Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-06-20
AGRICULTURAL.
SIlEEP.

SHEEP.
WASHING time for clipping varies much,
being earlier in seasons which have been prece-
ded by favorable weather and an uustirted allow
ance of food, than in such as have followed
rigorous winter, disease or any Other cause calcu
lated 10 arrest The grow til of wool. The season
may he said to be limited Ivy The middle Of May
and The middle Of July; hut tins should not be
taken ms a rule OF conduct, the best guide being
the state OF the new coat which ought always 10
he well above the skin before shearlng is attempt
ed The wool, unless among some mountaia
hocks, is always, in tins country, washed prior to
its removal irrm the sleeps back but III Spain
that operation is always deferred I'LL the heeces
have been collected, when they are subject to a
! thorough securing IN public buildings appropra-
! ted to that purpose and termed lduao les This
! is plan in many respects superior TO ours. It's
! adoption by our farmers has been recommended
hy Or. Parry. There cannot be a doubt OF its
being the preferable mode us regards the saving
it would effect III the lives Of the sheep; but as II
is well known hat shearng is much facilitated by
washing, and that oil the neatnoss with which the
clipping is accomplished, the quality of the sue
ceee,ling crop in great measure depends, some
| little time will be necessary To determine The com
parave value of either mode. In new South
| Wales it is customary TO mahe the sheep swim
across Il stream for Two or three mornings before
! being washed by which means the yolk Is soften
| ed, and the removal of grease and dirt much pro-
unoed but this, though good plan in that mild
| aud even climate could no; bu looked upon aa
safe in temperature So variable as that OF Brit
tain. In cases, however, where great nicely is
! required the plan in vogue in the former country,
| that OF dipping each sheep, before washlngpinio
! cuuldron of warm water, might he beneficiAy
adopted
! Mountain sheep are cleaned by being forced 10
| SWIM across Il pool but the finer or owlaud breeds
are washed entirely Ivy the hand. The latter
/ m nod alone demands n ShOrt pXulnuatiOn DrV.
and if possible, sunny weather. is selected for The
| operation, on the morning OF which the lambs
| are separated from The flock, aud the latter is con-
Veyed TO The margin OF sonie pebbly botlomed
! pool. Here they are penned or otherwise kept
! together while they are sezed, one by one, by a
man standing mid thigh deep, near the water
edge, and turned back downwards. the head alone
being above the surface. Ii is then turned from
side TO side, and moved backwards mud forwards,
so as 10 make The wool catch upon the stream and
wave about When The first washer has held it
for Il few minutes and partially ceansed the fleece,
| he passes il up the river to tho next, who goes
through the same routine, and on being convinced
that the skin is free from filth, compels the sheep
10 land by swimming in an oblique direction up
! the water Three and even four men are some
times employed in washing sheep, but TWO, as
here described, will, under ordinary circumstan-
ces, be found sufficient. The bank on which the
dripping sheep are collected, should have a clean
and frm turf and the flock should, ill fairly dry
and fit Tor shearing, be kept on heavy grass land,
or, what is better in straw bedded folds.
Shsaring. Alter allowing eight days off or on,
TO elapse from the time of washing, so as to per-
nit The wool to gain fresh supply of yolk, and
along whh it uslre and elasticity, the sheep
may be stripped OF its fleece. As there is no saw
| ing in employing an unskful clipper, every en-
couragement should be given to induce servants
to cut close, smoothly, aud evenly, and to avoid
| injuring the skin, or going twice over the same