TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 495 



and then look up the ear tag number of such a notch that year. That 

 would enable you to get correct duplicate tag. "We believe this system 

 would profit all pure-bred breeders, and the illustration makes its detail 

 quite plain. If you wanted to number a lamb 253, a hole through the 

 ear and a lower notch next to the head would be punched in the right 

 ear and a notch in the tip of the left ear. These marks are lasting, and 

 when once you become accustomed to the number indicated by each notch 

 it is a very simple system. These small marks do not injure the young 

 lamb's ears, and it is much better than to insert heavy tags before the 

 ears are fully developed. 



DIPPING. 



As soon as practicable — say when the ewes ar.e shorn and before the 

 lambs are weaned — they all should be dipped, and, to entirely keep ticks 

 off, the process should be repeated in autumn. The object of dipping 

 is to destroy the parasites in the fleece, to kill off any young insects 

 which may afterwards hatch out and to protect the sheep from subse- 

 quent attacks. 



Experience has taught us that sheep thrive much better when their 

 skins are clean, and it has been clearly proved that a good dip increases 

 the quantity and improves the quality of the wool. It is absolutely im- 

 possible for lambs infested with ticks or other parasites to thrive prop- 

 erly, owing to the constant irritation set up. In trying to get relief 

 lambs often nibble at the fleece and swallow small portions of wool, with 

 fatal results. A good and regular system of dipping the entire flock is 

 money well expended. Hence, most leading flockmasters dip twice In 

 the season, once as indicated, and again in the autumn. 



The modes of dipping are various. For small flocks the hand-bath is 

 in general use, but the swim-bath is by far the best when flocks are 

 large enough for its adoption, as this system gives much less trouble, 

 saves labor and expense, and the operation is far more effectual. 



WEANING. 



Weaning if not conducted with care and with proper forethought will 

 often lead to a derangement of the system of the lambs. 



In some cases, at a very early period, the lambs are separated from 

 their mothers and at once placed on an old pasture, which is perhaps 

 burned up and totally unsuitable to the tender stomachs of the lambs. 

 The sudden transition from the milk of the ewe to the dry summer 

 food is beyond the power of their digestive system. The new food is 

 not properly assimilated, conequently general derangement of the stomach 

 and system immediately follows. 



To prevent these evil results, the food supplied at weaning time 

 should be of a highly nutritious quality, such as can be easily assimilated, 

 and if the weather is hot and dry a plentiful supply of clean water should 

 at all times be available. 



The date of weaning depends on the locality, and the breeder must, 

 be guided by circumstances. Early weaning is in most cases to be rec- 

 ommended for the following reasons: Keep is plentiful at this season,. 



