362 REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 



such an extent, even in the same fleece, that of it nothing can 

 be said."* The fineness of the wool differs greatly on differ- 

 ent sheep, and equally on different parts of the same sheep. 

 The wool on the side of the neck and covering the shoulders, 

 the ribs and the back, is considered the finest. The next 

 covers the superior parts of the legs and the thighs, and ex- 

 tends up to nearly the haunch and the tail and a still inferior 

 portion runs along the upper part of the neck, the throat, the 

 breast, the belly and the lower part of the legs.f Tempera- 

 ture and other causes affect in an especial manner the fineness 

 of the pile pasture, and the general feed and management of 

 sheep, exert a far greater influence on the fineness and the 

 quality of the wool than any thing else.f The more equal in 

 quality the wool is on all parts of the body, the greater is the 

 value of the animal that carries it. 



Connected with fineness is trueness of staple as equal a 

 growth as possible over the animal a freedom from shaggy 

 portions, here and there, which are occasionally observed on 

 poor and half-kept sheep. Allied to trueness of fibre is a free- 

 dom from coarse hairs which project above the general level 

 of the fleece in various parts. The term also implies a free- 

 dom from those irregularities in bulk of the fibres of the wool, 

 which render it difficult at times to give it a definite name or 

 character. 



Soundness, as connected intimately with trueness, or purity 

 of staple, means strength of the fibre generally. This is an 

 important property, and is considered indispensable in long 

 wool. The fleece deteriorates in consequence of age; the wool 

 is also liable to injury by felting, while remaining on the back 

 of the animal; which is the case with heavy breed, but more 

 especially those that are only half kept. Mr. PARKINSON notes 

 two diseases of wool; if they really exist they should be term- 

 ed defects. That which sets thinly on the pelt, he terms 

 feathery and the other defect watery wool. "It is so full of 

 grease it looks damp." 



Softness of pile is a most desirable quality in wool. Wool 

 is necessarily subject to numerous manipulations, and the judi- 

 cious manufacturer invariably gives the preference to that 

 which is soft, pliable, and elastic. In the opinion of the best 

 judges the pile cannot be too soft and silky, provided the 

 strength thereof is not impaired; and it is stated in the Far- 



* LUCCOCK, pp. 178, 179. t Sheep Husbandry, p. 66. 



t The wool of sickly or murrain sheep is generally not only finer than in a 

 healthy sheen of the same breed, but it possesses this tender quality not to be 

 detected by the eye, nor even by the microscope unless that it may be suspect- 

 ed by a slight degree of polish, and not having so round and full or plump ap- 

 pearance. Parkinson on Live-Stock. Ibid. 





