was d i f f i c u l t f o r th e g ra d e r t o k e e p h i s l i n e s
s t r a i g h t , s in c e th e r e was l i t t l e
o p p o r tu n ity t o check h ie s o r t s to se e
i f he was g ra d in g to o h ig h o r to o lo w .
A f te r s h e a r in g o p e r a tio n s w ere c o m p lete d i n th e e v e n in g and b e fo re
t h e y b eg an in th e m o rn in g , th e m a t e r i a l u n d e r th e s k i r t i n g t a b l e was
s o r t e d i n t o ta ~ s and g ra d in g lo c k s and w ool re m a in in g i n th e b in s was
sack ed to a llo w room f o r th e n e x t d a y 's w o rk .
G rades and O f f - S o r ts Made.
T able I I I shows th e v a r io u s g ra d e s and
o f f - s o r t s made fro m b o th o f th e c l i p s .
The C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company c l i p
c o n s is te d o f a lm o s t 70 p e r c e n t f in e w ool a s c o n tr a s te d w ith 55 p e r c e n t
f o r th e Vhn, G a u g le r c l i p .
The y e a r l i n g w ool o f b o th c l i p s was b e t t e r -
grow n, o f lo n g e r s t a p l e , and o f l i g h t e r s h r in k th a n th e ewe w o o l, t h e r e ­
f o r e , th e f i n e and h a l f b lo o d y e a r l i n g f l e e c e s w ere bagged s e p a r a t e l y .
L abor C o s ts .
T a b le s IV and V show th e number and ty p e o f sheep owned
by e a c h g ro w e r, th e a c t u a l c o s t o f s h e a r in g , and th e a d d i t i o n a l c o s ts due
t o th e s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g p r o c e s s .
The f l e e c e s o f b o th c l i p s av era g ed
a p p ro x im a te ly e le v e n p o u n d s, g re a s e w e ig h t.
V
TABLE I I I - GRADES AM) OFF-SORTS MADE
GRADE
C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company Clip
R s rc e n t
No.
of
Pounds*
of
T o ta l Wt.
Bags
4 5 .1
1 3 .3
1 1 .5
6 9 .9
26
8
3
37
7,897
2,394
957
11,248
3 8 .7
1 1 .7
4 .7
5 5 .1
3 ,0 1 7
1 ,8 1 6
4 ,8 3 3
7 .5
4 .5
1 2 .6 "
12
3
16
3 ,3 6 7
929
4 ,2 9 6
1 6 .5
4 .5
2 1 .0
6
I
~ ir ~
1 ,0 9 0
145
1,2 3 5
2 .7
.4
3 .1
4
991
4 .9
4
9&1
4 .9
9
3 ,1 4 2
2,0 1 1
453
80
350
6 ,0 1 6
7 .8
5 .0
1 .1
.2
.8
1 4 .9
1,943
685
109
65
1,083
3,885
9 .5
3 .4
.5
•3
5 .3
1 9 .0
4 0 ,2 1 9
1 0 0 .0
20,420
1 0 0 .0
F in e S ta p l e Ss Good F re n c h
F in e A verage F ren ch
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
T o ta l F in e Wool
55
16
14
65
1 8 ,1 5 4
4 ,3 4 9
4 ,6 3 2
28,135
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F ren ch
Y e a r lin g l / 2 S ta p le
T o ta l l / 2 Wool
11
6
17
3 / s S ta p le
l / 4 S ta p le
T o t a l Medium Wool
F in e & l / ? B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
G rad in g Locks
B lack Wool
B r itc h Wool
Tags
T o ta l O f f - S o r ts
TOTALS
*
N et S e l l i n g W eight
(G)
Gunnysaok
Wm. G augler Clip
No.
P e rc e n t
of
Pounds*
of
Bags
T o ta l Wt.
5
2
4(G )
I
21
127
6
2
2(G)
I(G)I
2
13
69
c
(i
60
TABLE IV - IABGR COSTS OF SKIRTIHO AND GRADING
C-B B ar L iv e s to c k Company C lip
3 ,7 9 1 F le e c e s W eighing 4 1 ,9 0 3 l b s .
Net C o rin g W eight
1 1 .0 5 pounds g r e a s e w ool p e r sheep
4 .3 6 pounds c le a n wool p e r sh eep
Sheep S h e a re d :
830
500
700
791
680
200
90
Y e a rlin g s
2 -y e a r-o ld
3 -y e a r-o ld
4 -y e a r-o ld
5 - y e a r - o ld
6 -y e a r-o ld
b u ck s
ewes
ewes
ewes
ewes
ewes
C o s ts o f S h e a r in g :
C o st o f s h e a r in g ( 3 0 / p e r h e a d ) ....................
# 1 ,1 6 6 .7 3
Tram per ( 1 ^ / p e r f l e e c e ) .......................................................
5 6 .8 7
O th e r L a b o r..................................................
144.00
S trin g ( I / p er fle e c e ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 7 .9 1
M e a ls .....................................................................................................
32 7 .0 0
TOTAL COST. . .# 1 ,7 3 1 .5 1
C o st Pbr F le e c e . . .
.4567
I S u p e r v is o r ( l / p e r po u n d ) .............................................................I
I P ic k -u p Boy (4 d ay s # $ 6 .0 0 p e r d a y ) .................................
M eals (A p p ro x im a te ly 48 @ $ 1 .0 0 p e r m e a l) ............................
419.
24.
48.
888
A d d itio n a l C ost due t o S k i r t i n g and G rad in g R ro c e a s:
S k i r t i n g and G rad in g C o sts p a id by C-B Bar
L iv e s to c k Company. ........................................................ $ 4 9 1 .0 0
C o st o f 2 S k i r t e r s • $ 8 .8 9 p e r day e a c h ................... ....
71.12
( Borne by M ontana S ta t e C o lle g e )
__________
TOTAL COST. . .$
C o st p e r pou n d . S k i r t i n g and G rad in g ....................... . . . . . $
C o st p e r f l e e c e . S k i r t i n g and G ra d in g ..................................... .... .$
562.12
.0134
.1482
61
TABLE V - LABOR COSTS OF SKIRTING AItD GRADING
Win. G au g ler C lip
1 ,9 3 2 F le e c e s W eighing 2 1 ,0 3 7 l b s .
