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THE SHEEP AND WOOL INDUSTRY 



in the soaking-pits. The skins are taken out of the pits and 

 allowed to drain. When the bulk of the water has drained from 

 them they are put through a burring machine. This machine 

 removes all the burr from the wool, also sticks and other loose 

 foreign matter. The burring machine contains a pair of rollers 

 which pull the skin in between them. Just behind these rollers 

 is a set of curved blunt blades, similar to those of a lawn-mower. 



{Photo by Author. 



BURRING MACHINE FOR REMOVING BURRS AND OTHER VEGETABLE MATTER 

 FROM WOOL ON SHEEP-SKINS. 



They revolve amongst the wool or the skin and drag the burr 

 from it. After leaving the burring machine they are again stacked 

 to drain. They cannot be left longer than six hours in summer- 

 time as the stack would heat. In winter they can be left longer. 

 The skins are now ready for either the painting or the sweating 

 process. We will take the latter process first. The sweat-house 

 resembles a freezing chamber, having thick walls and doors, also 



