JVool in Relation to Scieme with Practice. 
343 
and others rather tender' — all of which we knew, and, knowing, could not 
remedy; but we could never learn what the mnnufacturer said about it; 
whether it contained too much or too little yoUi ; too dry from over-washing, 
or too heavy from under-washing; was the sorting Silisfactor}', &c., &c. 
" Well, we engaged the services of a gentleman who went through the cloth 
manufacturing districts, and who supplied us with much valuable information, 
which we utilised, and which I shall now be happy to impart to others. Our 
directions were never to use water for the soak beyond 110° Fahrenheit; never 
to use alkalies — such as potash, soda, or hard soap; but that any quantity of 
soft soap might be used ; in fact, using it to any extent was merely a matter 
of £ s.d.; but that all alkalies destroyed the fibre of the wool, making it harsh 
and dry, and what the manufacturers sa}', making it work unkindly. The 
great object to be obtained in washing wool is not only to make it white, but 
to make it bright. After leaving the spout, the fleece, when squeezed by the 
band, should puff out again, not feeling sticky, and should glisten in the sun 
with a peculiar brilliancy; if too little yolk is left in the wool it will be 
wanting in softness; if too much, it will become sticky, and, after a time, turn 
yellow.* The number of days that should intervene between washing and 
shearing must depend partly upon the state of the weather as well as upon the 
condition of the sheep. Yolk will rise quicker in fat sheep than in poor ones, 
but from two to three clear days is generally sufficient. In sorting we skirt 
very heavily, taking about one-half from the fleece, and making it into what 
we call broken fleece, or pieces and locks. The remainder is sorted into 
combing and clothing sorts." 
In regard to English practice, two most experienced agricul- 
tural colleagues, altogether representative men, have kindly written 
in reply to my queries. One says : " I have never heard the 
opinion of any wool-stapler as to the best mode of managing 
wool, either before or after shearing." The other, in reply to a 
query as to the lingering custom of selling wool in grease, says : 
" 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 a great difference of 
opinion amongst farmers about it The buyers prefer it 
well washed, and it is more marketable : in consequence, washing 
is becoming more general." I may add that 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. 
Mr. F. Barroby,t of Dishforth, near Thirsk, has recently lec- 
tured on sheep with due regard to the most wool and mutton in 
the least time. The sheep of the district were originally the Tees- 
water, improved by Dishley rams. The flesh was improved, still 
the wool was hard and not uniform in staple, with a large propor- 
* The desirableness of this brilliancy in the wool is that manufacturers of 
merinos, de laiiies, and other light fabrics, will give extreme prices for it, as tliis 
bright wool only will take delictite dyes. Frenchmen are the best customers for 
this kind of wool, and their absence from or presence at the sales makes a differ- 
ence of at least Is. per lb. in the price. 
t See his note, p. 320. 
