118 JUDGING SHEEP 



flannels and certain kinds of rough cloth, shortness in 

 the fiber is its leading: characteristic. If the fiber of a 

 fleece, however, is four inches long, it would, on its 

 length, be classified as combing wool, but if that fiber has 

 a weak spot in it where it readily breaks it passes from 

 the combing class into the clothing class and drops two 

 or more cents on the pound in price. The delaine wools 

 are fine wools that are not longer than three inches. They 

 are used for making the finest kinds of cloth. The comb- 

 ing wool must in the first place be strong to stand the 

 process of combing, and with that the greatest length is 

 desired. In further reference to the quality of the wool, 

 in examining a fleece, it should be noticed that the length 

 and the density are even over all parts. Considering: first 

 the length, the fleece should be examined at the brisket, 

 on top of the back, along the side on the thigh and on 

 the belly. As a rule sheep fitted for show are trimmed in 

 such a way that the wool in front of the brisket is much 

 longer than that on top of the back, and the same may be 

 said of that on the sides. In an untrimmed sheep, on 

 which the wool has grown naturally, it will be found that 

 there is a natural variation in the length of the fiber on 

 different parts of the body. The wool on the brisket will 

 invariably be found to be longer than that on the top or 

 in most other parts. The density of the fleece may be 

 determined by the feel of it under the hand. If the fleece 

 feels firm and it seems to be compact, it is likely dense. 



169. Quality of Fleece. As in most other instances 

 it is rare to find quality and quantity associated. As a 

 general rule it will be found that the short wooled sheep 

 have the finest quality of wool. In judging of the qual- 

 ity, it should be noted again that the finest wool occurs 

 just over the heart and on the belly, while the coarsest 

 grows on the thigh. 



