Significantly improved carding production capacity and materially lowered waste content in the resulting sliver is obtained by high-speed operation of the lickerin at a speed in the range of about 1400 to 2000 r.p.m. and related operation of the main cylinder at a speed such that the lickerin surface speed is in the order of 90% of the cylinder surface speed, with a stripper bar lickerin screen located specially below the lickerin.