WOOL WASHING. 
529 
McKnight is, I believe, due the credit of the invention of the 
narrow race for soaking, as well as the introduction of the 
pressure-spout to general notice, as the most effective means 
of cleansing our great staple of production. I have adopted 
the double crescent jet in the new sheep-washes which I had 
constructed, and think them better than any I have seen, as 
regards cost, efficiency, and economy of labour. The con¬ 
verging form of the jet acts more effectively than the double 
vertical jet, from the former striking at right angles to the 
skin at the point of impact, which both of the^ latter cannot 
possibly do at the same time. There have been various other 
forms of jet tried this season. Wilkinson and Stock have 
produced a double vertical jet, which can be cleansed out in¬ 
stantly, and which is well spoken of. Mr. Jervis, of North 
Brighton, has had jets made by Wright, which are very effec¬ 
tive and neat in working, though somewhat costly. These 
have the defect of other double vertical jets above referred to. 
There are also double jets of a different form made by Wright, 
with gun-metal orifices, which discharge>a very smooth sheet 
of water. The w^orkmanship of these is excellent, but the 
price is high. Both these and Mr. Jervises deliver two jets at 
the same angle as my double wooden jet, described last year. 
With an alteration in the angle of delivery, and a reduction in 
price, these jets would be perfection. I have this year tried a 
treble jet, being three sheets of water, each three feet long and 
an eighth of an inch thick, delivered almost vertically, the two 
outer jets converging at an angle of about five degrees from 
the vertical. This was at first considered an improvement on 
the double crescent jet, but on a prolonged trial, working 
beside the other, it was found to do scarcely as much work, and 
to use fifty per cent, more water. There is, I believe, another 
double spout being made by Mr. Pritchard, C.E., which will 
deliver the water at the best angle, and allow greater facilities 
for seeing the sheep when it is being operated upon. Regard¬ 
ing the shower previous to soaking, I find that it is of little or 
no use in the northern districts, at any rate where the soak- 
pen is large enough to keep the sheep in for six or seven 
minutes. In breeds with much black tip possibly it may be of 
service. I have this season saved a considerable sum by manu¬ 
facturing soap, as required by one of the boilers at the wash. 
The tallow and caustic soda are put into a boiler in the proper 
proportions, which I ascertained by a number of experiments, 
and boiled till saponification takes place; this is ascertained 
by seeing if the tallow be floating on the surface or combined 
with the alkali. The soap is made in such quantities as may 
be required for each day^s work; the soapy liquid is not boiled 
