SHEEP—UNITED STATES, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA. 28 
Experience tells them whether fine, medium, or robust wool stands their par- 
ticular climatic conditions best, and experience also tells them the most profit- 
able limit as regards length of staple. Having the right type of wool fixed in 
their eye, the Australian sheepmen, by the process of selection, endeavor to 
get as much of that type of wool as they can throughout their entire flocks. 
By care and skill, exercised for many years, a large number of breeders have 
brought their flocks to a wonderful standard of uniformity. * * * 
THE WOOL FROM THE SHEEP TO THE BALE. 
An idea of what is required in preparing wool to secure the ad- 
vantage of full preparation can best be gained by following a clip 
from the shearing shed to its final sale. 
The sheep come to the shearing shed in uniform bands. Long- 
wool and crossbred sheep never run together, neither is either type 
mixed with Merino sheep. With mature sheep it is unnecessary to 
sort immediately before shearing except to separate lambs or a few 
strays. Young sheep are carefully classed before their first shearing 
and remain in the same uniform lots during their stay on the sta- 
tion. This uniformity in the single lot of sheep does not mean that 
all the fleeces go into one class. It means that the classer will have 
to deal at one time only with fleeces of the same general type and that 
by examining the sheep and studying the first few fleeces brought up 
he can determine how the wool should be divided up to bring the 
greatest total returns when sold. 
Great care is exercised to keep the wool in good condition. At one 
Queensland shearing shed the ground from the apprcoach to the pens 
to the shed door is sprinkled with water to prevent dust from rising 
and settling upon the sheep. The holding pens all have slatted 
floors so that even if the sheep lie down no dirt adheres and the wool 
is not soiled. 
The shearer first removes the belly wool, separating it as a single 
piece from the fleece, when it is carried to the bin provided for 
“bellies” near the baler. When the rest of the fleece is removed it is 
picked up by a boy who carries it to a slatted-topped table in the 
wool room, and while retaining his hold upon the thigh wool, throws 
the fleece into the air and away from him in such a way that it falls 
upon the table fully spread out, flesh side down, as shown in 
Plate VI. 
SKIRTING AND ROLLING. 
The fleece is now skirted. ‘Two men, one on each side of the table, 
remove the tags, “ britch ” wool, and discolored, sandy, or burry wool 
from the lower sides and as much as may be necessary from the neck. 
In some well-bred sheep it may not be necessary to go very deeply 
into the britch. While the skirters must use their judgment for each 
fleece as to how much to remove, either from the thigh, side or neck, 
their work is directed and supervised by the wool classer, who has 
charge of the wool after it reaches the wool room. 
