44 THE SHEEP. 



in the case of the breeds of Sheep whose legs and faces are 

 covered with dark hair. 



The kinds of wool, as distinguished from one another by 

 the length of the staple, are termed Long and Short. In this 

 country the long wools are the produce of the larger Sheep of 

 the plains, and possess a staple of seven inches and upwards. 

 The short wools ai;e the produce of the smaller Sheep of the 

 mountains, dow r ns, and generally of the drier or less fertile 

 country, and have wool of a staple from two to four inches. 



Wool is prepared for being spun into thread by two pro- 

 cesses entirely different in the effect and mode of execution : 

 the first is termed Combing, and prepares the wool for being 

 spun into worsted yarn, which is the kind of thread employed 

 for the stuffs called worsteds ; the second is termed Carding, 

 and prepares the material for being spun into woollen yarn, 

 which is the kind of thread suited for the manufacture of 

 woollen cloths. 



In combing, the process consists in dividing the wool by 

 means of fine steel teeth, acting in the manner of the com- 

 mon comb on knotted or entangled hair. The comb is kept 

 hot, and the wool is oiled, in order that it may pass more 

 easily between the teeth of the comb. In this manner, the 

 filaments are smoothed and arranged side by side, some- 

 what in the manner in which the fibres of hemp and flax are 

 assorted for spinning, and being then drawn out to the de- 

 gree of tenuity required, are twisted or spun, forming worsted 

 yarn. The tenuity given to these threads is of every degree, 

 suited to the various kinds of manufacture, from the thickest 

 and stoutest substances, to the most delicate articles of 

 clothing and dress. The fineness to which woollen threads 

 can be spun almost exceeds belief. It has been computed 

 that, in ordinary spinning at Norwich, a pound of wool may 

 be extended to 13,440 yards, or in superfine spinning, to 

 37,200 yards, or about 22 miles, so that a fleece yielding 

 7 lb. would produce a thread of 155 miles in length: and 

 even this degree of fineness can be exceeded. The exporta- 



