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



In addition to the above the other breeds represented, but 

 with washed or unwashed wool only, were Scotch and 

 Exmoors. 



As far as numbers are concerned, the year 1904 (a high- 

 priced year) is the least satisfactory, there being 5,500 fleeces 

 against 7,500 in 1901, and 9,000 in 1908. This is still better 

 shown by reference to the total weight of wool, of which there 

 were 30,000 lb. in 1904, 45,000 lb. in 1901, and 50,000 lb. in 

 1908. This year shows the smallest difference in value 

 between the washed and unwashed fleece, though even here it 

 is considerable on the average, viz., 2\&. higher for the 

 washed fleece. 



Strange to say, at the 1904 sale, the value of the washed 

 and unwashed fleeces from the Southdown ewes was approx- 

 imately the same — just over 45. These figures, however, 

 are to be relied on, for on reference to the prices per lb. 

 given for the separate lots, the extreme limits of variation 

 are very small, being only from lojd. to nfd. per lb. in the 

 case of the washed wool, and only from J^d. to 8fd. for the 

 unwashed. It is, however, a very exceptional case, for out 

 of the sixteen examples given in the three tables above, and 

 taken indiscriminately from any three years, this is the only 

 one which shows no advantage for washing. 



Grouping together the increased values obtained during 

 the three years, an average increased value of 5'6yd. per 

 fleece for washing, is obtained. (See Table VI.) 



In Table No. IV., on the next page, the total numbers of 

 washed and unwashed fleeces of the different breeds are given 

 for the three years. These figures are larger than the figures 

 given in Tables I., II., and III., because lots of wool which 

 were either washed only or unwashed only are included. 



From that table it will be seen that over 58 per cent, of 

 the sheep in the Guildford district are shorn in the unwashed 

 condition. 



There are a large number of factors influencing the amount 

 of loss in weight a fleece undergoes by washing, the principal 

 one being, not the grease, but the amount of dirt contained 

 in the wool ; this will naturally be greater in the case of 

 the long-woolled breeds than in the short-woolled ones, and 

 very much greater where sheep are folded on arable land in 

 dirty weather than where the natural lair is a clean pasture. 



