Raw Wool Fleece: Shearing by Hand (Stewart, 1898)

Hand shearing for a small flock as an 1898 sheep manual teaches it: set the sheep on its rump and open the fleece down the belly and round the throat, then shear each side in turn without cutting too deep, and roll the fleece into a bundle tied with wool twine. Store fleeces in a shaded shed, not too dry: over-dry wool loses softness and strength. Source: H. Stewart, The Domestic Sheep (1898), pp. 285-287. Picture: the book's Fig. 33, 'Hand Shearing'.