998 



Rural School Leaflet. 



The chief factors in determining the quantity of wool are the length 

 and density and an even distribution of wool having these factors over 

 all parts of the body of the sheep. We find the poorest part of 

 the fleece over the thigh. The lower part of the abdomen should 

 also be examined because here the growth of wool is often 

 scanty and in order to produce a large quantity of wool the 

 sheep should have its body covered all over as evenly as 

 possible. The best way to examine the wool on the body is 

 to use the hands in 

 a flat position sepa- 

 rating the wool and 

 thus determining its 

 quantity and quality 

 and also the condi- 

 tion of the skin. The 

 density of the wool, 

 the number of the 

 fibres to the square 

 inch, is important for 

 several reasons. A 

 sheep with an open 

 loose fleece is liable 

 to contract colds 

 from exposure to 

 wind, snow, and rain, 

 experience chills and 

 thus weaken the con- 

 stitution. A loose fleece gathers more dirt than a close fleece, and 

 this impairs the quality of the wool from the manufacturer's stand- 

 point. 



In regard to length of staple, wools are generally classed into the short 

 stapled or carding wools, and the long stapled or combing wools. There 

 is another market classification which is similar to this but more definite. 

 This classification is based upon the length and strength of the fibre; 

 first, the clothing wool, which is short or weak; second, the delaine class, 

 a fine wool two or three inches in length, and third, the combing class, 

 a strong wool three inches or more in length. The first two classes 

 come from the fine and middle wooled breeds, and the combing wool 

 comes mainh^ from the long wooled breeds. 



The soundness and quality of the wool is of course important from 

 the manufacturer's standpoint. The soundness is largely influenced by 



U^ 



Fig. 73. — Cheviot, long wooled type 