Net C o rin g W eight
1 0 .8 9 pounds g re a s e wool p o r sheep
4 .3 0 pounds c le a n w ool p e r sheep
Sheep S h e a re d !
250
400
600
500
152
52
Y e a r lin g s
2 -y e a r-o ld
3 -y e a r-o ld
4 -y e a r-o ld
6 -y e a r-o ld
Bucks
ewes
ewes
ewes
owes
C o s ts o f S h e a r in g !
C o st o f S h e a rin g (3 0 ^ p e r f l e e c e ) .............................................. #
Wool T ram per ( lt X p e r f l e e c e ) ............................ .... .......................
O th e r L a b o r.
. . . . . . . . . . .
........................
S t r i n g ( I / p e r f l e e c e ) ......................................................................
M eals • .......................................... .................................................. ....
.
TOTAL COST. . .$
C o st Per F le e c e . . .
6 0 3 .7 6
28.98
72.00
19.32
163 .5 0
887.55
.4595
A d d itio n a l C o st due t o S k i r t i n g and G rad in g P r o c e s s :
I S u p e r v is o r (Iff p e r p o u n d )................... 2 1 0 .3 7
I P ic k -u p Boy (2 d ay s @ $ 6 .0 0 p e r d ay ) . . . . . . . .
M eals ( a p p r o x im a te ly 24 © $ 1 .0 0 p e r m e a l) ............................
1 2 .0 0
2 4 .0 0
S k i r t i n g and G rad in g C o sts p a id by Wm. G au g ler . . . .$ 2 4 6 .3 7
C o st o f 2 S k i r t e r s S $ 8 .8 9 p e r d ay e a c h ................... ....
5 5 .5 6
(B orne by M ontana S ta t e C o lle g e )
__________
TOTAL COST. . . $
C o st p e r pound. S k i r t i n g and G rad in g . . . . .
C ost p e r f l e e c e . S k i r t i n g and G ra d in g .
.......................$
.......................$
281.93
.0134
.1 4 5 9
62
CHAPTER 7
SELLING THE SKIRTED WOOL
Core S h rin k a g e D a ta .
The w ool fro m b o th c l i p s was p la c e d i n a w are­
house a lo n g th e G re a t N o rth e rn r ig h t - o f - w a y i n J u d i t h Gap im m e d ia te ly
a f t e r b a g g in g .
Core sam o les w ere th e n ta k e n from e a c h l o t and s e n t t o
th e U n ite d S t a t e s D ep artm en t o f A g r ic u lt u r e Wool D iv is io n la b o r a t o r y a t
D enver, C o lo ra d o , f o r s h r in k a g e d e t e r m in a tio n s .
T a b le s VI and 7 1 I g iv e th e s h rin k a g e d a t a f o r e a c h l o t o f wool i n
th e c l i p s .
The t o t a l a v e ra g e s h rin k a g e was a lm o s t e x a c t l y th e same i n
b o th , a lth o u g h t h e r e w as some v a r i a t i o n i n s h rin k a g e b etw een th e same
in d iv id u a l g ra d e s.
B oth g ro w ers u n d e r e s tim a te d th e a c t u a l s h rin k a g e o f
t h e i r re s p e c tiv e c l i p s .
The s h rin k a g e d a t a was s e n t t o th e grow ers w ith i n a few d ay s a f t e r
c o r in g t o a s s i s t them i n m a rk e tin g th e w o o l.
The g ro w e rs, h ow ever, d id
n o t make th e s h rin k a g e f i g u r e s a v a i l a b l e t o p r o s p e c tiv e b u y e r s .
S a le o f S k i r t e d W ool.
Ihe wool was s to r e d i n th e J u d i t h Gap w are­
house from a f t e r s h e a r in g i n J u n e , 1948 t o F e b ru a ry , 19 4 9 , when i t was
f i n a l l y s o ld by th e g ro w ers t o a B o sto n w ool m e rc h a n t, on a g re a s e w e ig h t
b a s is .
D u rin g t h i s tim e , th e w ool l o s t 2 ,3 0 1 pounds i n t o t a l w e ig h t.
S e v e ra l i n d i v i d u a l s and f i r m s , o th e r t h a n th e g ro w e rs, en d eav o red
t o s e l l th e s k i r t e d w ool b u t no one i n d i v i d u a l o r firm was g iv e n th e ex­
c l u s iv e com m ission t o h a n d le i t ,
A r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f a c e r t a i n wool f ir m
w h ich l i s t e d th e w ool s a i d t h a t h i s f ir m c o u ld n o t a f f o r d t o spend a
63
TABLE VI - CORE SHRINKAGE DATA ( l )
C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company C lip
Grade
F in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
C o rin g
W eight
Pounds
S h rin k ag e
P e rc e n t
Y ie ld
P e rc e n t
S e llin g
W eight
Pounds
C lean
W eight
Pounds
18,822
5 9 .8
4 0 .2
1 8 ,1 5 4
7 ,2 9 8
F in e A verage F ren ch
5 ,5 3 2
6 4 .3
3 5 .7
6 ,3 4 9
1 ,9 1 0
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
4 ,8 3 0
5 9 .4
4 0 .6
4 ,6 3 2
1,881
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F ren ch
3 ,1 9 2
5 6 .2
4 3 .8
3 ,0 1 7
1,3 2 1
Y e a r lin g l / g S ta p le
1 ,8 5 9
5 5 .5
4 4 .7
1 ,8 1 6
812
3 /8 S ta p le
1 ,2 3 7
5 2 .2
4 7 .8
1 ,0 9 0
521
l / i S ta p le
148
5 0 .3
4 9 .7
145
72
F in e & l / 2 B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
3 ,2 9 2
6 4 .2
3 6 .8
3 ,1 4 2
1 ,1 2 6
G rad in g Locks
2 ,0 8 2
7 0 .9
2 9 .1
2 ,0 1 1
685
492
5 2 .0 *
4 8 .0 *
453
217
82
5 0 .0 *
5 0 .0 *
80
40
336
7 4 .4
2 5 .6
330
85
4 0 ,2 1 9
15,8 6 7
B lack Wool
B r ite h Wool
Tags
TOTALS
4 1 ,9 0 3
T o ta l A verage S h r in k a g e ..................................... ,
D if f e r e n c e i n C o rin g and S e l l i n g W eig h ts .
(l)
*
Core sam p les w ere t e s t e d a t th e P.M .A. Wool D iv is io n L a b o ra to ry i n
D enver, C o lo ra d o .
