GROWING AND FITTING SHEEP FOR EXHIBITION 269 



The Down breeds are covered with a fleece of varying 

 length, according to the breed. In these density counts 

 for more than length of staple. The less dense the wool, 

 however, in a breed, the more valuable is length of staple, 

 hence the less severe is the trimming as the length of 

 staple increases. The fleece of long wools should be of 

 great length of staple, hence the wool fibers are not 

 clipped back to any extent save on the back. 



Washing and smearing show sheep — Certain breeds 

 of sheep are washed when preparing them for the fairs. 

 Such washing, however, is apparently confined to the 

 long wooled breeds. Why washing should virtually be 

 confined to the long wooled breeds is not clearly apparent, 

 at least in all instances. It is true, however, that the 

 fleece of the long wool breeds is less able to protect itself 

 from the presence of foreign matters, and the wool is 

 washed to remove these. Washing tends to free the 

 pores of the skin from gummy and other adherent mat- 

 ters. In so far as it does this, it promotes the natural flow 

 of the lubricants that help to keep the wool fibers in a 

 correct condition. The first washing is given not long 

 subsequently to the shearing, and the second within two 

 to three weeks of the show season. The washing may be 

 conveniently done in a dipping vat if not unduly large. 

 Castile soap of good quality is generally used. But after 

 the washing all trace of the soap should be removed by 

 careful rinsing with clear water, as the continued presence 

 of soap would tend to make the fleece harsh and dry. 

 When the washing is done sufficiently long before the 

 time for exhibiting, the yolk so extends along the wool 

 fibers as to give them a brilliant appearance, the outside 

 of the fleece meanwhile being so protected to preserve 

 its snow-white appearance in the show ring. 



The practice of smearing the wool of certain breeds, 

 as, for instance, the Down breeds, is sometimes adopted. 

 It was followed more or less in Culley's time, and it is 

 still practiced in many sections of Great Britain, where 



