The Portland daily press., 1865-06-10
Saturday Morning, June 10, 1865.
Washing Sheep.

andAgus, N. r, one evening was devoted to
the discussion of the sheep washing question.
large public hall was flied by an audience
interested in the subject, and both wool grow
ers and manufacturere participated ia the dis
cussion. Having experienced the III effects Of
standing In cold brook water for hours, wash
ing sheep, with particularly vivid recollec-
tion Of ono spell Of teethache consequent on
such exposure, we must express surprise that
the effect OF the practice on the health of the
men who wash as.not more fally considered,
in connection with its effect on the health OF
the sheep that are washed. We give an alb
etract OF the remarks as reported in the Trib-
une:
Mr. Geddes opened the discussion. .Hes said
we shear too early. There are advantages In
washing not well appreciated. the course
adopted in his neighuorhood was, after the
sheep have been washed they are put into a
clean pasture until they get dry, and then are
sheared. The wool looks bright, and buyers
ike it. The earthy matter is a very small
item-does not believe one half pound of dirt
is washed out OF sheep. 1T may be convent
intnot to wash ewes with lambs. Had not
lost any sheep from washing. nor heard Of any
losses, If the sheep were well and properly
u0uuiCus AZ tAOoo W1O WcEG trying 10 get
brag feeees, and to shear grease rather thar
wovl, iE lnight be good idea to oSshear and
weigh up without washing was sick OF heavy
heeces, and sick of asking or being asked
what fleece weighed. IL we can ascertain
what wool is worth whendt comes to the man
ufacturers, hands, point OF progress has.
been realize5. 1t was desirable TO have a
standard Of cleansed wooEg 4
Mr.. Campbell of West Westminster. Vt,
aaid bNvp W4ahad M for
years, because am satisfied by that expert
ence that it is greatly to my advantage. not to
wash. Early ssheariug, promotes the growth
OF wool, bntlearly shearing cannot be- espractice-
ed where the sheep have to be previously
washed, on account OF the cold winter. Il is
tendency Of nature to throw off thick cloth
ing when warm weather approaches, and the
sheep loses a great deal of wool in different
ways. / have frequently seen the briars and
bushes in sheep pasture quite white with the
locks pulled from the sheep before the usual
shearing time 4 have tried the expefimeni
OF shearing one hall the first of May and the
other the first Of June, with decided differ
ence in every respeetiA favor of both fleece
and sheep for those earliest sheared. | no.
tieed thar they ate much better withfhe fleece
off than on. AS to sham washing, have
known 200 sheep washed in one, hour BY twp
men SO that their 1eecss sold as washed wool.
believe unWashed sheep may be safely shear
ed May 1st, il carefully sheltered in coidyoi
stormy weather. 4 have found another ad-
vantage in not washing, and ia early shearing
Lambs are apt TO eat wool from their dams,
and doing so often k lis them / have never
found any difdtnlty,ih selling my unwashed
wool at fair price.
Mr.. Noyce, Onondaga ,Couaty, said that he
believed it a damage to the. flock to wash but
since we cannot sell our unwashed wool at q
fair price, we are compelled to wash the sheep
and we are tempted to wash themtn as little
as possible know that lost 500 in one
season by good washing and tagging. lcsl
$50 by carefully tagging my sheep and wash
ing and putting up that wool from the feeces.
After this, why should | endeavor TO put vi
my wool honestly, whom the buyer offers mt
such premium ior doing otherwise ? tStiIl
i believe if the custom were universal, tile ad-
vantage to farmers would be very great never
to wash sheep. nn i
Mr.. Geddes contended that manufacturer
educatsdl farmers to- trickery, because they
pay just as much for 1eeces that are put up
dirty aud tied with ropes, as for those meath
washed and tied. / am utterly opposed TO the
whole system oi producing aud selling feeces
weighing 25 lbs, which only give lbs. ol
wool to the manufacturer. Yet who can
blame farmers for growing and selling heavy
fieeces when buyers will pay as much per
pound as tor clean, light ones. We have go
to establish common standard for the value
of wool, not upon the weight of fleeces, but
upon the weight of wool that they actually )
afford In cloth. We need not discuss the ques
tion OF tricks of trade; the question here is
whether ii is best for all parties to wash sheep
I wash mine because buyers will not buy my
wool at fair, honest price il discontinue
the practice OF washingsEt
Mr.. Ellis, Onondaga CO., is wool grower anC
buver. | am sorry TO say our whole State j;
4. n.
is more va uabie than that OF Ohio, yet tht
latter is worth 10 OF. Is per cent. in market, il
consequence offfhe bad condition in which
New York wool issent 10 market. | balev
in the advantages ol early shearing, and Jude
present circumstances believe IL best to Wasl
eheep. The wool shears easier, and believ
is more deirable to manufacturers. 0s
Mr.. Moses of Marceilus, amanufacturer
said that one reason why Ohio wool was valu'
ed higher is because it cont ins a larger per
centsgegof a quality suitable for detoines :
the Ohio farmers, as a general thing, do no
produce as much oil and gum as those o
New York. Formerly, Washington County
Pa, was noted for fine wool fieecgs, and thu
average weight was so near exactly tw,
pounds that the farmers were willing to sci
by count without weighing. Now the ayerag,
weight 81 fieeces of the same flneness, from tn
same county is four pounds, and the aversg
value to the manufacturer is not one poun
better; and have noticed tha aame tendenc.
in Ohio, so expect to see the same produc
ton OF gum and oil in that State that nos
prevails in this. The shriukage in the fleece
ofsome rams aud wethers was SO great as t,
i. astonish persons with little know edge i
the trade. Some rams heeces, would shrin
from 10 to so per cent. aud ewes 80 Sper iceni
BUYERS have cause of complaint in the mar
ner of washing and doing up feenes Hs
seen twelve sheep washedi in five minutes. Ha
found even ninety feet Of MANILA cord Q
asingie fleece. All wool shorn in CalifJani
is brought in unwBshed, and sells as ready q
State wools-have bought laige quantities
it. The Australia and Cape wools come in
unwAshed condition. The Australia is greas.
and French wool very greasy.ss We .discrim
nate in our estimate Of 81 Mshrinkagesi Sat