V is u a l a p p r a i s a l .
64
TABUi V I I -
CCSRE SHRINKAGE DATA ( I )
Wm. G a u g l e r C l i p
Grade
C o rin g
W eight
Pounds
S h rin k a g e
fte rc e n t
Y ie ld
P e rc e n t
S e llin g
W eight
Pounds
C lean
W eight
Pounds
F in e S ta p le & Good F ren ch
8 ,0 9 6
6 9 .6
4 0 .6
7 ,8 9 7
3 ,1 9 0
F in e A verage F re n c h
2 ,4 6 4
6 2 .4
5 7 .6
2 ,3 9 4
900
978
5 5 .6
4 4 .4
967
425
3 ,4 7 0
6 9 .6
4 0 .4
3 ,3 6 7
1,3 6 0
946
6 7 .0
4 3 .0
929
400
5/8 S ta p le
1,016
6 3 .8
4 6 .2
991
458
F in e A l / z B e l l i e s A P ie c e s
2 ,0 3 5
6 2 .8
3 7 .3
1 ,9 4 3
726
G rad in g Looks
713
6 4 .8
3 6 .2
685
241
B lack Wool
122
6 2 .0 *
4 8 .0 *
109
52
B r it c h Wool
68
6 0 .0 *
60 .0 *
66
33
7 4 .6
2 5 .5
1 ,0 8 3
276
2 0 ,4 2 0
8 ,0 6 0
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
l/ Z S ta p le & Good F re n c h
Y e a r lin g l / z S ta p le
1,132
Tags
TOTALS
21,037
T o ta l A verage S h r in k a g e ............................ . . .
D if f e r e n c e i n C o rin g and S e l l i n g W eights .
(I)
*
.6 1 7 pounds
Core sam plea w ere t e s t e d a t th e PeM.A. Wool D iv is io n L a b o ra to ry i n
D enver, C o lo ra d o .
V is u a l A p p r a i s a l .
66
g r e a t d e a l o f tim e o r money s e l l i n g th e w ool t o b e s t a d v a n ta g e s in c e i t
m ig h t be s o ld by someone e l s e i n th e m ean tim e.
The s k i r t e d w ool s o ld f o r th e same g r e a s e p r ic e a s t h a t o f f e r e d i n
a p r e - s h e a r i n g b id o f May, 1948 - 60 c e n ts p e r pounds f o r a l l wool e x c e p t
b la c k and t a g s , w h ic h s o ld f o r 40 c e n ts and 30 c e n ts p e r pound, r e s p e c t i v e ­
ly .
T a b le s V I I I , IX , and X g iv e an a n a l y s i s o f th e a c t u a l s a l e s and th e
p re -s h e a rin g b id .
Compared t o th e p r e - s h e a r i n g b i d , th e a c t u a l s a l e s r e ­
p r e s e n te d a t o t a l l o s s t o b o th g ro w ers o f |l , 6 8 1 . 3 7 , in c lu d in g # 8 4 4.00 due
t o l o s s i n w e ig h t and # 7 3 7 .3 7 w h ich was th e t o t a l s k i r t i n g and g ra d in g
c o s t b o rn e by th e g ro w e rs.
B ids R e s u ltin g From th e S k i r t i n g and G rad in g P r o c e s s .
In J u ly , 1948,
and a s a r e s u l t o f th e p r e p a r a t i o n jo b done on th e c l i p s , a d e a l e r b id
66 c e n ts p e r pound f o r a l l g rad ed and b e l l y wool and 36 c e n ts p e r pound
f o r th e o f f - s o r t s .
I f th e wool had s o ld a t t h i s b i d , th e grow ers w ould
have r e c e iv e d # 2 ,8 1 7 .7 3 more f o r t h e i r w ool a f t e r d e d u c tin g t h e i r c o s ts
o f s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g .
made i n T a b le s XI and X I I .
A n a ly se s o f t h i s b i d , u s in g c o r in g w e ig h ts , a r e
C lean v a l u e s , a r e g iv e n f o r a l l th e v a r io u s
l o t s t o f a c i l i t a t e a co m p ariso n o f th e p r i c e s by g ra d e s o f th e s e v e r a l
b id s .
A B osto n wool m i l l b id # 1 .7 0 , c le a n b a s i s , f o r a l l f i n e wool and
$ 1 .5 3 f o r a l l h a l f b lo o d w ool i n S ep te m b er, 19 4 8 .
S e l l i n g a t t h i s b id w ith
th e medium w ools and o f f - s o r t s g o in g t o th e Commodity C r e d it C o r p o r a tio n ,
w ould have n e t t e d th e g ro w ers # 8 3 0 ,0 7 more th a n a c t u a l r e c e i p t s a f t e r
d e d u c tin g t h e i r s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g c o s t s .
T h is b id i s o u t l i n e d in
T a b le s X I I I and XIV, u s i n g a c t u a l s e l l i n g w e ig h ts .
66
TABLE V I I I - ACTUAL MARKETING REPORT ( l )
C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company C lip
Grado
F in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
S e l l i n g S e l l i n g & rioe C le an IV ioe
( e ig h t G rease B a s is E q u iv a le n t
Founds
G ross
R e tu rn
1 8 ,1 5 4
I .6 0
# 1 .4 9
# 1 0 ,8 9 2 .4 0
F in e A verage F ren ch
5 ,3 4 9
.6 0
1 .7 0
3 ,2 0 9 .4 0
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
4 ,6 3 2
.6 0
1 .4 8
2 ,7 7 9 .2 0
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F re n c h
3 ,0 1 7
.6 0
1 .5 7
1 ,8 1 0 .2 0
Y e a r lin g l / 2 S ta p le
1 ,8 1 6
.6 0
1 .3 4
1 ,0 8 9 .6 0
3 /8 S ta p le
1 ,0 9 0
.6 0
1 .2 6
6 5 4 .0 0
l / 4 S ta p le
145
.6 0
1 .2 1
8 7 .0 0
F in e & l / 2 B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
3,1 42
.6 0
1 .6 8
1 ,8 8 6 .2 0
G rading Locks
2,0 1 1
.6 0
2 .0 6
1 ,2 0 6 .6 0
453
.4 0
.8 3
1 8 1 .2 0
80
.6 0
1 .2 0
4 8 .0 0
330
.3 0
1 .1 7
9 9 .0 0
B lack Wool
B r itc h Wool
T ags
TOTALS
4 0 ,2 1 9
# 2 3 ,9 4 1 .8 0
T o ta l A verage M e e , g re a s e b a s i s .
