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 
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