sko. r.] 



SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



95 



" In tlic first column is the number of the ewe ; in the second, the year in 

 whicii she was born ; in the third, the class denoting the quality of the wool, 

 which is regulated by the number of curves to the inch; the first containino- 

 24 and upward; the second, 22 to 2-i; the third, 20 to 22; the fourth, 18 to 

 20. Tlie fourth column gives the weight of the sheep when sheared ; the 

 fifth, the weight of fleece ; the sixth, the number of buck used and the year 

 in which he was born ; . the seventh, the month and day the lamb was 

 dropped ; the eighth, the time when the ewe was sheared ; the ninth and 

 tenth, the number of tlie buck and ewe lambs. My flock now numbers 267, 

 principally breeding ewes and yearlings. M}' average weight of fleeces, 

 M-hcn well washed, is usually about 4i lbs., the qualify of wool equal to me- 

 dium Saxon, numbering from 20 to 28 curves to the inch, averaging about 24." 



Another plan is given as follows, for numbering sheep, which, though not 

 quite as permanent as the method detailed above, may be preferred by some 

 persons on the score of humanity. 



" "We were handed a sheet of paper \ipon Miiich was noted the weight of 

 fleece of each sheep in the flock ; op]iosite was set the number of the sheep, 

 a corresponding number having been branded upon the animal itself at the 

 time of taking its last clip, by applying a mixture of lampblack and tar with 

 cast-iron figures. This course had been jiursucd for some years, and its 

 results were apparent in a wool crop brought up from an average of four 

 pounds to over five, and a corresponding increase in the size and quality of 

 sheep. The practice had been to slaughter and otherwise dispose of all ani- 

 mals ranking lowest in weight of fleece and to improve upon the quality of 

 the remainder by judicious crossing." 



127. Slirarin^ Slioopi — An old sheep-shearer, avIio can clip a sheep hand- 

 somely in three minutes, or shear and tie up the fleece in four minutes, who 

 has often clipped 100 sheep a day, wants us to give our readers the benefit 

 of his plan of doing it. First, have two ))airs of good shears; one pair to 

 trim with, and the other to do the jirincipal work, and never use dull shears. 

 A good oil-stone is the best sharpener. AVhat is termed a down-set shear, 

 with blades five inches long, he considers best. In using them, never draw 

 the shears backward while making the clip, but rather push forward and 

 keep the shears level and close, and never clip twice in one spot, as that cuts 

 the wool. 



To hold the sheep, have a bench as high as the lower part of the knee- 

 cap ; or if the sheep is large, it may be lower. Lay the sheep back to you, 

 witli head to your right hand. Put your riglit knee gently on the sheep's 

 neck, witli its riglit fore leg in the bend of yours as you kneel, having the 

 sheep close to the edge of the bench, with its back braced against your left 



