WOLSELEY’S SHEEP-SHEARING MACHINE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8125, 23 March 1887, Page 4 (Supplement)

WOLSELEY’S SHEEP-SHEARING MACHINE.

Ever since Australia became a great pastoral country the shearing of sheep by machinery has occupied, the attention, of flockmasters,- and has formed the topic of conversation on many a shearing floor. Invariably the conclusion arrived at was that in this industry it was impossible to do away with skilled labour. _ During the last twenty years several ingenious attempts have been made to perfect a machine that could be employed by an ordinary labourer in removing the fleece from the sheep. Until Mr P. Y. Wolseley brought forward his invention,' no sheep-shearing machine has hitherto stood the test of practical illustration. A trial of this machine was given at Messrs S. Goldshrough and Co. s wool stores last week, at which it was proved beyond a doubt that the invention could do the work better and more quickly than the most expert shearer. As many flockmasters at present in Melbourne did not witness the first trial, Mr Wolseley gave a second exhibition of his sheepshearing machine at Messrs Goldsbrough*s wool stores. About 300 gentlemen attended on the occasion, the pastoralists of the Australian Colonies being well represented. The various parts of the machine were, shown to the visitors, and the working fully explained, but the majority of those present obtained a better idea of the machine from seeing one sheep shorn than frcm an hour’s lecture. The first sheep shorn was a cross • bred ewe with open wool, and scarcely any trimming on the points. The operator was a stalwart Arab, who seemed somewhat nervous on making his appearance before such a numerous and critical assemblage. The fleece was opened in exactly the same way as by a shearer, the cutter acting as quickly, and being as easily controlled as an ordinary pair of shears. Indeed, anyone standing at some distance, and watching the wool fall off before the hands of the operator,- might readily imagine that he war shearing the sheep in the ordinary manner. The first sheep was shorn in exactly five minutes, and the wool was taken off so closely and evenly as to excite the warmly expressed admiration of the onlookers. It would take a skilled shearer at least a quarter of an hour to shear a sheep as closely. The second sheep was closer in the wool, but, like the first, was bare on the points and underneath. This sheep was shorn in 3min 45sec. The third sheep, a wether, was fairly close in the wool, with more trimming, and’ he was turned off beautifully pinked and trimmed on the points in smin 15sec. In trimming this sheep the machine took off some slightly daggy looks in the breech in a way that gave much satisfaction. Two other sheep were afterwards shorn to show the working of the machine to some late comers. Those present were greatly interested in the exhibition, and on all hands were heard the most confidently expressed opinions that the machine would prove a great success. Many persons regretted that some leather-necked and heavily-yolked merino sheep were not experimented upon, but owing to the time of the year it was impossible to obtain them. Mr Wolseley. stated that he had used the machine on the most difficult merino sheep he could find, and the shearing was quite as good as on open-woolled cross-breds. When the fleeces are very full of yolk, all that is necessary is to brush the comb and cutter over with alkaline water, which effectually cleanses them. The machine has this advantage, that it does not cut the skin or break the fleece. Should this invention come into general use, of which there is every probability, it will not do away with skilled labour, as a shearer will be able to use it better than any other. It does not make two cuts, so that the owner gets the whole of the staple, including the most valuable portion, which grows next the skin. The whole of the machinery, except the engine and belting, can be supplied at the rate of JES per cutter, and when these machines are used extensively the price will doubtless be considerably reduced. The working parts are all stamped by machinery, so that they are interchangeable, and any breakage can be remedied in few minutes. The principle Mr Wolseley has employed in removing the wool from sheep is exactly the same as that used in . the reaping machine, and it answers quite as well in one case as in the other. The machines used at the exhibition given at Messrs Goldsborough and Co.’s wool warehouses were made at the electric light works. Before separating, many of the large flockmasters congratulated Mr Wolseley on the great success he had achieved in bringing this most useful invention to perfection. We take the above account of the trial of this most impartant invention from the Australasian. By cable we learn that the Committee of Experts who were appointed to report on the working of Wolseley’s sheepshearing machine state that the quality of the work done is all that could be desired, and the speed of the machine is about equal to that of a fair average shearer. ___