McGuffey's Second Reader Grades 1 and 2馃惥 Animals

Sheep-shearing

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Two men shearing sheep.

SHEEP-SHEARING.

  • Sheep are washed and sheared some time in the month of June. This should be done quite early in the month, before the hot days begin.
  • It is fine sport for those who look on, but not much fun for the sheep.
  • It is best for the sheep to have the wool taken off; otherwise they would suffer in the summer time.
  • When the time comes for washing the sheep, they are driven to a pond or a little river.
  • Then they are thrown into the water, one at a time. The men who are in the water catch them, and squeeze the wet wool with their hands to get the dirt all out of it.
  • Then the wool is thoroughly dried, the sheep are taken to the shearer; and he cuts off the wool with a large pair of shears.
  • It is then dyed, spun, and woven into cloth.
  • In a short time, before the cold winter comes, new wool grows out on the sheep. By the corning of spring there is so much, that it must be cut off again.