WOOL DESCRIBED AND CLASSIFIED 7 1 



the same animal. Before being milled it is sorted or 

 graded — that is, divided into various classes according to 

 its quality — in order that each grade may be made into 

 that class of goods for which it is best suited. What may 

 be termed extreme grading divides the wool into four- 

 teen classes, as shown in Fig. 4. In Nos. i and 2 — that 

 is, on the shoulder and side — the best grades of wool are 

 found. The wool in No. 2 is slightly stronger and coarser 

 than in No. i, otherwise the quality is about the same. 

 In both it is of relatively good length and strength of 

 staple and is soft and uniform. In Nos. 3, 4 and 5, what 

 may be termed second choice wool is found. In all of 

 these the staple is relatively short and the quality lowers 

 slightly in the order given. In No. 6 is produced wool on 

 the back and loin that may be given third place. In Nos. 

 7, 8 and 9 the wool is relatively long and strong. No. 8, 

 sometimes called the breech, furnishes the coarsest wool 

 of the entire fleece. In No. 10 it is short and more or less 

 dirty. In No. 11 it is short and relatively fine. In No. 12 

 the short wool is usually damaged some by rubbing. In 

 Nos. 13 and 14 it is of but little value. In each gradation 

 there is some peculiarity that makes it diflferent from the 

 others. 



Grading the fleece as above outlined is not univer- 

 sally adhered to. Another system, outlined in the Inter- 

 national Library of Technology, is now more generally in 

 favor apparently than that given above. It grades wool 

 on different parts of the fleece by the following gradation, 

 each successive grading being less valuable than the pre- 

 ceding: (i) Shoulders and sides; (2) lower part of the 

 body; (3) loin and back; (4) upper part of legs; (5) 

 upper portion of the neck ; (6) central part of the back ; 

 (7) the belly ; (8) the root of the tail sometimes called 

 the rumps ; (9) the lower part of the legs ; (10) the head, 

 throat and chest, the wool on these having practically the 

 same characteristics; and (11) the shins or shank. _ _ 



A third division of the qualities of wool, and which 



