14 FINE WOOL SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 
at half a pound less, but of the ewe’s the same. The 
Spanish system of washing alluded to, was much more 
perfect than our own. Brook-washed, on the back, 
in the American way, the shrinkage would not have 
exceeded one-third.* 
These are but general averages, and do not indicate 
the weight of fleeces of prime animals. The King of 
England’s flock of Negretti’s, about one hundred in 
number, yielded during five years (1798-1802) an 
annual average of 8143 pounds of brook-washed wool, 
and 2 152 pounds of wool scoured for manufacturing.t 
Some of the Spanish sheep first imported into the 
United States yielded still more wool, if well-preserved 
tradition can be credited; but I have not been able 
to find any precise records of weighing, except in re- 
* If Ihave not made this distinction, in previously published papers 
on this subject, it was because I entirely overlooked the faet. The 
Spanish wools, after being shorn, are beaten on hurdles to remove 
loose dirt, then placed in a vat of hot water and stirred about five or 
six minutes, then put into the head of a trough or aqueduct of cold 
running water, and trampled on and rubbed by men’s feet as they 
pass slowly through. They are next drained on an inclined plane 
and spread on the grass todry. But four to seven per cent. of yolk 
is left in them. One-third of gross weight is the usual amount of de- 
duction on our American unwashed wools, to put them on a par with 
our brook-washed wools, 
+ The flock included a very small number of wethers (the number is 
not given) and no rams. -T'o exhibit the sorting of the Spanish wools 
of that day, by the English made, I subjoin the following table : 
Lbs. of wool = Lbs. of Lhs. of Lbs. of 
No. of washed on scoured “prime” “choice” Lbs. of 
sheep. sheep's back. wool. wool. wo 1, * fribbs.” 
1798.... 89 295 208 167 23 13 
1799 101 346 254. 207 28 19 
1500 100 498 294 234. 84 26 
1801.... 108 897 285 237 81 17 
1802.... 96 952 256 221 82 8 
Thave drawn these facts from Sir Joseph Banks's five annual re. 
ports in relation to His Majesty’s flock. 
