653 



Comeback. Tliis term is applied to a sheep raised from a cross- 

 bred ewe from a ram of one of the original breeds. It is sometimes 

 described as a Lincoln comeback or a merino comeback. 



CiwshreJ. Sheep bred from two distinct varieties, such as 

 merino and any of the longwool breeds, and merino and any of the 

 down breeds. 



Slag, or nun slag, is a ram emasculated after being used as a 

 sire. 



Yolk. The natural grease or oily matter in the wool of sheep. 



Black lip. This is the formation of the yolk into a hard black 

 spot on the outer edge of the fibres of wool. 



Staple. The length of the wool fibre. A long staple of merino 

 wool may reach 5 inches, a short one be just over ij inches. 



Combing wool is merino wool that is sufficiently long in the 

 fibre to be worked by the combing machine. Anything over 

 i [ inches is now called combing wool. Formerly it was required 

 to be longer. 



Chilling wool is any merino wool that is under ij inches in 

 length of fibre. 



" I\cinps are white hairs seen in badly bred merino wool. 

 These are 'objectionable, as they do not take the dye like true wool, 

 and their presence reduces the value of the wool per Ib. 



Lock. This term is applied to the way the wool grows on the 

 sheep's body. Thus, the Lincoln wool has a heavy blunt lock. 

 Small pointed locks are not liked by sheep farmers. Such fleeces 

 do not weigh well. 



Locks. The stained wool and coarse pieces sometimes growing 

 low down on the thighs of merino sheep; in fact, all dirty coarse or 

 badly seeded parts of the fleece are termed locks. 



Pieces. These are the parts of the fleece not sufficiently coarse, 

 stained or seedy as to go with the locks, and yet not good enough to 

 go with the fleece. 



Break in wool. This is a weak spot in the fibre caused by 

 deficient growth during a period of illness, starvation, or exposure 

 to very severe storms. Where the break occurs the wool is much 

 weaker than elsewhere. 



Dags. This term is applied to the lumps of manure formed on 

 the wool under the sheep's tail, owing to the animal having scoured 

 through a rush of young grass or other cause. Longwools are apt 

 to have dags. 



PREPARING WOOL, HIDES, ETC., FOR MARKET. 

 The following directions for preparing wool, hides, sheep skins, 

 furred skins, etc., for market, have been compiled by Messrs. Connor, 

 Doherty and Durack, Limited : 



