SORTING WOOL. 



289 



it has been known to have been effective in misleading 

 judges who have been careless in giving thorough examina- 

 tion to the sheep in the pens. At the same time exhibitors 

 should take all honest means to put their sheep in the best 

 condition for the examination by the judges; for it some- 

 times happens that the best may lose position for want of 

 being duly prepared for the competition. 



SORTING WOOL. 



There are several qualities of wool in a sheep's fleece. The 

 character of the fiber varies the least in the Merino breeds, 

 more in the coarse wools, but most in the common natives. 

 But in all there is a difference. This is best seen in the 

 illustration, fig. 38, of what is known as a skirted fleece. 

 This is an Australian fleece, and it is to this method of sort- 

 ing the wool of a fleece that our tariff is applied. The skirted 



Vool 



2: 3 



2 | 3 ) 



.--* 



FIG. 38. A Skirted Fleece. 



1, Firsts, neck and skirts; 2, Second pieces : 3, Third pieces; 4, Stained 

 wool; 5, Belly wool; 6, Broken wool; 7, Skirted wool. 



wool being the best part of the fleece, is subject to the 

 highest import duty, on account of the higher value of it. 

 The fleece being laid on the \vool-sorter' s table, this expert 

 individual tears it to pieces, separating the various qualities, 

 as if by instinct, into the different grades. These are men- 

 tioned under the engraving. 



This example is an object lesson to the breeder whose 

 ambition and business it. is to improve his flock. For it is 

 evident, the more tho fleece mav contain of the No. 7 



