PACKING WOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1297, 7 October 1876, Page 18

PACKING WOOL.

The time for shearing sheep will vary with the state of the season and the condition of the animal, but it is important that the operation should be performed before the new coat has grown sufficiently to be injured by the oheara. The fleece having been washed and clipped, the next operation requiring attention is the rolling,, as fleeces, if put up in a loose and careless manner, are easily broken and injured. The storing of the wool is also of importance. If kept in a dry, close place, it will increase in weight, and not deteriorate in quality. If loosely and confusedly packed,- the fleeces will come out broken and bruised, and thereby cause a great deal of trouble in sorting, and even when sorted they will never reassume the natural appearance they had before being rolled and packed. It is the readiest way for growers to obtain the highest prices for their wool, to be particularly attentive to its management in all the different stages of washing, clipping, rolling, storing, and packing. Besides being a thorough judge of the washing and management of wool in every respeot, after being taken from the sheep's backs, a wool-stapler can judge whether the sheep whose wool he inspects has been well or ill-fed, and indicate the defect at first sight, although it may not be perceptible to another person, not a judge of wool. If Bheep have &t any time during summer, winter, or spring been pinched for food, even for a few dayg, the staple of the fleece becomes weakened at the very place where its growth has been checked for want of the requisite nourishment. The defective place may be detected by the experienced eye, but by anyone taking the staple by the ends, and giving it a sharp pull asunder, it may certainly be detected by its breaking or drawing out smaller at every place or places where the nourishment was wanting when those places were next the skin. To preserve uniformity of strength in the staple, there must be uniformly good feeding.

Wool on the Pacific Coast. — Hardly anyone can comprehend the immense extent of the wool interests on this coast until he visits the large establishments of the principal dealers in this city (San Francisco). Most of these are located near the railway depots, and are easy of access from the cars. Some idea may be formed of the extent of the business when it is stated that tho wool production of California has increased from 175,0001b5. in 1854 to over 45,000,000 in 187 G. Adding Oregon's yield to this, tho grand total for the two States for this yoar probablo will not fall far short of 48,000,000 lbs.

A Texan Sheepdog's Training. — The following is a Texan practice for training sheepdogs :— A pup is taken from its mother before ita eyes are opened, and put to a ewe to suckle. After a few times the ewe becomes reconciled to the pup, which follows her like a lamb, grows up am^ng, and remains with the flock, and no wolf, man, or strange dog can come near the sheep ; and the dog will bring the flock regularly to the fold at half-past seven o'clock, if he is habitually fed at that hour.

Sheep Shearing. — An extraordinary feat of sheep shearing came off in Klickitat Valley, Washington Territory. Five men sheared a band of G64 sheep in eleven hours. They commenced at six o'clock in tho morning, and by six o'clock in the evening — taking one hour for dinner — the last sheep was sheared. One man sheared 172 ; one, 154 ; one, 130 ; two, 104 each.