Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-28
Reported for the VERMONT FARMER.
PASSUMPSIC FARMERS CLUB.
subject OF Discussion March 22, shall
we wash our sheep"


we wash our sheep"
j. F. Foster; | am opposed to washing 1t
Injuries the sheep and the men who wash
them; hut rs long rs buyers offer premi-
um for dirt we shall be tempted to wash
If buyers would pay strictly according to
cleanliness and careful. packing, no such
temptation would exist. | carried two small
lots of wool to n buyer, both washed; one
we'll washed and nicely put up, and the other
washed lightly, and manufacturers said there
was full five cents per pound difference; still
each lot was sold TO tho same man and mt
the same price. believe that no farmer
should wash his sheep. We could shear one
month earlier without washing with greater
safety for the sheep, Buyers make one
fourth difference between washed and I'M
washed wool Poor sheep are nearly spoiled
by driving to washing place and back, carry
ing the weight of water in the wool. II is
much better to shear before the sheep leave
the barn. In shearing lnte we lose much Of
the wool | once sheared in June. There
had been some very hot weather, but few
days after shcaring it came on very cold, and
cold. Manufacturers prefer to buy unwashed
wool
G. r. Barker; wash clean when wash.
| find | get no more from well washed wool,
than those do who but half wash. think
we should none of us wash, then the price OF
wool would be more uniform.
j. G.. Lawrence There is II great differ
Il hat y.a
ordinary and well washed. 1t is very diff
cult to make an even thing Of this wool bust
ness Those who wash and shear late lose
in wool that the bushes in the pasture pull
from the sheep. Should we all adopt the
plan of not washing, we should get nearer
the true value for our wool than now, |
think we should encourage all the farmers to
dispense with washing.
j. Morrison | wash my sheep. ! get
more money to wash than not To. wash
clean put up well and get n fair price for my
wool. do notthink 1t hurts sheep very much
to wash them. Always keep them under
cover In stormy weather.
j. Dow; | find | get the most money for
my wool when | half wash, and the least
when do not wash at all. The men who
buy the wool are moi judges; they pay so
| much for washed and so much for unwashed,
and often buy without looking Mt the wool
mt all II we get any advantage of the man
ufacturer we are smart that's all. believe
| there is nothing to he gained in the long run
by washing. We should all wash or none,
| | think we had better discard washing en-
| tirely.
! X. p. Harvey; Does il pay TO wash sheep
| Coarse wool sheep poorly washed may give
better returns than unwashud, If we let them
run two or three weeks after being washed,
and let them roll in the sand and dirt rs they
will when they can mud it, The great Wopb-
lie is In the entire ignorance of tho buyer,
They cannot tell half of the time whether the
wool is washed on not The manufacturer
has nothing to do with the buying only to
make the price, and he is careful TO make il
low enough for all the poor washing, and II
hia buyer find poor washed wool the price Is
ali right, and If he finds well washed wool il
Is his good luck and so much In his favor
sorted wool ten years in II factory and know
how the wool is bought and handled.
A. Warden For three years past have moi
washed my sheep; ! get better returns thar
when / washed shear the last OF April
before the sheep leave the barn. ny sAeaglng
early we get rid of the ticks that are often
troublesome TO the sheep, lfa few have gone
nom the sheep to the lambs little snuff will
kill them. ! believe both sheep and lambs
do better than when ] washed and sheareC
late. Oftenth stock will lose as much WOO
ms the discount that is made by the buyer!
between washed and unwashed wool.
The committee appointed 10 prepare. d
Constitution for the permanent organization
of the Club reported. Report accepted anC
discussed, and the signature of those present
obtained. Voted to adjourn one week fol
additional signatures and for the choice o
officers under the Constitution.
j. LAWRENCE, Sec.