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Show 8hep New The government wool report Indl-cates Indl-cates that the average weight of fleece at this time is 6.17 pounds, as agalnsl 5.95 pounds In 1S99. 1 A report from Piedmont, Wyo., says: Eheepshearing Is in full tlisi there and as soon as the bands ara shorn they are rushed out to the sum-1 mer range, which' is already overcrowded. over-crowded. Very little wool has beea sold, the buyers being fearful of a sud den drop In the market and desiring t: take advantage of the change in piices if It corce3. A wool buyer lately returned from an inspection of sheep in Colorado. Idaho, Utah, California, Oregon and Washington, says that sheepmen arc happy over the prospects and are holding hold-ing their sheep and lambs at stia prices. As a result not many have honda as vet. SUD0lie3 Oi sheep in Oregon and Washington are light, but the supply of lambs is large all over the West, the season having been favorable for bringing them to maturity. Montana and Utah are considered by the sheep men the best wool producing Btates in the West, and are practically in control of the Weslevn market. Ths "grading up" process that i3 going or. there and in the flocks of eastern Col-rado Col-rado and other Western states and territories ter-ritories is marvelous. Fifteen year3 ago 75 per cent of the wool from Colorado Colo-rado and New Mexico wa3 graded as coarse carpet wool; now not more than 5 to 10 per cent is so graded. The change has come about through the importation of high-bred rams from the East, and the grading up of flocks. The large increase and establishment upon a permanent Dasis ui feeding business in Colorado is having hav-ing a marked effect upon the raugs business In part of the state. Both large and small owners are changing their policy and shaping it more with reference to the feeding industry. Hitherto feeders have" been obliged to depend almost exclusively upon the ranges of southern Colorado and New Mexico for their lamb supply. Thi3 has compelled them to resort to long and tedious trips and heavy expense cf transportation to the feeding pens. If they can buy more of their lambs from the near-by ranges it will save much of this trouble and expense. The northern Colorado range men will not only increase their flocks to supply this demand, but will endeavor to breed a lamb that will be especially adapted to the making of the best mutton. |