32 PROPERTIES OF WOOL. 



bility of temperature being one requisite, he should protect 

 his flocks during the winter season ; and good condition 

 being another, wholesome and nutritious food should not be 

 spared. 



FORM OF THE FIBRE. 



The fibre of wool is circular, differing materially in diam- 

 eter in the various breeds, and also in different parts of the 

 same fleece. It is generally larger towards the point and 

 also neE|.r the root, and in some instances very considerably 

 so. Mr. Youatt's description cannot be simplified- or im- 

 proved. " The fibres of white wool, when cleansed from 

 grease, are semi-transparent ; their surface in some places 

 is beautifully polished, in others curioiisly encrusted, and 

 they reflect the rays of light in a very pleasing manner. 

 When viewed by the aid of a powerful achromatic micro- 

 scope, the central part of the fibre has a singularly glittering 

 appearance. Very irregularly placed minuter filaments are 

 Bometimes seen branching from the main trunk like boughs 

 from the principal stem. This exterior polish varies much 

 in different wools, and in wools from the same breed of 

 sheep -at different times. When the animal is in good 

 cpndition and the fleece healthy, the appearance of the fibre 

 is really brilliant ; but when the sheep has been half starved, 

 the wool seems to have sympathized with the state of the 

 constitution, and either a wan, pale light, or sometimes 

 scarcely any, is reflected." 



His closing par^igraph is especially true. The wool of 

 half-starved sheep can be detected without any difiiculty by 

 the wool stapler and experienced buyer, and its consequent 

 deterioration affects the price. The fibre of such wool is 

 finer, it is true ; but the numberless breaches injure every 

 manufacture for which it is used. This is another illustra- 

 tion of the bad policy of farmers in neglecting to keep their 

 sheep in uniform good condition. Healthy sheep will pro- 

 duce healthy wool, both being always the most valuable, and 

 consequently paying the largest dividends. 



ELASTICITY. ' 



A writer observes — " There are twQ . ^nta,gonistic princi- 

 ples continually at work in every part of the frame of every 

 animal : and it is on the delicate adjustment and balance of 

 power between them, that all healthy and useful action de- 



