Essay on Sheep, 15 3 



wool it may be proper to mention the manned 

 in which it should be treated before they at- 

 tempt to convert it into yarn. First, it should 

 be careiully sorted; that on the neck, shoul- 

 der, back, and sides is the finest; that on the 

 rump is almost equally as fine in the full-bred 

 sheep, but not in the mixed breeds; the thighs 

 and belly, the top of the head and forelock 

 furnish a third sort: when sorted it should be 

 put in a vat and pressed down, so as not to float 

 when covered with water. In this state the vat 

 should be filled with clean soft water, mixed 

 with one-third of urine, and left to soak for 

 about twelve or fifteen hours, or longer if the 

 weather is cold; a cauldron is then put on the 

 fire with a portion of soft water, and to this is 

 added two-thirds of the water that covers the 

 fleece : when it is so hot that the hand cannot 

 bear it, the wool is to be taken in convenient 

 parcels and put in an open basket, and, after 

 the liquor is pressed out, conveyed to the caul- 

 dron, where It is washed in the basket, moving 

 it about gently, so as not to twist it, for the space 

 of two or three minutes; it is then suffered to 

 drain into the cauldron, so as not to carry oft' the 

 water; and when the whole Is washed, it must 

 be cleansed in running water: if the water in 

 the cauldron gets too foul, it must be thrown 



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