nce
a hog fleece from a wether, and this can be done in two ways: by
examining the ends of the fiber to see if they are pointed; or by
pulling a staple out of the fleece. If it is wether, the staple will
come out clean, without interfering to any extent with those around
it; but if hog, some of the fibers will adhere to the one that is
being pulled. Hog wool is generally more full of dirt, moss, straw,
and other vegetable matter.

=Dead Wool= is wool obtained from the pelts of sheep that have died.

=Pulled Wool.= Pulled wool is wool from the pelts[10] as they come
from the slaughter-houses of large packing plants. These pelts are
thrown into vats of water and left to soak for twenty-four hours to
loosen the dirt which has become matted into the wool. From these
vats the pelts are taken to scrubbing machines from which the wool
issues perfectly clean and white. The pelts are next freed from any
particles of flesh or fat which may have adhered to them, and are then
taken to the "painting" room. Here they are laid flesh side up and
carefully painted with a preparation for loosening the roots of the
wool. This preparation is allowed to remain on the pelts for
twenty-four hours, when it is cleaned off and the pelts taken to the
"pulling" room. Each wool puller stands before a small wooden
framework over which the pelt is thrown, and the wool, being all
thoroughly loosened by the "paint" preparation, is easily and quickly
pulled out by the handful. As it is pulled it is thrown into barrels
conveniently arranged according to grade and length.

When a barrel is filled, it is transferred to a large room across
which are several rows of wire netting, raised about three feet from
the floor. Each sheet of netting is about six feet wide. Here the wool
is piled on the netting to a depth of several inches and hot air is
forced underneath it by means of a blower. Meanwhile it is worked over
by men with rakes, and soon dries. When thoroughly dry, it is raked up
and taken to the storeroom, where it is dumped into bins. Here it
usually remains open for inspection and sampling till it is sold, when
it is bagged. The bags of wool ultimately find their way to the woolen
mill or sampling house. Sometimes the fleece will retain its fleece
form, but usually it breaks up. The wool contains lime and has to be
specially treated by a scouring process to prevent lime from
absorbing the cleansing substances used for scouring the wool.

=Delaine