FLEECE OF THE MEEINO. 71 



heavy folds on the neck of the ram and more moderate sized 

 ones on the neok of the ewe — but few besides a class of 

 extremists desire these to extend in great, prominent rolls 

 over the upper side of the neck. The cross extended into 

 a pendulous "apron" — a short fold or two on and immediately- 

 back of each elbow — some small curling ones on and uniting 

 with the edges of the tail, (so as to give it a corrugated 

 appearance, and twice its natural breadth,) some smallish ones 

 uniting on the breech under the tail, and running in the 

 direction of lines drawn from the tail to the stifle, or perpen- 

 dicular ones up and down the back edges of the thighs, which, 

 when the wool is grown, close over the twist — a wide plaited 

 fold of loose corrugated skin running up the front edge of the 

 thigh and across the lower edge of the flank, so as to give 

 both the appearance of extraordinary breadth — and finally a 

 general looseness of the skin, which disposes it to lie in small, 

 rounded, very slightly elevated and perfectly soft ridges 

 over the body, giving it a crinkled appearance, but ofiering 

 no obstruction whatever to the shears, and not showing 

 on the surface of the fleece — are now the points, in these 

 regards, which constitute the ideal of the Merino breeder. 



Fleece. — The greatest attainable combination of length 

 and thickness of wool, of the given quality, is the first point 

 to be regarded in a market where all lengths are in equal 

 demand. And the more evenly this length and thickness 

 extend over every covered part, unless below the knees and 

 hocks, the higher the excellence of the animal. It is in this 

 point especially that the modern breeder has improved on his 

 predecessors; and it is this, in a very considerable degree, 

 which gives the improved American Merino its vast supe- 

 riority in weight of fleece over aU other fine sheep, of the 

 same size, in the world. 



Wool of full length below the knees and hocks would hardly 

 be desirable on account of its^ liability to become filthy, — but 

 a thick, shortish coat, particularly on the hind legs, making 

 them appear " as large as a man's arm," is regarded by most 

 as a fine, showy point^though it does not add much to the 

 value of the fleece. The wool should extend in an unbroken 

 and undivided mass from the back of the neok over the top of 

 the head and down the face for an inch or two below the eyes, 

 and there abruptly terminate in a square or rounded shape ; 

 it should cover the lower side of the jaws nearly to the mouth, 

 and rise on the cheeks so as to leave only the front face bare. 



