74 TEUENESS SOUNDNESS PLIANCY. 



that defect to the least degree. Rams which have very large 

 folds on the v^er side of the neck, are very apt to exhibit 

 more or less hairs on them, and I have occasionally seen this 

 in animals of good blood and good rej)utation as sire rams. 

 It must be regarded, however, as a serious_ defect — though 

 not as inexcusable as the cropping out of hairs on other parts 

 of the body, either singly or in masses. This indicates bad 

 blood or breeding. 



Teueness aot) SotTNDNESs. — Wool should be of the same 

 diameter or fineness from root to point. This is termed 

 "trueness." On a poor sheep it grows finer, on a fat one 

 coarser. Consequently a change of condition in either direc- 

 tion correspondingly- changes the diameter of the same fiber 

 during difierent stages of its growth. The difierence is 

 sometimes visible to the naked eye. When the change of 

 condition has been great — especially when it takes place 

 from a low and tmhealthy state to a healthy and fleshy one — 

 it generally occasions "a joint" in the wool, — i. e., the place 

 in the fibers where the change began, is so weak that a slight 

 pull will detach the two parts. Indeed, they often separate 

 on the back of the animal and the whole outer part is shed 

 off. Untrue or jointed wool is not so valuable for various 

 manufactures, and the difierent parts of it do not receive 

 certain dyes equally. The entire fiber of the wool produced 

 on a diseased sheep, whether it is true or not, usually lacks 

 the proper strength. The same is the case with the wool of 

 very old and very lean sheep. Wool to be "sound" must be 

 strong, firm and elastic. 



Pliancy and Softness. — Among full-blood, healthy 

 animals, in fair condition, the pliancy and softness of wool 

 usually correspond in degree with its fineness. Where they 

 do not, I should always seriously distrust pretentions to purity 

 of blood. Some allowances, however, are to be made for 

 modes of keeping. Sheep sheltered from storms and violent 

 atmospheric changes, have softer wool than those habitually 

 exposed to them. Disease, old age and excessive leanness 

 give a drier and "wirier" feeling to wool. But whether this 

 feeling arises from natural or artificial causes, it indicates 

 inferiority of quality. Fabrics made of such materials have 

 less softness and elasticity, fret or fray more readily, and 

 break sooner at corners and on the edges of folds. They 

 ^dmit of less fiaiish, and take less rich, lustrous colors. They 



