SHEEP UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. 23 



Experience tells them whether fine, medium, or robust wool stands their par- 

 ticular climatic conditions best, and experience also tells them the most profit- 

 able limit as regards length of staple. Having the right type of wool fixed in 

 their eye, the Australian sheepmen, by the process of selection, endeavor to 

 get as much of that type of wool as they can throughout their entire flocks. 

 By care and skill, exercised for many years, a large number of breeders have 

 brought their flocks to a wonderful standard of uniformity. * * * 



THE WOOL FROM THE SHEEP TO THE BALE. 



An idea of what is required in preparing wool to secure the ad- 

 vantage of full preparation can best be gained by following a clip 

 from the shearing shed to its final sale. 



The sheep come to the shearing shed in uniform bands. Long- 

 wool and crossbred sheep never run together, neither is either type 

 mixed with Merino sheep. With mature sheep it is unnecessary to 

 sort immediately before shearing except to separate lambs or a few 

 strays. Young sheep are carefully classed before their first shearing 

 and remain in the same uniform lots during their stay on the sta- 

 tion. This uniformity in the single lot of sheep does not mean that 

 all the fleeces go into one class. It means that the classer will have 

 to deal at one time only with fleeces of the same general type and that 

 by examining the sheep and studying the first few fleeces brought up 

 he can determine how the wool should be divided up to bring the 

 greatest total returns when sold. 



Great care is exercised to keep the wool in good condition. At one 

 Queensland shearing shed the ground from the approach to the pens 

 to the shed door is sprinkled with water to prevent dust from rising 

 and settling upon the sheep. The holding pens all have slatted 

 floors so that even if the sheep lie down no dirt adheres and the wool 

 is not soiled. 



The shearer first removes the belly wool, separating it as a single 

 piece from the fleece, when it is carried to the bin provided for 

 " bellies " near the baler. When the rest of the fleece is removed it is 

 picked up by a boy who carries it to a slatted-topped table in the 

 wool room, and while retaining his hold upon the thigh wool, throws 

 the fleece into the air and away from him in such a way that it falls 

 upon the table fully spread out, flesh side down, as shown in 

 Plate VI. 



SKIRTING AND ROLLING. 



The fleece is now skirted. Two men, one on each side of the table, 

 remove tin; tags, " britch " wool, and discolored, sandy, or burry wool 

 from the lower side and as much as may be necessary from the neck. 

 In some well-bred sheep it may not be necessary to go very deeply 

 into the britch. While the skdrters must use their judgment for each 

 fleece as to how much to remove, either from the thigh, side or neck, 

 their work is directed and supervised by the wool classer, who has 

 charge of the wool after it reaches the wool room. 



