SHEEP RAISING 



Look well to the fleece of the ram with which you cross your flock. 

 The wool-buyer running his hand over the fleece will detect every difference. 



HEAD 



J.EG 



Grades of Fleece (1) As roughly graded on the hoof. (2) As carefully graded on the 

 wool-sorters' diagram. 



Evenness of size and appearance is mostly a matter of feeding; but 

 careful sorting of the flock before marketing will help to make this better, 

 more "uniform" appearance. You can do this if you make a single file 

 lane or alley, with a shunting gate; so that you can easily pass the animals 

 along into one compartment or another, according as you wish to examine 

 them. Climate affects the fleece. Very hard winters make the wool coarse 

 and more irregular, with a short undergrowth. Constant wetting dries 

 out the "yolk," and the wool lacks life and lustre. Wash the sheep one 

 week cr two before shearing. It will then be clean but regain sufficient 

 "yolk" for good market condition. Best not shear the little lamb, though 

 some do it. Better let it have its full unshorn fleece to temper its first 

 winter. Besides, the fleece of the yearling is always the best. 



(DA lock of wool, (2, 3) sharp hooks which give Healthy and unhealthy fibres of wool, 



strength and density to the spun and woven Notice the tell-tale "break." 



thread, (4) kink or tw ; st in fibre, which makes 

 possible a long, strong thread. 



Fleece is frequently injured by the kind of preparations used in dipping. 

 Some old-fashioned "safe" dips are exceedingly dangerous. Read carefully 

 page 173 about Dips and Dipping. Conkey's Nox-i-cide Dip and Disinfectant, 

 see page 207, cures scabs and exterminates the sheep tick, does not curl, 

 burn or stain the wool, as do lime, arsenic and tobacco preparations. 



Fleeces have always been a large part of the merchandising of the 

 world. It is *hp spiral fibre or twist that gives the wool its wonderful 



