Half-Bred Wools

HALF-BRED WOOLS

A term applied to wools produced Joy breeding from two types of pure bred sheep. North - This is a cross between Border Leicester and Cheviot. It is by far the most important and valuable and is usually classed as demi-lustre wool. It has a 6-in. staple and spins 46's quality. South Ireland- - Similar in quality and length to North wools, it is clean, but not so nice in handle. Scotch Cross is between Leicester and Blackfaced, and between Cheviot and Black-faced. It is inferior in quality. Other well-known crosses are : - Down-Cheviot, Leicester-Down, Down-North, Leicester-North. These are, however, never used for breeding. Lambs or hoggs are fed and slaughtered as they reach condition for the butcher, hence these wools are chiefly from skins. Very good half-breds are also grown in Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln, Derbyshire and Warwickshire. Eastern Counties' half-breds are very good hosiery types, but are heavier, not so attractive, and have more grey fibres.