3 (#23) ############################################### RAW MATERIALS on considering the second class of materials-Noils. It may be true, as indicated in "Wool Carding and Combing "* that some noils are longer than some combed tops, but this is only so when the noil from a long material--say Lincoln wool-is compared with a very short top-say a French combed top. Broadly, it is true to state that the short-fibred noils from comb- ing form one of the most important and best raw materials of the woollen industry. In Fig. I standard noils are illustrated, being drawn upon a velvet board with -in. spacings. The cross-bred noils, although about the same length as English, may show marked difference in " quality' as distinct from length. For as Professor J. Cossar Ewart, of Edinburgh University, has shown, there are three types of sheep : (I) With an under coat of wool and an outer coat of hair. (2) With a developed under coat; the outer coat being eliminated. (3) With a developed outer coat; the under coat being eliminated. Merino wools come under (2), so that any Botany noil from them is simply produced owing to the breakage of the fibres-top and noil are of exactly the same quality," the only difference is in length. On the other hand, such wools as Herdwick and Blackface show two distinct growths coming under (1). Thus a Blackface noil is largely composed of fibres of 50's to 56's quality, while the top may be only 28's or 32's quality. The different fulling properties of noils coming from the crisper English wools as against the soft noils coming from Merino cross wools must be taken specially into account. Felt makers are well aware of these differences. * Pp. 80 and 85. а. а. 3