191 1.] Preparation of Wool for Market. 643 



PREPARATION OF WOOL FOR MARKET. 



J. W. COLLINSON. 



In view of the great competition in the trade in wool and 

 the excellence of the conditions under which the colonial 

 produce is placed on the market, it is more than ever im- 

 portant that flockmasters should pay careful attention to the 

 cleanliness of the fleeces in order that the wool may not suffer 

 depreciation in price owing to careless preparation. Among 

 the points to be borne in mind are the following : — 



Winter Feeding. — When rack-feeding of hay or clover 

 begins in the winter, great care should be taken that the 

 sheep can obtain the food without its getting into the wool 

 on their necks or backs, as it is practically impossible to 

 remove seeds and fine fibres afterwards. 



Washing and Shearing. — Every sheep ought to be 

 thoroughly "clagged" or "burled" before it is washed. 

 Under whatever conditions the sheep are washed, it is essen- 

 tial that they should have a good "swim," the wool being- 

 lifted by hand or by "poying poles" made for the purpose, 

 and which are now in use in some districts. A large amount 

 of grease and dirt is got rid of in this way. Where there is a 

 choice of water, the softest should always be used. 



After washing, the sheep should be got on to grass land 

 as soon as possible. Driving along a road should be avoided 

 wherever practicable. Fields with bare patches of soil or 

 roadways ought to be avoided until after the sheep are shorn. 

 Not more than seven to ten days should be allowed to elapse 

 between washing and shearing, as the natural grease in the 

 animal soon begins to rise, and then the wool quickly becomes 

 very little better than "unwashed." 



On no account should the sheep be clipped when the wool 

 is not thoroughly dry. The underneath portions are most 

 likely to be damp, especially in long-woolled sheep, and when 

 the wool is wound, this part being inside the fleece, and 

 hence excluded from the air, soon begins to "heat " and rot. 



Sheep, if housed prior to shearing, should be "bedded " with 

 bean or wheat straw in preference to that of oats or barley. 



The shearing should be done on a clean floor, or on a 

 stack-cloth if in the open air. The practice of mowing the 



