WOOL GEOWERS' ASSOCIATION. 443 



Mr. Lyman Gate offered the following resolution as expressive of the views 

 of this association on this subject: 



Eesolved, That the Michigan State Sheep Breeders and Wool Growers' Association 

 do hereby recommend that all wasliing of sheep previous to shearing be and is hereby 

 discouraged, and the influence of its members shall be exerted to promote the sale of 

 the wool in its natural condition, but free from all filth and in good marketable con- 

 dition. Adopted. 



There was considerable discussion on this subject, but the most of it showed 

 that if the majority of the wool growers insisted on presenting their wool to 

 the buyers unwashed, that, like any other custom, it would be adopted by the 

 purchasers, and a number of examples were cited as presenting no difficulty 

 ■when the buyer understood his business. 



Mr. Rich sustained the proposition, and said he would much rather stand 

 the dockage than to take the risks incident to washing his sheep, and the losses 

 occasioned by it. 



Mr. H. R. Dewey objected to dockages in any form. Dockages for non- 

 washed fleeces was a discouragement to those who took pains to put their wool 

 on the market in the best condition, and put the seller entirely at the control 

 of the buyer, and it did not matter of what quality or condition the wool might 

 be, off came the stereotyped one-third. 



Mr. Garlock would like to know where the buyers were who would buy or 

 were authorizod to purchase unwashed fleeces. 



Mr. J. S. Wood, of Lodi, said he had experimented a good deal during the past 

 thirty years that he had been growing sheep. He was well satisfied that wash- 

 ing his sheep was an injurious practice, and damaged the sheep twice the amount 

 it benefited the wool. What was curious also, he had found by actual trial 

 that fleeces which had been washed a month before shearing, and clipped at 

 the end of it, actually weighed heavier than the unwashed fleece did when left 

 on the sheep's back up to the same period of shearing. He could say that, as 

 a matter of justice, that the unwashed fleeces shorn in May were really lighter 

 than the washed fleeces shorn in June, and where the sheep had been allowed 

 to run in pastures during the period. 



Mr. Radford, of Marshall, said it was unquestionable that we should have to 

 adopt May as the month for the shearing, as there was one difficulty that had 

 been overlooked. He had found it impossible to keep unwashed sheep from 

 becoming maggotty if the fleece is left on till June. Early shearing he was 

 confident to say was better for the sheep. In June they were generally well 

 fed, and if shorn in May the fleece got a nice start, and in the case of ewes the 

 lambs got better fed, and besides the sheep had a heavier growth of wool to pro- 

 tect them during the early part of the fall and winter, and consequently 

 required less feed. 



Inquiry being made about buyers who purchased unwashed fleeces, Mr. An- 

 thony named A. 0. Hyde, of Marshall, as one of those liberal men in con- 

 nection with the wool-buying interests, that had purchased unwashed fleeces, 

 and was at all times ready to pay just what the wool was worth, buying it on 

 its own value as to merit and condition. 



Mr. Wood, of Lodi, had arrived at the conclusion that May was the time 

 when sheep should be clipped. 



Mr. Dryer, of Lansing, had shorn his sheep for a number of years earlier 

 and earlier, by way of testing the season when it was best to do the shearing 

 of his flock. The past year he had shorn his flock from the lOtli to tiie 15th 

 of April. His experience had learned him that he got the best prices for his 



