222 Sheep-Farming 



upon fineness, luster, and brightness. Condition 

 refers to soundness, purity, and oil or yolk. The 

 best method of studying the nature of the fleece on 

 the sheep is to open it first just over the shoulder. 

 In this region the finest of the wool is found. By 

 using the hands in a flat position instead of sticking 

 the ends of the fingers into the wool, the fleece may 

 be parted in a more satisfactory manner. After 

 looking at the wool and the skin in this region, the 

 thigh should be the next place of examination, for 

 here grows the poorest and coarsest wool of the whole 

 fleece. Then the covering of the wool on the belly 

 also demands notice, for very often sheep are quite 

 poor in this region, making the wool light and indi- 

 cating a lack of constitution. By partially closing 

 the hand upon the surface of the fleece, one may 

 readily judge the density. 



Fineness. — Ordinarily, flneness will be in propor- 

 tion to density, but among dense fleeces there may 

 be a wide variation in fineness. When the fleece is 

 parted at the side of the shoulder, the extent to which 

 the fibers appear to be closely packed together shows 

 the fineness. "Crimp" is a term used to designate 

 the waves or folds that are to be seen all along the 

 length of the fibers. Fineness is proportionate to 

 the closeness of these folds. In coarse-wooled sheep 

 they are little more than waves, while in the finer 

 breeds the crimp shows as folds at right angles to 

 the length of the fiber and very close together. 



