516 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



fuzzy appearance of fleece (see Plate 2b) indicates tliat the 

 sheep as a lamb had a "nigger" pelt (see Plate 7) or 

 Avas, anyhow, of the "B" type (see Lambs: their pelts, 

 etc.). Even if the external appearance of the fleece is plain, 

 but the hair itself is of a harsh quality, the sheep was as a lamb 

 of the undesirable "B" type. Such a fleece if opened would show 

 strong crimp standing out at all angles from the body surface. Again, 

 some sheep having an external superficial appearance of fleece much 

 like that just described as resulting from lambs witli " nigger " pelts, 

 prove on handling to have good quality hair. Such sheep probably 

 had as lambs a type of curl known as "walnut," and as this is a 

 most desirable type of curl they are thus valuable sheep. We, how- 

 ever, require to know much more about this most important feature 

 of these sheep. 



The colour of the fleece varies considerably. On the new-born 

 lamb it is a jet black, and continues so until it is first shorn, when 

 the lamb is six months of age. The next fleece grown usually shows 

 some grey hairs mixed with the black, which still predominates, 

 though it often bleaches reddish-brown. After the age of twelve 

 months is reached, there is an increase in the greyness of the covering, 

 and when the sheep is from two and a half to three years old it has 

 a fleece of the colour it will keep until it ages, when it again becomes 

 brownish, due often, as mentioned above, to the presence of wool. 

 Often the colour of the adult is so grey that the sheep appear white 

 at a short distance, and, if this is due to hair and not to wool, it is 

 not undesirable. While no colour is bad if the fleece has the 

 desirable qualities indicated above, a bright blue-grey is preferred. 



The Presence of Wool. — It was mentioned above that the presence 

 of wool in the fleece was most undesirable, and it is felt that some- 

 thing more should be said about this most important factor. Experi- 

 ments in crossing with wool sheep, such as the merino or high grades 

 of woolled Persians, prove that even when a fair amount of curl is 

 obtained the appearance of woolliness spoils the pelts for furs. This 

 wool i^ersists in the higher grades, and any person grading up a 

 flock for pelt breeding should be most careful to avoid wool in any 

 form. The total absence of wool in pure-bred stock is also greatly 

 to be desired, and, as stated before, sheep which remain free from 

 wool all their lives can rightly be considered of exceptional value. 

 Most of the karakuls in South Africa, however, develop some woolliness 

 with age, and yet produce lambs having the highest lustre and the 

 most desirable type of curl. Even lambs Avhicii left nothing to be 

 desired in lustre and but little in curl at birth often show an appreci- 

 able amount of wool after twelve months of age. As an instance, 

 mention can be made of a ram lamb bred in the South-West Protec- 

 torate from an old ram "Jacob" imported with the first consign- 

 ment in 19U9. This sheep is, to date, the best lamb we have bred, 

 having splendid "pipe " curl and lustre (see Plate 3). He is now 

 decidedly woolly on his head. "Jacob" himself is a very old ram, 

 being at least twelve years of age, and has now a fleece practically 

 all wool (see Plate 4), although what hair he has shows that in his 

 youth he must have had a splendid covering. He is, however, the 

 best sire in South Africa for getting good curl pelts, and eight of 

 his sons are or have been at stud on the two Government farms, while 

 a grandson is shortly to be added to the Grootfontein stud. From 

 many instances similar to the above it would appear that in many 



