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THE SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY 



light cannot reflect properly on the uneven surface of the fibres, 

 whereas in the case of the coarse wools the scales are more even 

 and larger, consequently the fibre has a smoother surface, more 

 like that of hair. This smooth surface of the coarse wools gives 

 the light an almost unbroken reflection on the surface of the fibre, 

 thus accounting for their greater brilliancy. In case I am not 

 understood, take, for instance, a piece of unplaned timber with 

 a rough surface and give it a coat of enamel, then take a planed 

 piece of timber with a smooth surface and enamel it also. 

 The wood with the smooth surface will show a much greater 



[/Vow " Textiles," by kind permission oj A. F. Barker, Esq. 



MICROGRAPHS OF WOOL FIBRES. 



a. Australian Merino. b. Southdown. c. New Zealand Cross-bred. 

 d. Lincoln. e. Alpaca. /. Mohair. 



lustre than the rough piece, because the reflection of the light is 

 scattered and broken on the unplaned piece, while it has an 

 unbroken reflection on the other. Photographers can get a 

 glossy shine on their prints by pressing them face down on to 

 a smooth glass plate and removing the slightest unevenness on 

 the surface of the print, thus giving it a brilliant gloss as the 

 light has nothing to interrupt its reflection. Wool qualities, or 

 in plainer words, the diameter of the fibres, vary a great deal. 

 Fine Merino wool from 6o's to 7o's quality has 1,000 to 1,200 

 scales to the inch for the whole length of the fibre, and English 



