FOB MUTTON AND WOOL 123 



ance^of having been varnished, while a dull one does not 

 show the least tendency to glisten when held in the light. 



180. Brightness. Brightness is quite distinct from 

 lustre, as it refers altogether to the color of the wool. 

 In the market wools are said to be bright or dark as they 

 vary in this characteristic. The bright wool is one that 

 has a clear white color, while the dark wool is one that 

 has become discolored from the soil on which the sheep 

 has ranged, or some similar source. Brightness is always 

 characteristic of domestic wool and discoloration is a 

 feature of all territory wools. 



181. Yolk. This is the grease or oil that is naturally 

 secreted by the skin. As before indicated, the yolk in the 

 fleece is an indication of the healthiness of the sheep. 

 The yolk is secreted in the skin, but it passes down 

 through the fiber and finds an outlet at the end of the 

 fiber. If you will notice sheep on certain days when the 

 weather is close and the sheep are likely sweating, the 

 yolk seems to accumulate on the end of the fibre, and if 

 you were to run your hand over the fleece at that time 

 you would find it became quite oily. The yolk apparently 

 comes out at the end of the fibers and works back into the 

 fleece. In some flocks the quantity of yolk has been in- 

 creased and encouraged by selection in breeding, so that 

 heavy fleeces might be obtained. The ordinary fleece in 

 which yolk is abundant in proper quantity will lose nearly 

 one-third through washing it in hot water. This grease 

 is of no value to the manufacturer and it represents a 

 direct loss to him when it is in the fleece in very larg? 

 quantities. The feeding and the management undoubtedly 

 influence the amount of yolk. Feeding sheep foods that 

 are rich in oils seems to further the secretion of grease 

 and especially in feeding with such rations as are gen- 

 erally given to fattening sheep, the quantity of yolk s 



