SHEEP BATHS. 93 



tageous to change the water too often, as after several sheep 

 have been bathed, the bath becomes charged with the yelk 

 from the skins, and this has a soapy property which facili- 

 tates the cleansing of the fleeces. 



In order, however, to have a clear stream, the bottom 

 should be well excavated, and filled with gravel if necessary. 

 Many of the mountain streams need no such trouble, but a 

 sound gravel bottom keeps the water in perfect purity. The 

 enclosure for the sheep and the walk out of the bath are also 

 gravelled. 



Mr Simpson affords his neighbours an opportunity of 

 using his valuable bath ; but in order to preserve his exclu- 

 sive right to its use, charges a trifle for every hundred sheep 

 bathed in it. Many a score may be washed in a day, and the 

 men engaged in the task leave off dry and not over-fatigued, 

 as when they have to labour a whole day in the water. 



Having washed the sheep, a few days are allowed to elapse, 

 and the mellowness of the fleece is remarkable,. owing not a 

 little to an abundant secretion of new yelk. 



The practice of tearing the wool off the sheep's back, at- 

 tended as it is with the advantage of leaving the hair or 

 " scudda " behind it, was at one time more general than at 

 present, and early descriptions of the operation indicate that 

 it was not unattended with cruelty. Youatt quotes Mr 

 Low's description from the " Fauna Orcadensis." In the 

 Orkney Islands, " about Midsummer, there is a particular 

 day published for rowing, when all the men in the parish 

 attend with their dogs, turn out and drive the whole flock, 

 without any preparation of washing, into narrow pens, and 

 from thence, I may say, to the place of execution, where the 

 wool is torn off their backs an operation which brings their 

 whole blood into their skin, and is not only disgusting, but, 

 if the season proves harsh, is the cause of great destruction ; 



