State Agricultural Society. 469 



If old sheep have been shorn in the Spring they cannot be shorn till 

 late in the Fall if 3*011 are to have a salable length of staple, which 

 sends them into the Winter with a short coat. Some growers com- 

 promise the question of annual or semi-annual shearing, by shearing 

 three times every two years, by which they contrive to have an eight- 

 months' fleece at a shearing; thus they shear one year quite early in 

 the Spring, then again late in the Fall, then again late in the Spring (or 

 in the Summer) of the following year. On this plan the sheep go into 

 the Winter with a good warm jacket at least every alternate year; the 

 odd j'ear they go in with a very thin and poor one. Whenever sheep, 

 at whatever season, become "dead poor" the wool becomes "fleece 

 grown," as it is termed, and produces the weak spot in the fiber which 

 makes a reduction in the selling price. Scab, where it is allowed to 

 make much progress, may be a cause of shedding wool, but there is no 

 sufficient reason for its being allowed to make such progress, and the 

 sheep raiser ought to look upon it as a disgrace to his flock, and to his own 

 management, if it do so. But of scab and of crossing breeds to procure 

 length of staple, I shall talk hereafter. These general considerations 

 bearing on the question of annual, semi annual, and eight-months shear- 

 ing, having been digested, brings us to the detail of when and how to 

 shear. 



WHEN TO SHEAR. 



As I said at lambing time, the diversity of climate in California is so 

 considerable, that no fixed date can be given at which to do anything 

 with sheep; but the Spring shearing can, generally, be begun about the 

 second "warm spell" of that season; this will have given the oil and 

 yolk sufficient chance to permeate the whole fleece, giving the wool a 

 lustrous appearance that it lacks if taken off after a thorough washing 

 or drenching by late rains. Moreover, the wool shears better in this 

 condition and acquires something in weight. The manufacturer, after 

 having scoured his wool, adds oil to make it work up well. The begin- 

 ner will not be apt to go far astray as to time of shearing if he follow 

 the example of his experienced neighbor, for he will hardly locate him- 

 self any where where sheep can be raised to advantage that there are 

 not some sheep already. But he may by this "taking items" be led to 

 shear too early, as for instance, if he should follow the example of some 

 breeder of fine bucks who may be practicing what is called 



"STUBBLE SHEARING." 



This is a reprehensible "trick of the trade," and consists in shearing 

 just late enough in the Winter to call it "Spring," and then half shear- 

 ing by taking off only the outer ends of the wool, leaving on a mode- 

 rately good fleece, particularly over those portions of the animal where 

 it may be naturally deficient. This kind of shearing is done in order 

 that the purchaser of bucks may be told that they " were shorn this 

 Spring." Happily, this trick requires a very expert hand with the 

 shears; and, in fact, few of the ordinary shearers can perform it de- 

 cently. Most, if not all, breeders of fine sheep, shear first the rams that 

 are to be for sale, and sometimes do so quite early in the Spring. Iso 

 wrong is done if they be then shorn close and the purchaser told the 

 truth when he asks the age of the fleece; for it is done in order that the 

 ram may look at his best when he is sold — a proper thing for the seller 

 to do, and not without utility to the buyer, who judges the sheep, know- 



