Early Sheep Shearing--washing

No real lover of bis flock drives h!s sheep to tle washing without a feeling akin to reniorso. He would not do it víere it not that lie belioves that the niarket demanda wool washed on tho back. '1'Lougl) it is true that washed woola solí more readi:y yet in times like these wbere nny and all wools iro quirkly taken up, un pppcrrtaüity for reform is offured whicli ought not to be overlooked. Sheep which are to be waebed ought not to be shearcd before settled warm weather. la manv seasons this will uot eoire before the íwt oí' June. Tliey are then in much kss danser of taking cold and reeeiving perniüiisnt injury. They ouglit to be washed only in water which is so warm that the washers do uot find ituncooifort ab!c to Btttïid in it with tho sheep. The shock 10 llieöock,of the immersion in cold water, and being subsocjuent'y exposed to raw winds - followed by being re duced tu u s;ate ot' absolute nakedness, is sufEcient cause to accouut for "suufflea," and prevalent lung difficulties. - The rule in regard to washiög is to wash as üttle as possible, but even this involves the necessitj, of thoroughly wettiDg the entire fleece. It is a great object to have the sheep íheared as early as they can be, and fully a moiith may be gaiñed if they are shorn without washing. The fleece starts better, the sheep seem actnallv benefitted, weakly ones C l ï LU U til UI 1 I LTf 1JV JU U Vl ■ w- - - - - - - - - oiten brighten up and do well, aod all are in niucli better condition to bear tbo autumnal storma wbiob often come before the flocks are sufficieutly ciad to bear the chauge well. Contagious diseases are not unfrequently communicated by farmers using tho same washing pens with their neighbors, which may be unavoidable. If the sheep be shorn unwashed, particular care should be taken to have thein all well tagged, and all dirt removed which is not too thoroughly iuoorporatcd with the fleece. The discount of onethird in. price fo.' unwashed wonl is not fair, yet the farmer muy well submit to it fnr the advantage his flock gains, if it be a valuable one, kuowing that like other abuses it will be corrected by time. Sheep should be shorn on smooth, clean floors, by oareful, humane, quick, experienced men. The cleanliness of the floor, the removal of dung and straw brought in upon the feet, are important. wmtomuwxiWimmmÉteBmmimtmmKwmmÊiÊamm litigan