698 Lli e Sfock.~Sheep^Folding~~Time of ClippingManner ofWaJJiing. 



lefs fpace, to each fheep, leaving them to remain two nights or more on the fame 

 fpot ; though the ufual practice is to let them have more room, and remain a left 

 time on the land. On tillage lands the furface mould be very thickly covered 

 over j but when in the ftate of fward a flighter coat may be fufficient. The lands 

 under fallow for turnips or cabbages are in general bell to begin upon, as the crops 

 will be ready to be put in almoft immediately afterwards. From thefe the far 

 mer may proceed to the grounds in preparation for other crops, as the wheat fal 

 lows, being conftantly attentive to put his fheep upon fuch lands firft as are to be 

 fir ft fown, whether with grain or grafs feeds. When on the approach of the 

 winter feafon the weather becomes too wet for purfuingthis fyftem on the arable 

 lands, it mould be transferred to the paftures or other grafs-Iands ; as on dry lands 

 of this kind this management may be continued without much harm to the fheep, 

 and much improvement in the land be effected. Where there is much mofs on 

 the lands this practice has much effect in removing it.* 



The time of clipping or (hearing the fheep fhould be regulated by the ftate of 

 the weather, and the climate in the particular diftrict, as the fummer feafon com 

 mences much fooner in the fouthern parts of the ifland than thofe of the north. 

 In this way the danger of injury by cold, from depriving the fheep of their coats 

 too foon, and from heat, by permitting them to continue on them too long, may 

 be equally avoided. There is alfo another circumftance that fhould be attended 

 to in this bufmefs, which is, that of the wool being at the ftate of maturity ; for 

 if the clipping precede that period it is weak, and can fcarcely be fpun, and if 

 protracted later, it is yellow, felted, and imperfect. f For the more warm fhel- 

 tered fituations in the fouthern parts of the kingdom, the beginning or middle of 

 June, when the weather is fine, may be in general the moft proper; but in the 

 more expofed diftricts in the northern parts of the ifland, the middle or latter end oi 

 the fame month may be more fuitable, provided the feafon be favourable. But 

 with the fattening fheep in the inclofures it will moftly be necefTary to perform 

 the work at an earlier period in every fituation, as the great increafe of heat from 

 the fetting in of the fummer weather, added to the warmth of the fleece, becomes 

 very opprelTive and injurious to them in their feeding. 



As the fleeces of fheep at this feafon become much loaded, and filled with duft 

 and dirt of various kinds, before the bufinefs of fhearing is begun, it is neceffary 

 to have the operation of wafhing performed. In the old method of executing 

 this work, by the wafhers ftanding up to thebreaft in the water, there is not only 



&quot; See Folding, in Section on the Cultivation of Arable Land, t Annab of Agriculture, vol. &VI. 



