SHEEP -SHE A RING. 109 



different entirely from that of other hair; for 

 its constant tendency to curl and wrinkle, 

 causes it, when \voven, to thicken up, and 

 make a closer texture, as it is manufactured. 

 This surprisingly important quality renders 

 woollen garments the chief clothing of civiliz- 

 ed man ; and, in consequence, the wool is the 

 means of subsistence to thousands of manufac- 

 turers in different countries of the world. 



Sheep-shearing in the United States is only 

 performed once in the year. In warmer cli- 

 mates, application is twice made in the season 

 to this compliant animal for his suit of clothes. 

 We generally have ours sheared in the latter 

 part of May, or early in June, when the state 

 of the weather renders the operation at least 

 safe to the sheep. The performance is rather 

 a rough and toilsome one to, I believe, all con- 

 cerned. The animals have first to be washed, 



