SHEEP WASHING. 147 



newly cut lamb to lie on the cold earth. The objection to this 

 course would probably be raised that in warm weather flies 

 abound, and attack the scrotum and possibly breed maggots 

 within it which would of course be a serious complication. 

 The best mode of avoiding this is to use the actual cautery in 

 the form of an iron heated to the proper temperature. The 

 scrotum is cut open with a knife and the testicles are brought 

 forward until the cords can be grasped by a pair of clamps. 

 The testicles are then seared off close to the clamp, and, 

 before the cords are released, they are thoroughly cauterized 

 and dressed with lard and a proper application, and returned 

 into the scrotum. There is no bleeding, and the clamp pro 

 bably deprives the parts to be operated on of sensation. It is 

 seldom that any loss follows the castration of ram lambs if the 

 operation is skilfully performed. It is usually done by an 

 itinerant expert, who travels from farm to farm, earning 

 capital pay during the two or three months in which this 

 work is generally performed. 



SHEEP WASHING. 



The yolk, or yelk, is an important item in wool. When we 

 remember that in the process of washing the fleece loses from 

 one-third to one-half its weight through the loss of the yolk, 

 it is evident that the question of washing or not washing is 

 of vast importance. It will be in the memory of readers that 

 this question has been raised of late, and that farmers have 

 been recommended to shear their sheep in the grease, and 

 accept the lower price which the wool commands under these 

 circumstances, Mr. Turner, Bradford, appears to think that 

 wool is best washed in cold water. He writes as follows : 

 " I saw an article on * Wool ' the other day in which the 

 use of hot water and soap was advocated. With this idea 

 I entirely disagree. I venture to say that the use of hot 

 water or soap is positively injurious to English wool. What 

 I would recommend (of course with all reservations as Co 



