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



Journal. In 1902, there was an article on "The Production of 

 British Wool," by Jonas M. Webb, where (page 413) the 

 following note on washing is found: "The warmly debated 

 question whether wool should be sold washed or unwashed 

 is often raised among flockmasters, for if the wool is washed 

 weight is lost, but an increased price per lb. is realised. " 

 The conclusion of a breeder was that "in a season when 

 there is a good deal of yolk in the wool it is better for the 

 farmer to sell his wool unwashed; but that in a season in 

 which such yolk is deficient it may pay him to wash his 

 flock." 



Coming now to the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, and 

 taking into account the shorter period of time during which 

 this publication has been issued, a much greater constancy in 

 advocating washing prior to shearing is found. Vol. VIII., 

 June, 1901, contains an article on "The Handling of British 

 Wool for Market," by J. W. Turner, who states (page 7): 

 "It is probable, however, that the practice of leaving sheep 

 unwashed may have given rise to some slipshod handling 

 of wool in the past few years. It would be an unfortunate 

 circumstance if the British woolgrower should, at a moment 

 when competition is keenest, depart from the honoured 

 practices of his predecessors, on the ground that there has 

 been a fall in prices. . . . The argument that because prices 

 are low the article ought to be neglected and less care given 

 to it, is sufficient to produce a feeling of despair in the 

 minds of those who are interested in the wool trade." Again 

 (page 10): "Sheep should be washed in cold water without 

 any soap." 



In the Journal of the Board of Agriculture for 1907, Vol. 

 XIV., there are two articles which contain references to 

 washing : — 



(1) In "The Preparation of Wool for Market" (page 96), 

 it is stated that the need for greater care in preparing wool 

 for market was emphasised at a meeting of the Home Wool 

 Buyers' Association, held at Bradford in April, 1907. The 

 Chairman of this meeting is reported to have said that "It 

 was to the interests of the grower to have his wool got up 

 for the market in the best possible shape. By this he meant 

 it should be washed in the best style prapticable, that it 



