Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-05-13
From the Ge,e.se Tarmsr.
Does il PAY to Wash sheep !

washing shesp should bs given up. for th,
following rcasons:
First. II !. Of no conceivable advantag
to the sheep; hut, on the contrary, oler
proves eSccediugly injurious Severe cold
and coughs almost always break out in n,
foek Immediately after washing. and o'icr
lay the foundation Of other and more seri
ous disorders.
ScosS, Nothing j. saved to the manuiac
turrr BY the washing for washed or un
washed wool' are alike subjected 70 th,
sane cleansing process.
Tiiri, u sheep are washed, they must
pecc-.arily carry their aecOc well into bot
weather. which is very uncomfortable and
unnatural.
Fourth. Much wool !, ! ,s, ny being pull
ei out by bushes and briars in the pastures,
and BY the ,liycrs Of the fences. There Is
al.o considerable loo. from the les and bel
he. Of the sucking ewes.
He thinks. " from several year, expert,
sncc in shearins sheep early IN an uvra'isa
state" that I, is conducive TO ;heir health,
The proper time for shoarins." he says,
els lef5re the sheep g TO grass in the
,rrins. They should be well sheltered ior
.ons ten or hitetn days after the wool i IA
Ken oH after which time no storm will In
jarc sheep that ar, in good iesh. Every
wool.grower should have comfortable sheds
or hi, sheep durin. The winter. and with
them there i. no danger in sharinS as ear.
" a, the frs, Of May in New England, and
much earlier in the SJuih and West"
This question !. worthy Of consideration.
Tba, the health Of sheep often suHer' from
careless washing. there can be no doubt.
The sheep are sometimes driven three OF
four miles 10 a hot Sun, and, while pros,ra.
tel BY heat, are plunged into cold water.
Such a practice mus, be injurious. On tho
other hand, sheep can b. washed without
injury 10 their health. They should NJ, hc
washed till the water i warm enough %
baihe 10 comfortably. Then, IL tho sheep
have not been hastily driven, they will not
sussr BY the process.
The principal reason for washing sheep is
70 remove Impurities and reduce the wool 20
Amors general standard. True, it has %
bevashed over again by the manufacturers,
but II i, was no. washed at al on The backs
o, tie sheep. there would be much les uni
iorniiy IN regard 10 the impurities than
when washed Flccks that bad been care
le.sly wintered would afford diriisr wool
than those properly managed, and the
god aock.uasters would suffer for the care
ls..ness of their neishbor, The buyer.
would adopi general standard, and they
would make the farmers suF-r fir the in.
creased rick incurred in buying dirty wool.
Good sbscp-brrcdrrs now complain, and
Justly. that therc i not enough diIercnce
made hy buyers in the price of fne and
coarse wool. and il seems 10 US if sheep
were no; washed, the buyers would discrim.
mate even les in their favor. The interest.
o'wool-growers and wool-buyers are to some
sI,sn, Identical Both can judge pretty ac,
cgrately Of the quality and value Of a Dot
oi WOOL, bat IL would be difficult to c.,i-
nate lhe amount Of Impurities 10 unwashed
WOOL, and the buyer would make the farm
sr pay for the increased risk IL Is precise.
" the same in regard % cleaning wheat. \
farmer who sell bis wheat in foul state,
r.1g. for once. get more Tor ihe unwinnov-
81 mass than for the smaller quantity OF
good wheat Il contains; bat IN the end the
farmers suGar from such carelcs.ness. II
sasm % us such would BE- the ease in regard
o. ,hi question Of washing shecp. IN en-
Inent w'olen manufacturer, OF Lowell, Ms.
nys " The cheating practice OF selling
v0l, unvashcd i short-sightcd, inasmuch
q, the clean thing brings pree proper,
tianats. We always Gx the price Per 10. BY
t. quantity Of secured wool the accccs will
yield In our purchases. We frequently
make difference Of Eve cents Per 70. In pre-.
e..ely similar qualities" This advance {.
amply Sufficient to compensate ror the time
Aai labor required TO wash ;he sheep. W,
hope sJae of our sheep-iarmers wall put IL,
question 10 a test this season.
Sseep-washing is usually done Gbou, n,
last week in-May, in the Northern aud wes,
torn States and in Canada. Wool-grower'
wait till warm weather has set in; 9th
srwise the sheep may suffer, and PERHAPS
many perish from cold and exposure. The
bet place to wash sheep is in a running
stream Of pure water, with q clean bottom
The following method i familiar 10 many
Of our readers. The stream may De dam
med up ay three or four feet high. Atth,
lower part Of the dam place couple Of boI
iroughs, open az the top, some eisa, or ten
ieet long. across tho end Of which place d
piece OF board with an upright stick nailed
70 il ior a handle. The board slides in d
groove, and is raised or lowered a, pleas
1'e, TO allow the water 10 escape through
The troughs. Boards are laid underneath
The lower ends Of the trcughs for the wash
ef' to stand on. The sheep are confined ir
ayard close by. made Of rails or hurdles
After the tags have been removed from III,
'es'P with pair Of shears, they are hand
ID one a, time, TO the washers, who bolt
'0sn under the end Of the trough, turning