FOR MUTTON AND WOOL 123 



179. Lustre. This refers to the glistening appear- 

 ance of the fiber when held to the light. This is inde- 

 pendent of the amount of yolk, and it is also quite dis- 

 tinct from the brightness of the fiber. Although yolk in 

 a fleece may add to the lustre of the fiber, yet all lustrous 

 wools have this characteristic independent of the amount 

 of yolk that is present. The chief advantage from a com- 

 mercial standpoint that attaches itself to lustrous wools 

 is that they more readily take delicate dyes. Wools in 

 the market are known as lustrous or dull, according to 

 the appearance of the fiber. The lustrous fiber has the 

 appearance of having been varnished, while a dull one 

 does not show the least tendency to glisten when held 

 in the light. 



180. Brightness. Brightness is quite distinct from 

 lustre, as it refers altogether to the color of the wool. In 

 the market wools are said to be bright or dark as they 

 vary in this characteristic. The bright wool is one that 

 has a clear white color, while the dark wool is one that 

 has become discolored from the soil on which the sheep 

 has ranged, or some similar source. Brightness is always 

 characteristic of domestic wool and discoloration is a 

 feature of all territory wools. 



181. Yolk. This is the grease or oil that is naturally 

 secreted by the skin. As before indicated the yolk in the 

 fleece is an indication of the healthiness of the sheep. 

 The yolk is secreted in the skin, but it passes down 

 through the fiber and finds an outlet at the end of the 

 fiber. If you will notice sheep on certain days when the 

 weather is close and the sheep are likely sweating, the 

 yolk seems to accumulate on the end of the fiber, and if 

 you were to run your hand over the fleece at that time 

 you would find it became quite oily. The yolk apparently 

 comes out at the end of the fibers and works back into the 



