472 



BRITISH HUSBANDRY. 



[Ch. XXXIX. 



been arrangeil, at Burleigh, by llie Earl of Winchelsea, for the convenience 

 of his tenants, is as complete as any in the kingdom : we, therefore, here 

 insert the plan. 



a. The pit for soakint^, 12 ftet lonj^, 8 feet wide, and 4 feet in depth. 



b. The channel where the sheep are washed, 12 feet long, 3 feet 4 inches wide, and 



3 feet 6 inches deep. 



c. A place fur men to stand to wash the sheep over the parapet wall. 



<l. Stop-gate, to let off the water in case of floods, or when the pit i;eeds emptying. 

 On each side of this stop-gate there are two holes, at two inches leUw top- 

 water mark, to let off the waste water into the outlet drain. 



e. Parapet wall, 3 feet 9 inches in height. 



J". Stop-gate, level with top-water mark, so that when there is more water than 

 will pass through the two holes before mentioned, at the sides of stop-gate (/, 

 it runs over this gate. 

 ffg. Along this dotted, line is a paved channel to take off the \\ater, which runs from 

 the sheep at their landing, and conducts it into the outlet drain, so that it may 

 not run into any part of the wash-dike again. 



h. The fold for the sheep, previous to their heing thruwn into the scaking-pit, 



jV. The sheep-folds. 



k. Outle; drain to lake off the waste water. 



/. House for the clothes of the men, implements, &c. &c. 



rn. Waste ground betwixt the river and the wash-dike. 



H. Breadth of water when held up by the stop-gates. 



o. Landing-place for the sheep after they have been washed. 

 ppp. The course of the river. 



The operation of washing (that o? scoj/rins: being a subsequent process 

 not expected from the wool-grower) is commonly performed thus : — About a 

 score of the sheep, or as many as the ])en will contain, are first put in to soak 

 the wool, and are thence put forward singly, by the man who poys the sheep, 

 to two or three washers, each standing singly in a line, in tubs about 3^ 

 feet deep, and having leather on their arms up to their shoulders ; but if 

 the sheep be strong, a couple of men, standing opposite to each other, are 

 required to manage them. The first, seizing the sheep by its legs, plunges 

 it, on its back, to and fro several times from side to side, and then passes it 

 to the next in onler, who also immerses it and presses the wool between his 

 bands, at the same time turning the sheep in every position, while the 

 third examines the fleece and gives it its final washing; after which the 

 animal is allowed to swim ashore, and is immediately conducted to a clean 

 pasture, where the fleece may be allowed to dry v\ithout contracting any 

 further stain. The business is generally oyer on each day by about 



