374 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



long for the particular breed concerned. The length will vary 

 from approximately two inches in the case of the fine-wool to 

 twenty and even more inches for a single year's growth in the 

 case of some of the long-wool breeds. 



Quality of fleece. — The chief factors to be considered in de- 

 termining the quaUty of the fleece are the softness, crimp, and 

 the soundness. Quality and quantity are not associated; that 

 is to say, as a general rule the shorter-wool breeds of sheep 

 possess the finest quality of wool. As stated, the finest quality 

 of wool is located over the heart region and the poorest quality 

 on the thigh. 



The softness is estimated by pressing the fleece with the closed 

 hand. The amount of oil or yolk influences the softness to a 

 considerable extent ; also the management, the kind of food, and 

 the nature of the soil. Providing the sheep suitable quarters, 

 feeding foods rich in fat, and pasturing them on clay soils, all 

 have a tendency to increase the softness of the fleece. Chalky 

 soils, on the other hand, are noted for emphasizing harshness of 

 the fleece. Harshness is due in a large measure to the absence 

 of yolk, which results from exposure, lack of proper food, ill 

 health, and the like. 



Crimp refers to the folds or spirals of the fiber. The crimp 

 should be fine, close, and regular from one end of the fiber to 

 the other, as this indicates wool of finest quality. If the crimp 

 is irregular, short and close in places, long and wavy in others, 

 the fiber is probably unsound. In all coarse wool, the crimp is 

 open and wavy. 



Soundness indicates that the fiber should be strong from end 

 to end, as it usually will be if the crimp is fine, close, and 

 regular. To furnish an additional guide in locating unsound- 

 ness, remove a small lock of the wool and stretch evenly and 

 gently until the strength becomes apparent. If the fibers each 

 break in approximately the same place, it indicates an un- 

 sound place in the wool. When such break occurs near the 



