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CHAPTER VIII. 



Management of the Fleece. Every thing whlcb can tear .or defile it to be 

 avoided, or removed. Doubt as to the Propriety of shortening the Tail. Sheep 

 not to be -washed before Shearing ; which preserves the Wool from the Motb. 

 Season, and Mode of Shearing. PFool varies in Weight after being shorn. 

 Process of reducing it to the Spanish State, by Gilbert. Expediency of public 

 Lavatories for this Purpose. Attempt of the Romans to improve the Fleece. 

 Question as to shearing the Lambs, 



In order to prevent the waste of tlie fleece, the pastures ought to be carefully freed 

 from thistles, briars, loose thorns, the burdock, clivers, and all other weeds. They 

 either tear off the wool, or drop among it their rough seeds, or parts of their hooked 

 capsules, which cannot afterwards be separated without much loss, labour, and 

 consequent expense. The hay should be such as has been made before seeding, 

 and should be given in upright racks, or, which is still better, in cribs ; and the 

 litter should be changed before it is either much broken, or defiled with excre- 

 ments. The fly should be attentively guarded against; and we should extirpate the 

 Hippobosca, which, in addition to other injuries, fills the fleece with its excrements 

 and exuviae. 



The ordure, which adheres to the tail, should be constantly cut off. With a 

 view, partly, to this end, it is customary in Spain, as well as in this country, to 

 shorten the tails of lambs to within three or four inches of the root ; an operation, 

 which is also supposed to improve the hind quarter of the sheep. I think, with 

 the French, that the latter effect is owing to a mere optical deception j and we 

 may justly doubt the propriety of the measure in other views. The tail was surely 

 not given to the animal for nothing j and among other purposes, that of defending 

 himself from flies and other insects, was probably one. It adds, also, one or two 

 ounces of useful wool to the fleece ; and, unless the sheep be intended habitually 

 to travel, may easily enough be kept clean. 



