2 The Financial Aspect of Sheep-washing, [april, 



Twenty years later, in the same Society's Journal for 

 1875, in an article by Earl Cathcart on "Wool in Relation 

 to Science with Practice," the following statement is made 

 (page 343) : " It is quite true a great portion of the wool 

 grown in Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall is sold in the 

 grease, not having been washed on the sheep's back, and 

 there is 'great difference of opinion amongst farmers about 

 it. The buyers prefer it well washed, and it is more market- 

 able : in consequence washing is becoming more general. 

 . . . The United States Agricultural Reports testify strongly 

 to the same effect, viz., that wool should not be clipped in 

 the grease, but well washed on the sheep's back." Earl 

 Cathcart's article also includes a letter (pages 346-7) from 

 the Secretary of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, 

 wherein washing is strongly recommended by the Committee 

 of that body. 



The next mention of washing sheep is found in the Royal 

 Agricultural Society's Journal of 1878. In an article on 

 "Practical Agriculture," Chap. IV., by John Algernon 

 Clarke (pages 524-5), the writer states that "Sheep washing 

 before clip day, though generally conducted in a primitive 

 manner, has received greater attention of late years." Various 

 methods of washing are next described, and the conclusion 

 arrived at is that "as much as 2s. per tod (28 lb.) being the 

 difference in value between well cleansed and badly washed 

 wool, this extra carefulness in the process is found to pay." 

 Note that the difference in price mentioned approximately 

 equals id. per lb., and further, that this represents the 

 difference in value between well and badly washed wool, and 

 not between washed and unwashed, which would be much 

 greater. 



Ten years later, 1888, J. W. Turner, of Bradford, has 

 an article in the same Journal on "Wool and its Uses," in 

 which washing is recommended and described, and a reference 

 is made to Earl Cathcart's paper of 1875 to correct an error 

 made by that writer as to the injury done by using soft soap 

 when washing sheep, and advocating the use of cold water 

 only. 



In the same Society's Journal of 1893, J« E. Hargreaves, 

 writing from Kendal, Westmorland, has an article on 



