170 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



machine. Not so, however, with, the novice ; he 

 will shear twice as many with the machine as 

 he will with hand shears. 



Then the work is far better done with the 

 machine. There are nO' cuts from shears and the 

 fleeces are taken off closely and evenly. There 

 need be made no second cuts, which cause 

 shortjfibers, little better than shoddy. 



The machine shear in careful hands will cut 

 in two every tick and leave the sheep clean of 

 that vermin. 



Against its use is the cost of the machine, 

 about $15.00 for a hand machine, and the cost 

 of repairs. If well oiled and cared for, how- 

 ever, it will last for many seasons with occa- 

 sional renewal of cutting parts. 



Tlien there is needed a boy to turn the 

 crank, so that its use requires two persons to 

 shear a sheep. As the boy is unskilled and 

 may usually be had for a small sum this is not 

 important. Altogether the writer advises the 

 man who has not available skilled shearers 

 of the old-fashioned type and does the shear- 

 ing himself to use the machine. If he must 

 hire shearers he had better let them furnish 

 their own tools. 



There are power machines for large plants. 

 These are operated very successfully by gaso- 

 line engines and there are small power ma- 

 chines with two or more sets of shears. These 

 are entirely practical but it is not usually 

 profitable to install a power plant for fewer 

 than 1,000 sheep. 



When sheep are to go to market after being 



