CHAPTER VII. 

 WASHING, SHEAKING AND MAEKING. 



The washing of sheep to remove the surplus oil 

 in the wool was once a universal practice. It was 

 one of those old practices, like putting " redding " 

 on the fleeces to make the sheep look attractive (?) 

 that are hard to account for. The washing did not 

 prepare the wool for the manufacturer nor render 

 it more easily scoured by him. It did, however, ren- 

 der it lighter, and therefore the buyers found wash- 

 ing to their advantage. 



At the present time few sheep, comparatively 

 speaking, are washed before shearing. It may, how- 

 ever, be profitable in some localities where buyers 

 discriminate sharply against unwashed wool to con- 

 tinue to put sheep through the water as of old. 



If the sheep owner can find a buyer who really 

 knows his business and buys honestly, he will gei) 

 as much for his fleeces unwashed as washed, and 

 can therefore save himself the disagreeable task 

 and the flock the injury that such a shock is bound 

 to inflict. 



One serious disadvantage of washings is that it 

 cannot be done safely and comfortably until the 

 advent of warm weather, whereas the flock should 



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