THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 237 



ingredients are — 1 gallon of soluble carbolic acid added to about 

 90 o aliens of water, 2 lbs. arsenic, mixed with the forei^oiuoi 

 after having been dissolved in a slow boil in two or three gallons 

 of water, and 4 lbs. of pearl ash or washing soda. With this 

 mixture sheep can be dipped at a cost of 2s. 6d. per 100. To 

 those who object to the use of arsenic, if a half gallon of carbolic 

 is substituted, it will be found quite effectual. The practice of 

 smearing has almost died out. After dipping, where this is 

 done at the old time, immediately comes the marking of the 

 stock and the checking of the numbers. Then, this over, the 

 tups are put to the ewes on the 22nd November. The number 

 of ewes given to one tup is usually three score. It is advisable, 

 it mav be said, to draw out some of the best ewes to a select 

 tup. This practice has hitherto been far too seldom adopted 

 among blackfaced sheep, and breeders would do well to give 

 more attention to it. The tups are brought away from the ewes 

 about the 1st of January. Wintering in the south is, as has 

 been pointed out, a very simple matter. Oscasionally, in trying 

 seasons, there is no course except to give the sheep a little hay ; 

 but this the blackfaced require rarely, in comparison with the 

 Cheviots, which are much less self-reliant and active. During 

 lambing, which is the next business on liand, the ewes, which 

 begin to drop about the 17th April, — a few days prior to which 

 they should have all been udder-locked, — need much less 

 assistance than any other breeds from the shepherd. A great 

 ease in lambing is no doubt partly due to the care which has 

 been given to shape of the horn, for since farmers began to show 

 preference for sheep with horns that lie sliglitly back instead of 

 the forward horned kind, the ewes appear even more easily 

 managed than formerly. Another thing that takes a weight off 

 the shepherd's mind is that the mothers are generally better 

 milkers than the Cheviots, while the lambs are so much more 

 hardy, that even with no better nursing they would manage to 

 live, while Cheviots would succumb. Twins are not regarded as 

 an advantage, except where there are parks for them, or where 

 they are of service in " beating up " deaths. Of tup eild sheep 

 there are fewer than among Cheviots. The castration of the 

 lambs — after those to be kept as tups have been selected — takes 

 place at the end of June, unless where the stock are intended for 

 the fat market, in which case it is done a fortnight or three 

 weeks earlier. It was the custom at one time to wash black- 

 faced sheep, but within the last twenty years the practice has 

 been discontinued. Clipping begins about the 10th July. 

 Ijlackfaced, like all other classes of wool, has sull'ered from the 

 recent depression, but not to the same extent as Cheviot and 

 some of the finer kinds, — the reason being perhaps partly the 

 original lowness of price, and partly the improvement that has 

 taken place in the quality and length of staple, long deep wool 