♦ .5952
T o ta l A verage M c e , c le a n b a s i s .
# 1 .6 1
( l ) Wool s o ld t o B oston Wool M erch an t, F e b ru a ry , 1 9 4 9 ,
67
TABLE K - ACTUAL MARKETING REPORT ( l )
Wm. G au g ler C lip
Grade
S e l l i n g S e l l i n g F rio e C lean B ric e
W eight G rease B a s is E q u iv a le n t
Pounds
d ro s s
R e tu rn
F in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
7 ,8 9 7
# .6 0
1 1 .4 9
$ 4 ,7 3 8 .2 0
F in e A verage F re n c h
2 ,3 9 4
.6 0
1 .6 0
1 ,4 3 6 .4 0
957
.6 0
1 .3 5
574.20
3 ,3 6 7
.6 0
1 .4 9
2 ,0 2 0 .2 0
Y e a rlin g l / 2 S ta p le
929
.6 0
1 .4 0
657.40
3/8 S ta p le
991
.6 0
1 .3 0
6 9 4 .6 0
1 ,9 4 3
.6 0
1 .6 1
1 ,1 6 5 .8 0
4 1 1 .0 0
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F re n c h
F in e * l / 2 B e l l i e s & F ie c e s
G rad in g Locks
685
O
<
0#
1 .7 0
B lack Wool
109
.4 0
.8 3
4 5 .6 0
65
.6 0
1 .2 0
3 9 .0 0
1 ,0 8 3
.3 0
1 .1 8
3 2 4 .9 0
B r itc h Wool
Tags
TOTALS
(I)
2 0 ,4 2 0
# 1 1 ,9 0 6 .5 0
T o ta l A verage A rlc e , g re a s e b a s i s .
* .5830
T o ta l A verage A r ic e , c le a n b a s i s . ,
# 1 .4 8
Wool s o ld t o B oston Wool M e rch an t, F e b ru a ry , 1949
68
TABLE I - ESTIMATED GROSS RETURNS
SELLING BOTH C L IP S AT PRE-SHEARING B ID MAY, 1 9 4 8
(l)
C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company C lip
5 9 ,3 7 6 I b a . Wool © # . 6 0 ................................................... # 2 3 ,6 2 5 .6 0
492 l b s . B lack Wool @ # .4 0 .....................................
1 9 6 .8 0
2 ,0 3 5 l b s . Tags © S »30* . » * . . * # . * . .
6 1 0 .5 0
( I n c lu d in g 1 ,7 0 0 l b s . p r e - s h e a r in g ta g s
m ost o f w h ich w ere h a n d - s o r te d i n t o
h ig h e r v a lu e l o t s d u r in g th e g ra d in g
p ro cess. )
E s tim a te d g ro s s r e t u r n . . . # 2 4 ,4 3 2 .9 0
A c tu a l g ro s s r e t u r n . . . . . 2 3 ,9 4 1 .8 0
D if f e r e n c e . . . . . #
4 9 1 .1 0
Wm« G au g ler C lip
1 9 ,7 8 3 l b s . Wool @ # . 6 0 ............................ ...................... $ 1 1 ,8 6 9 .8 0
122 l b s . B lack Wool @ $ . 4 0 .....................................
4 8 .8 0
1 ,1 3 2 l b s . Tags @ # .3 0 ...................................................
3 3 9 .6 0
E s tim a te d g ro s s r e t u r n . . . # 1 2 ,2 5 8 .2 0
A c tu a l g r o s s r e t u r n ................... 1 1 ,9 0 5 .5 0
D if f e r e n c e ................... #
(I)
3 5 2 .9 0
Wool d e a l e r b id # .6 0 p e r l b . f o r a l l good w o o l, # .3 0 p e r l b . f o r
t a g s , and $ .4 0 p e r l b . f o r b la c k wool b e fo re s h e a r in g . Bid r e j e c t e d
TABLE X I - ESTIMATED GROSS RETURNS
SELLING AT JU L Y , 1 9 4 8 BID ( l )
C-B B ar L iv e s to c k Company C lip
Grade
F in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
S e llin g
W eight*
Pounds
S e l l i n g P k ice
G rease B a sis
C le a n M c e
E q u iv a le n t
G ross
R e tu rn
18,822
♦ .6 5
$ 1 .6 2
$ 1 2 ,2 3 4 .3 0
F in e A verage F ren ch
5 ,5 3 2
.6 6
1 .8 2
3 ,5 9 5 .8 0
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
4 ,8 3 0
.6 6
1 .6 0
3 ,1 3 9 .5 0
l / 2 S ta p le Se Good F re n c h
3,1 9 2
.6 6
1 .4 8
2 ,0 7 4 .8 0
Y e a r lin g l / i
1 ,8 5 9
.6 6
1 .4 5
1 ,2 0 8 .3 5
3/8 S ta p le
1 ,2 3 7
.6 5
1 .3 6
8 0 4 .0 6
l / 4 S ta p le
148
•65
1 .3 1
9 6 .2 0
3 ,2 9 2
.6 5
1 .8 2
2 ,1 3 9 .8 0
2,082
.3 5
1 .2 0
7 2 8 .7 0
492
.3 5
.7 3
1 7 2 .2 0
82
.3 6
.7 0
2 8 .7 0
336
.3 5
1 .3 7
1 1 7 .2 5
F in e & l / t
S ta p le
B e l l i e s Se P ie c e s
G rad in g Locks
B lack Wool
B r i t c h Wool
Tags
E s tim a te d g ro s s r e t u r n s
A c tu a l g ro s s r e t u r n s .
.$ 2 6 ,3 3 9 .6 5
. 2 3 ,9 4 1 .8 0
D i f f e r e n c e . . .$ 2 ,3 9 7 .8 5
T o ta l a v e ra g e p r i c e , g re a s e b a s i s . . . .
T o ta l a v e ra g e p r i c e , c le a n b a s i s . . . .
(l)
*
D e a le r b id | .6 5 p e r l b . f o r a l l g ra d e d and b e l l y w ool and I .3 5 p e r
l b . f o r o f f - s o r t a . Bid r e j e c t e d .
