TERMS AND MEANINGS 185 



Shearing. The annual removal of the wool from the sheep by the 



shearers. Shearing is the most important event of the year on sheep. 



stations. 

 Shed Hands. Men employed at shearing time to take wool away from 



shearers, pen up sheep, etc. They are also called " rouseabouts." 

 Sheep-classing. The selection of the best sheep for breeding purposes, and 



rejection of inferior and other sheep that differ from the desired 



type. 

 Shoddy Wool. The product obtained from torn-up worsted and long-fibred 



rags. It is made up again into various types of fabrics. 



Shorn Wool. Wool shorn from sheep in usual manner. Wool from sheep- 

 skins, dead wool, etc., would not be called shorn wool. 

 Short-woolled Sheep. British breeds of sheep growing short, fine wool such 



as the Shropshire, Southdown, etc: 

 6o's. Meaning a wool of a certain quality. 6o's is the quality of average 



Merino wool, and means that i Ib. of 6o's quality top will spin 60 hanks 



of yarn, each 560 yards long ; 5o's will spin only 50 hanks, etc. 

 Slipe Wool. Wool removed from sheep-skins by fellmongers. 

 Sloppy Hide. Description given to a hide which has not had much salt and is 



in a very wet and sloppy condition. 

 Spinner Person who spins scoured wool or tops into yarns ready for 



weaving. 

 Squatter. Name given to early sheep farmers who first took up virgin 



country in Australia. 

 Stained Wool. Wool on britch of sheep stained by dung and urine. This 



wool cannot be washed white, and is therefore used for manufacturing 



dark goods only. 

 Staple. Small bunch of wool fibres which hang together ; wool grows in 



staples. 

 Star Lot. Small lot of wool consisting of three bales and under in Victoria, 



five bales and under in New South Wales and Queensland. Star lots 



are sold in a different room from other lots, so that large buyers are not 



kept waiting while small lots are sold. 



Station. Large sheep farms are called sheep stations in Australia. 

 Sticky Neck. The neck wool of sheep grazing on scrubby country gets 



full of sticks, etc., owing to sheep forcing their way through 



bushes. 

 Sulphide of Sodium. Chemical used for loosening the wool on sheep-skins 



prior to fellmongering them. 



Sweating. Method employed by fellmongers to remove the wool from sheep- 

 skins. The skins are hung up in a closed chamber till the pores of the 



pelt swell, thus loosening the wool. 

 Tar Brands. Sheep farmers sometimes brand their sheep with tar ; this ruins 



the wool. The best way to remove them is to clip the tops of the 



brands from the wool, as they cannot be washed out. 



Tare. Allowance made to buyer to compensate him for weight of wool- 

 packs. The buyer pays for the net weight of the wool only, less 



" Draft." 



