Practical Agriculture. 
b2a = 259 
)urpose. Washing is something more than merely dissolving 
ind rinsing out sand and dirt from the fleece ; the yellow greasy 
•ecretion, or " yolk," forming a natural soap of oil and potash, 
mites with the water in a proper washing reservoir, in which 
oft water is dammed back or detained, and acts as a powerful 
sleanser and whitener of the whole fleece ; and hence arrange- 
aents of the kind are becoming common. Sufficient time, say 
our or five minutes for each sheep, is allowed for soaking ; and 
t is found that the liquor in which a considerable number of 
[beep have been washed acts almost like soapsuds in removing 
•mpurities from the wool. In some places a proper wash -pit of 
trick-work, with water-tight boxes for the workers to stand in, 
nd a long swim for the sheep, with gravel bottom and gradually 
hallowing mouth or exit, is constructed. In districts where 
irooks are not available, large ponds or pools are utilised, a 
tage is made over the water for " dyking " the sheep, and a vat 
nd swim are arranged by fencing off" a portion of the area with 
losts and ropes along the water-line. The washer stands in a 
uspended tub, and the sheep are guided in their swim and their 
eads are held above water by a long handle carrying a cross-piece, 
'lany flock-masters, at least among breeders of Lincoln heavy- 
i^oolled sheep, have now adopted the vat-system, in which the 
heep are thoroughly well washed in a large rectangular wooden 
at partly sunk in the ground, a portion of soft-soap dissolved 
a boiling water being mixed with the water in the vat. As 
luch as 25. per tod (28 lbs.) being the difference in value between 
^ell-cleansed and badly-washed wool, this extra carefulness in 
ae process is found to pay. 
Ten days or a fortnight, according to weather, elapses between 
/ashing and shearing, so as to give the yolk time to rise again, 
nd thus prevent serious loss both from diminished weight of 
eece and increased harshness in its handling. 
Clipping is usually done by the sheep being laid on clean 
rass, or upon coarse cloth or canvas sheeting spread on the 
round ; but, with the bigger breeds, a raised clipping-board or 
tage is employed ; and some of the mountain sheep are laid, with 
heir legs tied, upon a long stool, on which the shearer also sits. 
Winter Management of Flocks. — I have spoken of breaking-in Winter 
heep to their winter food. But, for a time after they have folding, 
'een nominally confined to turnips, it is considered good 
laanagement to remove them to grass at nights. When finally 
olded upon the root-crop, it is common to remove sheep in wet 
/eather, except upon very light dry soils, or upon heavy-land 
irms in some counties where straw is used in considerable 
( Uantity for bedding the folds ; and it is a practice largely 
oUowed to allow a range over a stubble or other field in con- 
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