FOR MUTTON AND WOOL 115 



consumer, but with these we must include the qualities 

 desired by the wool manufacturer. Though the returns 

 from the fleece are not very large, yet the sheep breeder 

 must consider them so that the ultimate profit may be 

 as great as possible. To arrive at a correct understand- 

 ing in regard to this, the examiner must follow the best 

 method of examination and also know in detail the mar- 

 ket requirements for wool. 



164. Examining the Fleece. In examining and 

 valuing the fleece the chief points to consider are the 

 quantity, quality and the condition. In grouping "the 

 qualities under these three divisions we can include the 

 interests of those directly concerned on the various prod- 

 ucts coming from sheep, on the market. The best method 

 of arriving at the nature of a fleece is to open it first just 

 over the shoulder. It is in this region that the finest and 

 the soundest wool of the fleece is found. By using the 

 hands in a flat position instead of sticking the end of the 

 fingers into the wool the fleece may be parted in a more 

 satisfactory manner. After looking at the wool and skin 

 in this region, the thigh should be the next place of ex- 

 amination, for here grows the poorest and coarsest wool 

 of the whole fleece. Then the covering of the wool on 

 the belly also demands notice, for very often sheep are 

 quite poor in this region, making the wool light and in- 

 dicating a lack of constitution. By examining the fleece 

 in these three parts a fair estimate may be made of its 

 qualities. 



165. Quantity of Fleece. The chief factors which 

 determine the quantity are the length, density and even- 

 ness of both of these over all parts. 



166. Density. The density of the fleece means the 

 closeness of the fibers. Technically it means the number 

 of fibers that grow on a square inch. Density is not only 



