236 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



erty, so the condition of now savage races will be in time 

 changed for one of comparative civilization in which man- 

 kind become purchasers of manufactured articles, and good 

 clothing is the second necessity of life. 



NY hut does the impending change mean to the owners 

 of flocks and the manufacturers .of woolen goods? Nothing less 

 than a steadily increasing demand for wools, and that of 

 many grades suited for all demands of necessity or fashion. 

 We must produce more wool, and a greater variety of it, 

 and this means an increase of flocks, and an intelligent 

 study of the nature of the sheep's fleece, and the possibility 

 of variation of it by judicious crossing, and possibly of the 

 establishment of new breeds for this purpose. 



Wool is now differentiated by breed, and by the parts of 

 the sheep's body. It must not be supposed that the whole 

 body of a sheep bears the same kind and quality of wool. 

 This would be a wholly mistaken idea, and one that 

 would stand prominently in the way of any intelligent con- 

 sideration of this subject. And this is one of the most 

 important things for the wool grower to study when he is 

 thinking of improving his wool-bearers. The diagram here 

 given will represent the difference in the quality of the wool 

 of any one of the Down breeds, and approximately of that in 

 a Merino. For the quality of the fleece is yet dependent to a 

 large extent on the form of the frame even of the most 

 highly bred Merinos, and it will be centuries, perhaps, before 

 the most skillful breeder will be able, if ever, to overcome 

 the tendency to this local variation in wool. Hence the 

 wool-sorter's occupation will still remain, until by successful 

 crossing and long continued breeding the whole carcass 

 may bear wool of a high value if this were desirable. That 

 it will be desirable to the wool-grower seems to be certain, 

 although there is a necessity for many grades for the manu- 

 facturer. 



The wool from the center 

 of the sides, marked 1 in the 



illustration is of the finest \. ^ ' ,.../ j 



quality. At 2 and 3 the fleece 

 becomes coarser and shorter, 

 and as the breech is ap- 



