238 Western Live-stock Management 



of the fibers. Great care is taken not to allow the tem- 

 perature to become too high, as this will cause the yolk 

 to raise on the outside of the fiber, and leave the wool in 

 an undesirable condition. The object of this sweating 

 is to improve the condition of the fleece, and to make 

 shearing easier. 



From the sweating pen the sheep are moved through the 

 filling race to the catching pens. Because of the light 

 arrangement the shepherd and his dog are able to keep 

 the catching pens filled, work which in an ordinary shed 

 requires several men. Labor is thus cut down and less 

 excitement results, as the sheep are handled by the man 

 to whom they are accustomed. 



In the Australian shed the work is performed with 

 machines and the shearer's stand is swept after each sheep 

 is sheared. Each fleece is removed in two parts, namely 

 the belly and the main fleece. Belly wool and the main 

 fleece are picked up separately and handled differently. 

 The belly wool is placed in bins according to the length, 

 quality, soundness, and condition of fiber. The main 

 fleece is picked up and thrown on an adjacent skirting 

 table, where two men pull off the damaged, stained, in- 

 ferior wool, or the skirtings. After skirting, this fleece 

 is rolled up so that the shoulder wool is on the outside. It 

 is then taken to the wool-classer's table for examination. 

 The wool-classer, who is an educated and high-priced 

 man, examines each fleece carefully, and places it in bins 

 according to the length, quality, soundness, and condition 

 of the fiber. Skirtings and loose locks of the fleece that 

 drop off are gathered and taken to the piece pickers' table. 



The balers bale the wool from the bins indicated by the 

 classer. No wool is baled until it has cooled. This 

 practice allows the wool to retain its fluffiness even after 



