TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 201 



The soundness of wool refers to its freedom from weak 

 spots. Sickness, a sudden shock from a blizzard, lack of feed, 

 a rapid change from green to dry feed, or vice versa, and over- 

 feeding often cause the secretion of wool to be lessened for a 

 time, thus producing tender wool. Under the microscope the 

 fibers are found to be narrow in those parts produced under 

 adverse conditions. Yarn made from such wool will be lacking 

 in strength. Sickness will often cause a distinct break in the 

 fiber throughout the fleece. (See Fig. 87.) 



Wool is said to have luster when the fibers glisten as though 

 thinly varnished. This feature is especially prized in long- 

 wooled sheep. A luster wool takes a dye more readily than does 

 a dull, or lusterless, wool. Furthermore, the luster is plainly 

 apparent in the finished cloth, improving its appearance. 



The color of the wool fiber should be a clear white. The 

 occurrence of brown or black fibers mixed in the fleece sub- 

 jects the animal to much criticism. Such wools cannot be used 

 in the manufacture of white goods or those of light shades. 

 Unless the fiber has perfect whiteness, a rich, brilliant dye can- 

 not be secured by the manufacturer. 



As regards cleanness, all sorts and conditions of fleeces 

 are found, ranging from those above criticism, to those that 

 are a mass of burs, sand, bits of straw, manure, and other rub- 

 bish the whole fleece being matted together and constituting 

 a product of no commercial value. Cleanness depends mostly 

 upon the conditions under which the sheep are kept, although 

 some fleeces, on account of their oiliness and density, tend to 

 keep free from foreign material, while others, on account of their 

 open, dry, fluffy character, offer no resistance to the entrance 

 of foreign matter. 



By purity of fleece is meant its freedom from hair, called 

 "kemp," and from dead fibers. With unfavorable conditions 

 of keep and inferior breeding there is often a reversion of the 

 fleece to the covering worn by early sheep; that is, hair begins 

 to appear in place of wool. Dead fibers and kemp do not absorb 

 dyes, hence they injure the cloths into which they find their way. 



The fleece is said to have freeness when the locks and fibers 

 are not entangled, but part off readily from one another. When 

 the fibers are tangled, or matted together, the fleece is said to 

 be "cotted." 



A fleece with uniformity is one having sameness in char- 

 acter throughout. Although there is a natural tendency for 