C o rin g w e ig h ts u se d
70
TABLE I I I - ESTIMATED GROSS RETURNS
SELLING AT JULY, 1 9 4 8 B ID ( l )
Tim. G au g ler C lip
Grade
S e llin g
W eight*
Pounds
S e l l i n g S 1Ice
G rease B a s is
Gross
C le an P r ic e
E q u iv a le n t
R e tu rn
P in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
8,0 9 6
# .6 6
$ 1 .6 0
$ 5 ,2 6 1 .7 6
F in e A verage F re n c h
2 ,4 6 4
.6 6
1 .7 3
1 ,6 0 1 .6 0
978
.6 6
1 .4 6
6 3 5 .7 0
5 ,4 7 0
.6 6
1 .6 1
2 ,2 5 6 .5 0
946
.6 5
1 .6 1
6 1 4 .9 0
3/8 S ta p le
1 ,0 1 6
.6 6
1 .4 1
6 6 0 .4 0
F in e & l / 2 B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
2,0 3 3
.6 6
1 .7 4
1 ,3 2 1 .4 5
G rad in g Locks
713
.3 5
.9 9
24 9 .6 6
B la ck Wool
122
.3 6
.7 3
4 2 .7 0
68
.3 5
.7 0
2 5 .8 0
1,1 3 2
.3 6
1 .5 7
3 9 6 .2 0
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F re n c h
Y e a r lin g l / 2 S ta p le
B r i t c h Wool
T ags
E s tim a te d g r o s s r e t u r n s
A c tu a l g r o s s r e t u r n s .
$ 1 3 ,0 6 3 .5 5
1 1 ,9 0 6 .3 0
D i f f e r e n c e . . $ 1 ,1 6 8 .2 6
T o ta l a v e ra g e p r i c e , g re a s e b a s i s . . . . . . . . $ . 6210
T o ta l a v e ra g e p r i c e , c le a n b a s i s . . . .
(l)
*
D e a le r b id I .6 5 p e r l b . f o r a l l g rad ed and b e l l y w ool and $ .56 p e r
l b . f o r o f f - s o r t s . Bid r e j e c t e d .
C o rin g w e ig h ts u s e d .
TABLE X I I I - ESTIMATED GROSS RBTTJRHS
SELLING AT SEPTEMBER 1 0 , 1 9 4 8 B ID ( l )
C-B Bar L iv e s to c k Company C lip
S e l l i n g W eight
S e ll in g e ig h t
~ Bid
G rade__________________ I n G rease________C le an B a sis_____ C lean B a sis
Founds
.........
F in e S ta p le & F in e F re n c h
F in e A verage F re n c h
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
l / z S ta p le i Good F ren ch
Y e a r lin g l / 2 S ta p le
3 /8 S ta p le
l / 4 S ta p le
F in e k l / 2 B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
G rad in g Locks
B lack Wool
B r itc h Wool
Tags
1 8 ,1 5 4
5 ,3 4 9
4 ,6 4 2
3 ,0 1 7
1 ,8 1 6
1 ,0 9 0
145
3 ,1 4 2
2 ,0 1 1
453
80
330
7 ,2 9 8
1 ,9 1 0
1 ,8 8 1
1 ,3 2 1
812
521
72
1 ,1 2 5
585
217
40
85
C .C .C .
G ross
ft*ices*_____ R e tu rn
$ 1 .7 0
1 .7 0
1 .7 0
1 .5 3
1.5 3
$ 1 .2 0
1 .1 3
1 .2 4
1 .0 0
.7 4
.9 1
.8 0
$ 1 2 ,4 0 6 .6 0
3 ,2 4 7 .0 0
3 ,1 9 7 .7 0
2 ,0 2 1 .1 3
1 ,2 4 2 .3 6
625.20
81.36
1 ,3 9 5 .0 0 ^
5 8 5 .0 0
1 6 0 .6 8
3 6 .4 0
68.00
E s tim a te d g r o s s r e t u r n ..................................................................... $ 2 5 ,0 6 7 .3 3
A c tu a l g r o s s r e t u r n .............................................. . . . . . .
2 3 ,9 4 1 .8 0
D if f e r e n c e ............................$ 1 ,1 2 5 .5 3
T o ta l a v e ra g e s e l l i n g p r i c e , c le a n b a s i s .......................................... $ 1 .5 8
T o ta l a v e ra g e s e l l i n g p r i c e , g re a s e b a s i s ..........................................$ .6233
(l)
*
B oston Wool M ill b id $ 1 .7 0 c le a n b a s i s f o r a l l f in e wool and $ 1 .5 3 f o r a l l l / 2 b lo o d w o o l.
Medium w o o ls and o f f - s o r t s g o in g t o Commodity C r e d it C o r p o r a tio n .
A pproxim ate Commodity C r e d it C o r p o r a tio n p r i c e s .
and l / 4 b lo o d w ool p r i c e s .
S k i r t i n g premium o f $ .06 added t o 3 /8
TABLE XIT - ESTIMATED GROSS RETURNS
SELLING AT SEPTEMBER 1 0 , 1 9 4 8 BID ( l )
Snu G a u g le r C lip
Grade
F in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
F in e A verage F ren ch
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F re n c h
Y e a rlin g l / 2 S ta p le
5 /8 S ta p le
F in e & l / 2 B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
G rad in g Locks
B lack Wool
B r itc h Wool
Tags
S e l l i n g W eight
In G rease
Pounds
7 ,8 9 7
2 ,3 9 4
957
3 ,3 6 7
929
991
1 ,9 4 3
685
109
66
1,0 8 3
S e l l i n g W eight
C le an B a s is
3 ,1 9 0
900
425
1 ,3 6 0
400
458
725
241
52
35
276
Bid
C lean B a sis
R e tu rn
# 1 .2 0
1 .2 4
1 .0 0
.7 4
.9 1
.8 0
$ 6 ,4 2 5 .0 0
1 ,5 3 0 .0 0
7 2 2.50
2 ,0 8 0 .8 0
6 1 2.00
649.60
899.00
241.00
3 8 .4 8
30.05
220.80
# 1 .7 0
1 .7 0
1 .7 0
1 .5 3
1 .5 3
E s tim a te d g r o s s r e t u r n . .
A c tu a l g r o s s r e t u r n . . .
