SHEEP 383 



washed. It is an unsatisfactory process at best, and many times the 

 country washing makes scouring at the mills more difficult. 



\\'<>.->hing. After a careful investigation of the subject one is 

 convinced that, in the long run, it is more profitable to dispense with 

 washing altogether. Better results have been secured by shearing 

 sheep during the first half of April than later in the season. This, 

 of course, makes it impossible to wash sheep before shearing. A 

 heavier average fleece and also a wool of better strength may be se- 

 cured from the same flock by shearing during the first half of April 

 than by shearing in May or June. If reasonable care is taken to keep 

 the wool free from dirt and litter while on the sheep's back then 

 there is little to be gained by washing. Wool market quotations 

 show a class of unmerchantable wools. This class includes wools 

 poorly washed. A large per cent of washed wools are sold as un- 

 merchantable, at a price about equal to that of unwashed wools. 



The custom of washing the sheep is of doubtful utility on ac- 

 count of injury to the sheep. Sheep are often roughly handled and 

 not infrequently more injury i<? done to the sheep than good to the 

 fleece. The sheep will suffer no inconvenience from early shearing 

 except for the first few days, if they are properly sheltered and pro- 

 tected from the cold and more especially storms. The wool makes a 

 rapid growth during the cool months of spring and the sheep is not 

 sweltering under a thick blanket of wool. In the latter case the sheep 

 is not only uncomfortable, but the wool makes but little if any 

 growth. For several years, in a majority of instances, the Eastern 

 wool markets have been better in April than in June. This would 

 give the grower, who makes a practice of early spring shearing, a 

 slight advantage as to markets. 



Shearing. The best job of shearing is that which secures the 

 largest amount of wool in the best condition for market without 

 injury to the sheep. It is highly desirable that the sheep be closely 

 shorn and that there should be no second cuts. The fleece should 

 be kept intact, not torn apart, and the skin of the sheep should not 

 be wounded. 



Tying Up or Packing Wool. It will be observed that, almost 

 without exception, commission men and wool dealers agree that one 

 of the greatest faults, if not the greatest fault, of wools lies in the 

 M ay they are tied, or prepared for the market. To sum up the ob- 

 jections they would be something as follows: 



1. Either by neglect or intent tags and litter are often incor- 

 porated in the fleeces. 2. Too much twine of an inferior grade is 

 used. 3. The use of the wool box, which packs the fleeces into a 

 square bundle that is too compact. 



Let us consider these objections. If it is understood that tags 

 refer to bunches or locks of manure which have accumulated on 

 small bits of wool about the thighs and hocks, then by all means 

 they should be left out of the fleece, and either sold separately, as 

 tags, for what they will bring or used as manure. Breeders of fine 

 wool sheep who have thoroughly washed and dried the tags then put 

 a handful or so in each fleece. There is no great objection to this, 



