1 86 THE SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY 



Tender. Description given to wool that will break at a certain part of the 

 fibres when subjected to any light strain. Tender wools give a larger 

 percentage of noil than sound wools. 



Tick. A small parasite about size of housefly which eats into skin of sheep 

 making it poor in condition, also discolouring and reducing the density 

 of the wool. 



Top -knot. The short fuzzy wool growing on top of sheep's head. 



Tops. Consisting of partially manufactured wool, which has been scoured 

 and then combed, the combing resulting in top and noil, the former 

 consisting of all the long straighten ed-out fibres suitable for worsted 

 yarns. 



Trotters. Sheep's feet, very often left on sheep-skins by butchers. 



Twaddle. Instrument used for measuring the strength of acid solutions. 



Twist. The amount of turns or twist given to wool when spinning it into 

 yarn. Some materials require a tightly twisted yarn, while others, such 

 as flannels, blankets, etc., do not require so much. 



Two-tooth. Name given to twelve months old sheep. Sheep usually get two 

 teeth every twelve months up to three years ; they are then known as old 

 or full-mouthed sheep. A four-tooth would be two years old. 



Unskirted. Wool sent to town without any preparation whatever, having been 

 placed in the bales just as it comes off the sheep. 



Vermont. A very wrinkly breed of Merino sheep growing a heavy fleece of 

 very heavy-conditioned and black-tipped wool. Vermont Merinoes were 

 originally imported from America. 



Warp. The threads or yarn in a cloth which run longways. Warp threads 

 are spun from sound-stapled wool. 



Weevils. Small grub-like worm which destroys the pelts of sheep and other 

 skins. Skins should be painted with an arsenic solution to prevent -this. 



Weft. The threads or yarn in a cloth which runs across, or at right angles 

 to the warp. Weft yarns are mostly spun from tender wools, and in 

 some cases are just strong enough to stand the strain of weaving. 



Wethers. Male sheep which have been castrated when lambs. 



Williams' Boxes. Apparatus for washing the dirt out of wool after it has 

 been soaked in the hot scouring liquor. 



Wisel. Wind-pipe of sheep. 



Wool-classer. Person employed on sheep-stations and elsewhere to class 

 fleece into its various grades and qualities so that it can be offered 

 for sale in even qualities. 



Woollens. Name given to type of goods such as blankets, flannels, rough 

 tweeds, etc. Woollens are made from rough and uneven yarns which 

 spread in the finishing process which woollens undergo, and hide the 

 weave of the material altogether. Blankets when leaving the weav- 

 ing loom look more like pieces of a woolpack than blankets, the 

 "kind" and "soft" appearance being given to it by the finishing 

 process. 



Wool-sorter. Man employed by manufacturers to sort fleece wool into its 

 various qualities, the sorters making anything from six to ten sorts out 

 of a fleece. 