Gross
CeCeCe
P ric e s *
.$ 1 2 ,3 4 7 .2 1
D if f e r e n c e .
.#
441.91
T o ta l a v e ra g e s e l l i n g p r i c e . c le a n b a s i s . . .
T o ta l a v e ra g e s e l l i n g p r i c e . g re a s e b a s i s . .
(I)
*
B oston Wool M ill b id # 1 .7 0 c le a n b a s i s , f o r a l l f i n e w ool and # 1 .5 5 f o r a l l l/% b lo o d w o o l.
Medium w o o ls and o f f - s o r t s g o in g t o Commodity C r e d it C o r p o r a tio n .
A pproxim ate C onm odity C r e d it C o r p o r a tio n p r i c e s .
b lo o d w ool p r i c e s .
S k i r t i n g premium o f # .0 6 added t o 3/ b
M
73
The g ro w ers w ere p r o t e c t e d from a s e v e re m a rk e t b re a k by th e Com­
m o d ity C r e d it C o rp o ra tio n p u rc h a se p ro g ra m .
T a b le s XY and XVI g iv e an
a p p ro x im a te a c c o u n t o f s a l e s p r o v id in g a l l th e wool i n b o th c l i p s had
been
o ld t o th e Commodity C re d it C o r p o r a tio n a t th e tim e o f th e a c t u a l
s a l e in F e b r u a r y , 19 4 9 .
A c tu a l s e l l i n g w e ig h ts a r e a g a in u s e d .
TABLE XT - ESTIMATED GROSS RETURN
SELLING ALL WOOL TO COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION
C-B Ber L iv e s to c k Company C lip
G rade
S e l l i n g W eight
I n G rease
Pounds
F in e S ta p le & Good F ren ch
F in e A verage F re n c h
Y e a r lin g F in e S ta p le
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F ren ch
Y e a r lin g l / 2 S ta p le
3/8 S ta p le
l / 4 S ta p le
F in e & l / 2 B e l l i e s & P ie c e s
G rad in g Locks
B lack Wool
B r it c h Wool
Tags
1 8 ,1 5 4
5 ,3 4 9
4 ,6 3 2
3 ,0 1 7
1 ,8 1 6
1 ,0 9 0
145
3 ,1 4 2
2 ,0 1 1
453
80
330
S e l l i n g W eight
C lean B a s is
Pounds
7 ,2 9 8
1 ,9 1 0
1 ,8 8 1
1 ,3 2 1
812
521
72
1 ,1 2 5
585
217
40
85
CeCeCe
R rice*
S k irtin g
fVeraium/
$ 1 .5 0
1 .2 4
1 .3 2
1 .2 5
1 .2 7
1 .1 4
1 .0 7
1 .2 4
1 .0 0
.74
.91
.8 0
I .07
.07
.0 7
.0 7
.0 7
.06
.06
to ta l
C .C .C .
P ric e
$ 1 .3 7
1 .3 1
1 .3 9
1 .3 2
1 .3 4
1 .2 0
1 .1 3
1 .2 4
1 .0 0
.74
.9 1
.8 0
E s tim a te d g r o s s r e t u r n . . .
A c tu a l g r o s s r e t u r n . . . .
G ross
R e tu rn
$ 9 ,9 9 8 .2 6
2 ,5 0 2 .1 0
2 ,6 1 4 .5 9
1 ,7 4 3 .7 2
1 ,0 8 8 .0 8
6 2 5.20
81.36
1 ,3 9 5 .0 0
5 8 5.00
160.80
3 6 .4 0
6 8 .0 0
.$ 2 0 ,8 9 8 .6 1
. 2 3 ,9 4 1 .8 0
D if f e r e n c e . . . •$ 3*045#29
T o ta l a v e ra g e s e l l i n g p r i c e . c le a n b a s i s . . .
. .
T o ta l a v e ra g e g re a s e e q u i v a le n t p r i c e
*
A pproxim ate 1949 C .C .C . p r i c e .
/
S k i r t i n g premiums *
c le a n b a s i s
60*8 and f i n e r , |
. . .
$ .5196
.0 7 p e r l b . c le a n b a s i s j 4 8 ’ e and SB’s , I .0 6 p e r l b .
TABLE X Y I - ESTIMATED GROSS RETURN
SELLING ALL WOOL TO COMMWITT CREDIT C CR PCRAT ION
Sm. G au g ler C lip
S e l l i n g W eight
I n G rease
Pounds
G rade
F in e S ta p le & Good F re n c h
F in e A verage F re n c h
Y e a rlin g F in e S ta p le
l / 2 S ta p le & Good F re n c h
Y e a r lin g l / 2 S ta p le
3/8 S ta p le
F in e & l / ? B e l l i e s & P iec es
G rad in g Locks
B lack Wool
B r itc h Wool
Tags
7 ,8 9 7
2,594
957
3 ,3 6 7
929
991
1 ,9 4 3
686
109
66
1 ,0 8 3
S e l l i n g W eight
C le an B a sis
Pounds
3 ,1 9 0
900
425
1 ,3 6 0
400
458
725
241
52
33
276
E s tim a te d g r o s s r e t u r n . .
A c tu a l g r o s s r e t u r n . . .
CeC eC e
M ce*
S k irtin g
Ffremiuny
* 1 .3 0
1 .2 4
1 .3 2
1 .2 5
1 .2 7
1 .1 4
1 .2 4
1 .0 0
.7 4
.91
.8 0
* .0 7
.0 7
.0 7
.0 7
.0 7
.0 6
to ta l
C .C .C .
Ffrice
* 1 .3 7
1 .3 1
1 .3 9
1 .3 2
1 .3 4
1 .2 0
1 .2 4
1 .0 0
.74
.91
.8 0
G ross
R e tu rn
I 4 ,3 7 0 .3 0
1 ,1 7 9 .0 0
590.75
1 ,7 9 5 .2 0
536.00
549.60
899.00
241.00
3 8 .4 8
30.03
220.80
* 1 0 ,4 5 0 .1 6
1 1 ,9 0 5 .3 0
D if f e r e n c e . . . I 1 ,4 5 6 .1 4
T o ta l a v e ra g e s e l l i n g p r i c e . c l e a n b a s i s . .
T o ta l av e ra g e g re a s e e q u i v a le n t p r i c e . . . .
*
A pproxim ate 1949 C .C .C . p r i c e s .
