32 FITTING SHEEP 



lum. Then why should not the same apply to the shepherd 

 who would dare take his sheep from the field and put them 

 into the show ring with the hope of beating well-fitted ani- 

 mal s. 



How to Stubble Shear. 



What is stubble shearing? Stubble shearing is,, to be frank 

 and truthful, dishonest shearing; nothing more; nothing less. 

 If we take a sheep, and instead of taking off the fleece as 

 close to the skin as possible, we take only half of it off and 

 leave the other half on to be trimmed and moulded into a 

 shape that will make the sheep appear fat, square, and plump, 

 we are guilty of stubble shearing. How is a sheep stubble 

 shorn? First, take your shears and level off the back; next, 

 make the under line or belly as level as possible, after which 

 trim off what you think necessary from the sides. The breast 

 and hind quarters are usually left full and gradually reduced 

 and molded into a pleasing form by frequent trimming. A 

 sheep, directly after being stubble shorn, usually presents a 

 very rough and uncouth appearance, and is anything but a 

 pleasing picture, but after it has been trimmed several times 

 it gradually grows into a pleasing one. Directly after being 

 shorn the sheep should be well washed, and then carefully 

 trimmed while the fleece is yet moist. 



Show Lambs Not to be Shorn. 



It is unusual to shear lambs intended for show purposes; 

 trimming, however, must be practiced, and that as soon as 

 the fleece has a good growth. They should by frequent trim- 

 rning be gradually brought into the desired form. The be- 



