196 



TEXTILE FIBRES. 



by Sir J. D. Hooker in his Himalayan Journals : " I went to see the 

 shawl wool goats in a pen close by. There are two varieties : one is a 

 large animal with great horns, called Rappoo ; the other, smaller with 

 slender horns, is Tsilloo. The latter yields the finest wool, but they are 

 mixed for ordinary purposes. I was assured that the sheep (of which 

 large flocks were grazing near) afford the finest wool of any.* The 

 animals were caught by the tail, their legs tied, the long winter's hair 



Fig. 120. Spiny involucres of Medick. 



pulled out, and the remainder cut away with a broad, flat knife, which 

 was sharpened with a scythe stone. The operation was clumsily 

 performed and the skin much cut." 



iSilesian Wool. This, together with Saxony wool, constitutes the two 

 principal classes of wool that are imported from Germany. The fibres 

 are highly imbricated, possess great fineness of staple, are strong, and are 

 elastic in felting properties. They are also well adapted for the spinning 

 of-high-class woollen fabrics where good felting and milling properties 