/
S k i r t i n g premiums*
c le a n b a s i s .
60*s and f i n e r , $ .0 7 p e r l b . c le a n b a s i s ; 48*s t o 5 8 * s , $ .0 6 p e r l b .
3
76
CHAPTER TI
SUMMARY AMD CONCLUSIONS
Summary
1.
Wool i s one o f th e few re m a in in g a g r i c u l t u r a l com m odities
w h ic h , a s a g e n e r a l r u l e , i s n o t s o ld by th e grow er on i t s m e r i t s .
2.
D om estic w o o ls i n a f r e e m a rk e t u s u a l l y s e l l a t a c le a n p r ic e
s e v e r a l c e n ts l e s s th a n f o r e ig n w ools o f com parable g r a d e .
T h is i s l a r g e ­
l y b e c a u se d o m e stic w o o ls a r e p re p a re d f o r m ark et i n a m anner i n f e r i o r t o
f o r e i g n w o o ls .
3.
In g e n e r a l, d o m e stic p ro d u c e rs o f f e r wool f o r s a l e w ith o u t
know ing i t s
s h r in k a g e , g r a d e , o r q u a l i t y , w h ereas t h e b u y e r i s u s u a ll y
e q u ip p e d t o know th e v a lu e o f th e w o o l.
4.
G rowers s t i l l s u f f e r from th e " a v e ra g e p r i c e " o r " a r e a b u y in g "
sy ste m o f m a r k e tin g .
5.
Wool g ro w ers have been g r e a t l y e n lig h te n e d on t h e n a tu r e o f
t h e i r w ool c l i p s a s a r e s u l t o f th e Commodity C r e d it C o r p o r a tio n b u y in g
program and th e c o re -s a m p lin g f o r s h rin k a g e program c a r r i e d on by th e
U n ite d S t a t e s D ep artm en t o f A g r ic u lt u r e and th e v a r io u s c o lle g e wool
la b o ra to r ie s .
6.
Wool i s p u rc h a s e d from A m erican grow ers b y a g r e a t v a r i e t y o f
m ethods w h ereas 90 p e r c e n t o f A u s t r a li a n w ool i s s o ld a t p u b li c a u c t io n .
7.
O nly tw e n t y - f i v e h o u ses w ere r e p o r te d b y D a lg e ty a s o p e r a tin g
i n m a rk e tin g th e A u s t r a l i a n wool c l i p a s c o n t r a s t e d t o th e U n ite d S ta t e s
w here o v e r f o u r h u n d red c e n t r a l d e a l e r s and a la r g e number o f l o c a l b u y e rs
a re em ployed i n b u y in g and d is p o s in g o f a wool c l i p much s m a lle r i n s i z e .
77
8.
IV im ary d a t a was o b ta in e d from s k i r t i n g , g r a d in g , and m a rk e tin g
5 ,7 2 3 f l e e c e s fro m two c e n t r a l M ontana ra n g e sheep c l i p s .
9.
The s k i r t e d w ool f i n a l l y s o ld f o r th e same p r ic e p e r pound a s
t h a t o f f e r e d i n th e p r e - s h e a r i n g b i d .
10.
Two s e p a r a te b id s w ere made on th e c l i p s w h ich r e f l e c t e d th e
enhanced v a lu e o f th e w ool due t o t h e s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g j o b .
b id s were r e j e c t e d .
These
I f t h e wool had b e e n s o ld a t e i t h e r o f th e s e b i d s ,
th e grow ers w ould have r e c e iv e d c o n s id e r a b ly more th a n th e y a c t u a l l y d id ,
ev en a f t e r d e d u c tin g c o s ts o f s k i r t i n g and g r a d in g .
C o n c lu sio n s
1.
An o u ts ta n d in g d e f ic ie n c y i n th e g ro w e r’ s eq u ip m en t f o r th e
e f f i c i e n t p r o d u c tio n and m a rk e tin g o f w ool i s h i s la c k o f know ledge o f
m a rk e t g ra d e s and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s .
2.
A lth o u g h g r a d in g i s a f u n c ti o n c a r r i e d on i n th e p a s t , o n ly
b y d e a l e r s , com m ission m e rc h a n ts , c o o p e r a tiv e s , and p o o ls , g ro w ers sh o u ld
become a c q u a in te d w ith t h a t o p e r a tio n and w h at i t means t o them in term s
o f r e t u r n s from th e w ools th e y p ro d u c e .
3.
D e te rm in a tio n o f th e s h rin k a g e o f g re a s e wool i s one o f th e
m ost im p o rta n t p ro b lem s f a c i n g th e wool g ro w e r.
The c o r e - t e s t i n g method
o f e s t i m a t i n g s h r in k a g e s , a s d e v elo p ed by th e D epartm ent o f A g r ic u lt u r e ,
h a s p roved t o be a r e l i a b l e m ethod, and i s more a c c u r a te th a n th e " e s tim a te s "
u se d by th e t r a d e .
4.
B e tte r p r e p a r a t i o n o f w ool f o r m a rk e t s h o u ld a i d i n e s t a b l i s h i n g
a so u n d er m a rk e tin g program f o r d o m e stic w o o ls .
78
5.
C o r r a l s k i r t i n g d oes n o t a p p e a r t o be p r a c t i c a l becau se*
a.
T here i s a la c k o f t r a i n e d p e r s o n n e l t o s u p e r v is e th e
p ro c e ss.
b.
M ill s a r e slo w t o a c c e p t th e f i n i s h e d p r o d u c t.
c.
The volume o f wool i n th e v a r io u s g ra d e s and s o r t s i s
o f t e n to o sm a ll t o a t t r a c t b id s r e f l e c t i n g th e t r u e v a lu e o f th e
w o o l.
d.
T here a r e few s h e a r in g sh e d s w hich a r e a d a p ta b le t o th e
n e c e ss a ry o p e ra tio n s .
e.
I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o g rad e a c c u r a t e l y u n d er c o n d itio n s
o r d i n a r i l y e n c o u n te r e d .
6.
The s k i r t i n g and g ra d in g jo b i s an e d u c a tio n a l d e m o n s tra tio n
f o r th e w ool g ro w er.
7.
C o r r a l g r a d in g on m i l l o r d e r o f some o f th e l a r g e r c l i p s may
be p r a c t i c a l p r o v id in g t h e r e are*
8.
a.
