File:NIE 1905 Wool - diagram of Leicester lamb fleece.jpg

English: An idea of the location of the various qualities of wool is given by the accompanying diagram of a Leicester lamb's fleece. The same relative positions hold good in all kinds of fleeces. The finest and most even growth of wool is found at A, on the shoulders. In some fleeces this quality extends farther up the back (E) and toward the tail (B and F) than in others, and the quality of the wool at B is not very much inferior, although rather shorter and coarser. These two qualities would be graded in the woolen trade as picklock and prime or choice, while the wool from the portion indicated by C is frequently finer but shorter than A or B and apt to contain more irregular or colored hairs. When free from these defects C is graded as super in quality. The portions D and E shade into those on each side of them, and as they form the top of the neck and shoulder, the fibre is not as deep or close as at A or C. The portion over the loin (F) resembles B, into which it shades, and for many purposes, especially for spinning down, A, B, E, and F are frequently used together as one quality. Back of F, on the flanks, the wool becomes long and coarse, the best being found in the portions marked G. The wool at H and I is the coarsest part of the fleece, growing in large locks with long coarse hairs. It is often termed ‘breach’ wool and can only be used for very coarse yarns spinning low numbers. Beyond the extremities of I there is often a still lower quality called ‘tail’ or ‘cow-tail,’ which is coarse and hairy and can only be used for the very lowest numbers.