Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-05-19
farm, Gardea 4 Honsehula.
WASHING SHEEP.

"a ear 4 *
Itmay be for the interests Of dealers in
wool, and manufacturers, to have sheep
washed previous to shearing. But the wei
ware OF the hooks and the interests of the
owners of valuable sheep, which are consid-
eratlons Of paramount Importance to every
thing else, are promoted by not washing.
The farmers only reason for washing sheep
Is, chat, if the wool be thoroughly washed,
man can shear sheep sooner than if it
were not washed. Sheep hate Wetiin every
form They dislike wet pastures, wet yards,
leaky sheds, and, more than all else, wet fee
ces When they are washed, the water and
the weather are frequently quite cold, and
as they often become uncomfortably warm
while being driven to the water, and are
plunged Immediately into it, and kept there
until quite chilled through they are quite
liable to contract more or less cold. which
will many times superinduce some other dis
case. This is particularly true 1t the
weather continue wet and cold for several
successive days after washing. This is the
great argument against the practice of wash
ing sheep in our changeable climate. Eve.
ry practice that endangers the health of
sheep ought, if possible, to be abandoned,
and not be made subservient to ordinary pc
cuniary considerations
Another thing against washing sheep, is,
that cleansing of wool in this manner is of
ten of little real advantage, and frequently
of none at all, as it often becomes quite as
dirty before shearing, as it was before the
sheep were washed. This is particularly
true when sheep are not kept In clean past
ures after they have been washed Many
times it is quite impracticable to conhne eE-
cry flock in pastures where they cannot lind
some dirty place to roll in. Sometimes
shearers cannot be obtained at the desired
time, or the weather is too untaYorable to
allow the wool todry sufficiently to be shear
ed, and sometimes the iabors OF the field
are SO urgent that shearing must be deferred
for number of days All these considera-
tons are In favor of abandoning entirely the
practice of washing sheep. Admitting that
it costs more per head for shearing unwash-
ed sheep, the expense of washing will ex
ceed the extra cost for shearing without
washing. Therefore, these two items viii
balance each other. Then, when the differ
ence brtween the prices of unwashed and
washed wool, which is not definite, even
whef the absurd one-third rate is insisted
upon by- buyers, is coutrasted with injury
which may follow washing valuable sheep,
it is safe to assume that it is better to shear
them unwashed. Moreover, when focks
from various parts of the country are driven
to the same washing place, there is great
danger that sound and healthy focks viii
csme In contact with the contagion of dis
eased sheep that have been In the pens to be
pashed. Many an excellent flock of sheep,
which has been guarded with vigilance by
Its proprietor, has been well nigh ruined,
simply by being yarded where sheep having
the foot rot had recently been confined. =
What is needed at the present time is, an
understanding between wool growers that
all will shear their sheep without washing
then the practice viii soon be abandoned, as
neither promotive of the welfare of the
sheep nor of the interests of the shepherds
turisf