L arge b in s f o r g ra d e d w o o l.
b.
A dequate l i g h t i n g .
c.
S k i l l e d p e r s o n n e l.
U niform w ool " g r a d e ” , and “ e l a s s i f c a t i o n s ta n d a r d s " re c o g n iz e d
b y a l l f a c t i o n s o f th e w ool i n d u s t r y , a r e n e e d e d .
9.
10.
More w ool s h o u ld be s o ld by g ro w ers on a c le a n b a s i s .
The a u c tio n s y ste m o f s e l l i n g w ool sh o u ld be u se d t o a g r e a t e r
e x te n t.
11.
An e q u i t a b l e a p p r a i s a l f o r p r e p a r i n g w ools on th e s h e a r in g f l o o r
c a n n o t be known u n t i l th e m i l l s have an o p p o r tu n ity t o se e and buy such w o o ls .
79
A ll b u t one o f th e b i d s s u b m itte d f o r th e p u rc h a s e o f th e w ools i n t h i s
s tu d y w ere by m iddlem en.
12.
A m erican w ool g ro w ers can im prove t h e i r m a rk e tin g s t a t u s and
in v e n to r y v a lu e s by a c c o m p lis h in g th e f o llo w in g p r a c t ic e s *
a.
C a r e f u l s e l e c t i o n o f rams fro m f l o c k s w ith a h ig h av e ra g e
p r o d u c tio n r e c o r d .
b.
Grade a l l ewes e a c h f a l l f o r lamb p r o d u c tio n , g rad e u n i­
f o r m ity o f f l e e c e and s t a p l e le n g th .
c.
S e ll th e w ool c l i p on a c le a n p r i c e b a s i s (m ust be u n i ­
form f o r g rad e and le n g th ) w ith th e y i e l d t o be d e te rm in e d .
13.
The a m e ric a n m ethod o f m a n u fa c tu re d e v elo p ed d u rin g th e w ar
(w hole f l e e c e u se d and n o t s k i r t e d o r s o r t e d ) w i l l p r o b a b ly e l im i n a te
th e n eed o f f l e e c e p r e p a r a t io n e x c e p t f o r t a g s .
The f u t u r e c o m p e titiv e
p o s i t i o n o f f i b e r s w i l l r e q u i r e grow ers t o p ro d u ce even f i b e r le n g t h and
u n if o r m ity w ith i n th e f l e e c e .
f
80
LITERATURE CITED
I.
B la u , G erd a, W orld f i b e r e u rv e y .
N a tio n s .
2.
C anadian Dominion D ep artm en t o f A g r i c u l t u r e . C anada’ s sh eep and
w ool i n d u s t r y . 164 p . 1 9 4 8 . A g r i c u l t u r a l I n s t i t u t e o f C anada.
3.
Coon, Jam es M ., O b s e rv a tio n s on c o r r a l s k i r t i n g p r o j e c t s i n Idaho
and O regon,
(u n p u b lis h e d ) 1948.
4.
G a r s id e , A ls to n H ., Wool and th e w ool t r a d e .
5.
G re a t B r i t a i n M in is tr y o f A g r ic u ltu r e and F i s h e r i e s . The o r g a n i­
z a t i o n o f wool m a r k e tin g . 149 p . Gd ’ 32 H. M. S t a t . O ff.
6.
H i l l , John A ., Range sh e e p and wool i n th e 17 w e s te r n s t a t e s , p t . I
Range sheep by F re d 8 . H u ltz i p t . 2 Wool by John A. H ill 374 p .
«31 W ile y .
7.
J o h n s to n , A le x a n d e r, "The i n t r o d u c t i o n and a tte m p te d e s ta b lis h m e n t
o f th e A u s t r a l i a n sy stem o f w ool p r e p a r a t i o n i n t o th e U n ited
S ta te s " .
P ap er s u b m itte d f o r g ra d u a te c r e d i t i n w ool 200,
U n i v e r s i t y o f Wyoming, L a ra m ie , Wyoming, 1934.
8
.
M errio n & W ilk in s Co.
186 p . ’46 FAO o f th e U n ited
331 p . ’ 39 S to k e s .
W estern m a rk e ts f o r w e s te r n w o o l.
1940.
9.
N a tio n a l Wool
G row er. S a l t Lake C ity I ,
U tah . J a n u a r y , 1914.
10.
N a tio n a l Wool
G row er. S a l t Lake C it y I ,
U tah . F e b r u a r y , 1916.
11 .
N a tio n a l Wool
G row er. S a l t Lake C it y I ,
U ta h . M arch, 1933.
G row er, S a l t Lake
U ta h . J a n u a r y , 1939.
1 2 . N a tio n a l Wool
C ity I ,
13.
N a tio n a l Wool
G row er. S a lt Lake C it y I ,
U tah . A p r i l , 19 4 2 .
14.
N a tio n a l Wool
G row er. S a l t Lake C ity I ,
U ta h . O c to b e r, 1947.
15 .
N a tio n a l Wool
G row er. S a l t Lake C ity I ,
U ta h . F e b r u a r y , 1948.
16.
Sheep & Goat R a i s e r .
17.
U. S . C o n g re s s . S e n a te . I n v e s t i g a t i o n o f th e p r o d u c tio n , tr a n s p o r ­
t a t i o n and m a rk e tin g o f w o o l; h e a r in g s 1945. 9 0 9-1640 p .
p t . 6 . U. S . S u p t. o f Doc.
Ssm A n g elo , T ex a s.
A p r i l , 19 3 9 .
81
18.
U. S . Farm C r e d it A d m in is tr a tio n . Wool a u c tio n s i n th e U n ited
S ta te s ,
(b y ) James M. Coon and C. G. R a n d e ll, 37 p .
*41
S u p t. o f Doo.
19.
VonBergen,
1055 p .
20.
W a lk e r, J . F . , "Some f a c t o r s a f f e c t i n g th e m a rk e tin g o f wool i n
A u s t r a l i a , New Z e a la n d , and th e U nion o f S outh A f r i c a , E n g l a n d
and F r a n c e .” U .S .P .A . T ech . B u i. No. 124, 1929.
and M a u e re b e rg e r, H. R ., Am erican w ool handbook.
A m erican Wool Handbook C o ., New Y ork, N. Y. 1948.
1
•
I.
A/3 7 S
h f7 fF,
93 7^9