The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-06
CONCLUDED FROM PAGE Il

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fleece tearing along the back, which
il is likely TO do if the back bone is
not slightly passed before turning
The runs from the flank up over
the shoulder will quickly be reached,
when, if the sheep be properly hand
led, the shearer will find the left
hind leg has assumed its best posi-
ton for the shears and with skillful
aid of left hand and fore arm, the
shears may run from hook joint up
along below the flank and upward
cross the side to a line a little past
the back bone, just below or back OF
shoulder blade.
Tt is a delight TO see the fleece roll
off from the shears of a speedy
shearer at this part of the work, and
he soon has the fleece off to a line
from the crotch up past the hip
joint, when, by letting the sheep IN
cline down a little and toward him,
a few short lines more releases the
wool from the left hip, rump and
past rear end of back bone.
To have full use of right hand in
turning, lay the shears down "a
skilled operator eve needs TO lay
down his shears) s~traighten the
sheep up a little, drop the left foot
from the bench, still retaining the
head under the left arm, slip the left
hand down and grasp lower part of
both hind legs firmly; with aid of
right hand passed below the shout
der and around across the breast,
gently raise the sheep up almost
from the bench, by a quick move
turn, or rather roll it Over and
around, so the back will be toward
the right hand and legs toward the
left the sheep then resting on its
left shorn hip, instead of right one ;
at the same time replacing the left
foot on the bench and pressing the
head and neck down over the left
leg, still holding the hind legs firmly
until the sheep discovers it is held
and ceases to resist, should it incline
30 do so.
The writer has mostly turned
them SO quickly, quietly and easily,
that they often scarcely realized the
movement of being turned. What
has been left on the right side of the
neck is now presented and easily
falls away from the shears /; the left
hand being free TO draw up the skin
of the right shoulder, that part is
smoothly presented for the longest
run of shears from near the back
bone to the extreme points of the
fore leg and shorn line of the belly /;
be careful to set the shears level on
the skin, as they start he's the back
and keep them so at all times so as TO
make smooth shearing and avoid cut
ting the skin.
The flank being reached, by dex-
trous use of the left hand, the shears
may be run from the hip bone clear
down to the hook and the wool is
quickly shorn from the right hind
quarter, when the sheep is ready to
drop from tbe bench, if all the trim
ming has been neatly done in it's
proper time and in the operation. If
not it should be carefully done be
fore the sheep is released.
If the shearer's left leg tires he
may at times drop his left foot and
raise his right up on the bench, lean
the sheep over on his right leg and
clip off the right side from the shout
der down quite as conveniently as to
have the left foot up and thus shift
ing, he will rest. There is much of
the time the operator will stand al
most straight at this bench shear
ing, which is a great relief to his
back and his body otherwise.
The fleece with belly and ''tid-
bits should be clearly removed to
the tapping table or at least safely
out of the way of sleeps feet before
another one is lifted on the bench.
SAMEUL ARCHER.
Marion, N. G.
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