The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-05-06
FLEECE PRESS.

DESCRIPTION: Scale one inch to the foot
The press consists of three boards five feet
long, one foot broad and one inch thick 1. Rep
resents the bottom of the press or box where
the fleece is placed. This measures 12x14
inches and is attached to the sides and folding
ends by eight small hinges. 2. Sides of press,
ks feet Folding ends to box, Xxi foot
Cross supports attached by hinges to sides. 5.
Hole, full breadth of board, where you introduce
the hand TO raise folding ends 8. Represents
four strings laid in the proper position for tying
the feeces; these should be sufficiently long SO
as to tie easily. =. Wooden clamps to hold press
In position until the fleece is tied. s. Notches
one inch deep, in which you drop the ends OF
clamps when press is closed; the bent ends hold
the sides in proper position well as the fold
ing ends, which come inside the clamps.
the next. Always have good supply of
strings on hand.
The press should be placed on table
or frame, taking care to leave open
space, as shown at 5, for the introduce
ton of the hand. Thirty inches will be
found a convenient height for the table
or frame on which to rest the press.
At burlington the press has been in
use for the last four years, and Mr.. t.
w. Harvey, in addition to receiving the
maximum price of the season for his
clip was invariably complimented on
the business-like manner his wool had
been handled.
A few remarks on wool may not be
out of place. Sheep should be shorn on
a clean, smooth floor or table, and you
cannot overrate the Importance of even
clipping. Nothing is more unseemly to
the eye of practical fiock-master or
judge than rough-sborn sheep. In
sheep intended for exhibition evenness
is of inestimable value, as when rough
ly shorn at first it becomes a most diff
cult matter to level the sheep ard erase
the shear-marks. This every old, ex-
perienced trimmer" can testify to.
Another point that requires great at
tention is in not allowing the fieeces to
be broken. This is too often the result
of carelessness or the inability to han
die the sheep properly. Turning over
sheep is apparently simple, but watch
the shearers or those intrusted at the
fairs with show sheep and observe how
few really know the art.
The proper season of shearing is Of
great Importance and varies with the
situation and climate. The precise
period is noted by the full growth of
wool when it separates readily from
the skin, when the new wool begins to
appear; or, in other words, when ma
ture begins to change the winter coat
of the sheep for the summer one.
Fleece wool is classed under the gen.
eral heads of "combing" and "cloth-
ing" but unless you are an expert at
the business il is better to leave the
task to the wool broker. One point
you can accomplish. and that is to class
the feeces of the yearling sheep sep
arate from the older. Pack them in
different bales and brand them to that
effect. AS the yearling or hogget wool
is much the most valuable You will be
well repaid for the trouble. You
can go still further. You can
class the five-year-old and upward
fieeces by themselves; in this you are
guided by the age ear-mark of the
sheep, which ought to exist in all we'll
regulated flocks.-W. Watson, in Breed
ers' Gaxette