As long-stapled wools are used for worsted goods, and stapled for woolen goods, the various breeds which yield these two leading kinds are naturally divided into the long wooled and short-wooled classes cf sheep. The Lincoln, the Leicester, and the Cotswold breeds are considered good types of the former; and the Down, the Welsh, and the Shetland breeds, of the latter.
The following brief notice of the characteristic properties of the various native wools is founded upon the description given to them iu the jury report of the international exhibition of 1862, class IV.
Of the " long wools," the Lincoln has greatly risen in value of late years. It is coarse, of great length, and silky in appearance, so that it is well adapted for '• luster" goods, in imitation of alpaca fabrics. Leicester wool is highly esteemed for combing. It is rather finer in the hair, but not usually so soft and silky in the staple as the last. Cotswold wool is similar to the Leicester, but somewhat harsher. It is not suited for luster goods. Highland wool is long stapled, and of coarse quality, but known to be susceptible of great improvements. The practice of " smearing" greatly depreciates its value. It is chiefly used for time coarsest kinds of woolen fabrics, as carpets, rugs, and similar articles. It is also used for Scotch blankets.
Of the "short wools," the different breeds of Downs partake very much of the same characters, but soil and climates so far affect them. The South Down, is a short-stapled, small-haired wool, the longer qualities of which are put aside for combing purposes, and the shorter for the manufacture of light woolen goods, such as flannel. The Hampshire Down differs from it in being coarser, and in having the staples usually longer. The Oxford Down, again, exceeds the last in length and coarseness of staple. The .itioifolk Down, on the hand, when clean, is of a very fine and valuable character. The a Shropshire Down is breed increasing in importance, and is longer in the staple, and has more luster than any of the other Down breeds. Ryelands wool is fine and short, but the breed is nearly extinct. The Welsh and Shetland wools have a hair-like texture, deficient in the spiral form, upon which depends the relative value of bigh-class wools.
are only suited for goods where the properties of shrinking and felting are not required. Shetland wool is obtained of various natural tints, which enables it to be used for producing different patterns without dyeing.
Of the intermediate wools, Dorset is clean, soft, and rather longer, and not quite so .
fine the staple as the Down breeds. The Cheviot has increased very much of late years in public estimation. It is a small fine-haired wool, of medium length, and is suitable for woolen and worsted purposes, for which it is largely used.
Some of the British colonies arc very important wool-producing countries, Australia in this respect standing far in advance of all other countries whatever. The Australian wool has in general a beautiful, short, silky staple, well adapted for the manufacture of soft, pliable, and elastic fabrics. All the settled districts of this continent have been found well adapted to the growth of fine-wooled sheep, and the extraordinary increase in the flocks forms one of the most remarkable features of the colony. The breed has sprung from three merino rams and five ewes taken out by rapt. 3fcArt1ur in 1797. The alpaca wool grown in Australia since the creature was introduced some years ago is of inferior quality; but this is supposed to have arisen from rearing the animals too near the coast, and hopes are now entertained of succeeding better with it inland.
The wool of Cape colony has of late years been greatly improved by the introduction of merinos, and, as will be seen from tho table below, the exports from it are increasing very rapidly.
Among the imports from India, wool has of late become an important article, the quantity having risen frdm 2,500,000 lbs in 1840, to 21,500.000 lbs. in 1877; but the supply is rather fluctuating. A great deal of the Indian wool is coarse and hairy, and can only be used for low-class goods. We may state here that the most costly of all wools is obtained from the Thibetan goat, and is found next the skin, under the thick hair of the animal. From it, the far-famed Cashmere shawls are made. The highest. price of any quality which is sold is from 6s. to 7s. per lb. in the native markets, but the maharajah of Cashmere keeps a strict monopoly over the best kind.