SHEEP WASHING.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 76, 24 October 1872, Page 3

SHEEP WASHING.

(From the Nai'lbu Telkghaph.) At this season of the year tho following method of ■washing sh'-cp previous-to shearing will be read with interest. Tho method has boen successfully adopted by tho gentleman, a recent visitor to this province, who forwarded to us tho communication, with the plan of yards, &0.,. which wo shall bo happy to show to anyone interested in getting up wool. Our correspondent writes::— " There is no doubt that as a rulo the ' battery system' of sheep washing is injurious to the sheep and hurtful to the wool. Wool washed by that process has noitlwr- the freedom of fibre nor elasticity which it would hnvo if cleansed by means of the soaking and plunging method. The system adopted by the writer, and those who have followed his plan, is to soak the sheep for two or three minutes in tepid water in a tank. A little soap to assist the yoke is disolved in the water —soda should never bo used unless tlit) water is hard; the sheep arc then allowed to stand on the draining stage a few minntcs to soften the dirt. When on the si age it is most useful to subject tho wheel- , *-° "• fj"ntle spray, falling on them from a perforated'cover over the stage, or from a hose from a hydraulic ram. The sheep afterwards pass along into a shoot from which they descend into tho river or dam ; after a little nimble handling of the crutches they are fit to pass into the swim, which should be from 00 to 70 feet long, they then land on a draining stage as white as snow. It will be found that five or six. days, according to the weather, will be siillicient for the yoke to gel, up before shearing, indeed longer time has been allowed with most decided advantage to the grower, and also i'j the wool. In proof of the advantage of this plan of shoep ■washing, I have sold wool in Dunedin at 2s ]>cv Ib., t!'o fiverage clip being 'A lbs 12 ozs., and the succeeding year the .same clip was sold in lnridon, the fleeces at from 2s 5d to 2h Hid, and the pieces at Is 9-id. This w;i.s at a time when the Ol.ugo flocks were by no means as well bred as they are now, the wool being neither as regular nor as level. I should mention that Home cure was taken to fairly class the wool. Though lloeks vary much according to district in llkj amount lost in weight of wool by washing, 1 know that 50 per cent in money is gamed by tne above process over shipping in the grease, notwithstanding the high rates at present ruling. 1 think the averago loss in weight of wool by washing may be set down at 25 per cent, while the expenses are very trilling, certainly not over id per sheep.