248 LIVE-STOCK JUDGING 



covered from tip to toe, well wooled under the belly and in 

 the arm pits and groin, where most sheep are comparatively 

 bare. In addition, they presented the maximum skin area 

 from which to grow the fleece by virtue of the elaborate 

 system of folds into which their skin was thrown. In 

 response to modern demand this form has been increased 

 in size, and its angularity has been amplified into rotund- 

 ness, at least, insuring not only more of a carcass but 

 greater constitutional vigor. The folds and wrinkles have 

 been almost completely bred out, fine wool sheep being 

 classified at the present time as to the presence or absence 

 of wrinkles. 



263. Conformation. — Attention has already been di- 

 rected to the fact that the market demands an acceptable 

 mutton carcass from every sheep, even though they 

 may be primarily wool producers. The conformation of 

 the wool sheep, therefore, follows that already described 

 for the mutton sheep as far as is consistent with fine wool 

 production, and does not depart therefrom in the same 

 extreme degree as does the dairy cow from the beef steer. 

 It is generally characterized, however, by being more 

 sparely furnished with natural flesh and by having less 

 breadth and fullness of parts than is characteristic of 

 the mutton sheep. 



264. Quality. — There is naturally associated with the 

 fine fleece by which this sheep is distinguished an unusual 

 degree of refinement. They are not large, and while 

 somewhat unsymmetrical in shape they have fine heads, 

 clean bone, deUcate, pink skins, and what hair there is 

 on the tip of their noses and legs matches, in fineness, 

 the fleece with which they are covered. 



265. The fleece. — Quantity, quality and condition are 

 the essentials of a good fleece. Quantity is determined by 



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