SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 507 



IMPORTANCE OF PROPER USE OF DIP. 



Whatever dip is selected, the farmer should not forget that there are 

 two ways of using it. One way is to prepare and use it in accordance 

 with the directions given; the other way is to attempt to economize 

 time, labor or money by using it in weaker proportion than advised, by 

 hurrying the sheep through the swim, or by later placing the dipped 

 sheep under unfavorable conditions. If the former method is adopted 

 with any of the established dips the treatment ought to be followed with 

 favorable results; if the latter method is adopted the farmer himself 

 must assume the responsibility of failure, no matter what remedy he 

 decides to use. Every farmer should therefore remember that when he 

 has decided upon the dip he is to use his work has only begun; to use 

 it properly is fully as important as to use a dip at all. 



PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS IN CHOOSING DIP. 



The home-made dips which are most commonly used have either to- 

 bacco or sulphur as their basis, while the prepared dips contain tobacco, 

 sulphur, arsenic, carbolic acid, etc., as curative agents. 



In selecting a dip several points should be considered. First of all, the 

 question of expense will naturally arise; next, the question as to whether 

 or not scab actually exists in the flock to be dipped, or whether or not 

 the dipping is more of a precautionary matter, or for the sake of cleansing 

 the animal's skin. The facilities at hand, the setback to the sheep and 

 the length of the wool are also matters for consideration, as well as the 

 pastures into which the dipped sheep are to be placed. Notwithstanding 

 statements to the effect that a given dip can be used under all condi- 

 tions, the above questions are evidently important. 



Expense — 'In estimating the expense one should consider not only the 

 actual outlay for the ingredients of the ooze, but the cost of fuel and 

 labor, the injury, if any, to the sheep, and the liability of not curing the 

 disease. It is much more economical to use an expensive dip and cure 

 scab than it is to use a cheap dip and fail to cure it. To illustrate with 

 a well-known home-made dip: A lime and sulphur dip may be made in 

 ten to thirty minutes, with but little fuel and little labor, which may or 

 may not cure the disease, and which will surely do great injury to the 

 wool; or a lime and sulphur dip may be made in several hours' time at 

 the expense of considerable fuel, labor and patience, which can be relied 

 upon to cure scab, and which will do little or no injury to the wool. 

 The first dip is cheap, but not economical; the second dip is more ex- 

 pensive, but more economical. 



Does Scab Exist in the p'lock? — Every farmer should ask himself this 

 question before he selects his dip. If scab does not actually exist and 

 the wool is long, the dipping in this case simply being a matter of pre- 

 caution, it is best not to select a dip containing lime. The use of the 

 lime and sulphur dips is therefore not advised simply as precautionary 

 dressing for healthy long-wooled sheep. On the contrary, the use of any 

 dip containing iime, as a precautionary measure, should be avoided. 



The Facilities at Hand for Preparing Dip — If fuel is very scarce, so 

 that it is impracticable to boil the mixture for at least two hours, the 



