520 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Gillette has also made determinations of the loss of weight of sheep 

 from dipping. Part of his results agree with those of the bureau and 

 part differ. The chief point of difference in opinion is that Gillette con- 

 siders the best conclusion can be based upon weights taken a few days 

 after dipping, while we consider the weight at a later period as the better 

 criterion. Gillette gives weights from November 17 to December 22, and, 

 taking the cases where the sheep have been dipped twice, we see from 

 his tables that the sheep treated with tol>acco gained 8 pounds, the sheep 

 treated with arsenical dip gained 8 pounds, the sheep treated with lime 

 and sulphur, which, unfortunately for the comparison, did not receive the 

 same fodder as the others, gained 9 pounds, while the sheep which were 

 not dipped, in order to gvie a basis for comparison, gained 6 pounds. 



Holding in mind that sheep may apparently gain or lose about three 

 pounds per day when not dipped, it is seen from the experiments by Gil- 

 lette, in Colorado, and by this bureau, in the District of Columbia, that 

 the oft-repeated claim that lime and sulphur dips give a greater setback 

 than other dips is erroneous. In both the western and eastern experi- 

 ments the sheep treated with lime and sulphur averaged the greatest gain, 

 the sheep treated with tobacco the second highest gain, while the sheep 

 treated with carbolic dip showed the lowest gain. 



DIPPING PLANTS. 



There are numerous kinds of dipping plants in use, the size and style 

 varying according to the conditions which are to be met and the individual 

 taste of the owner. 



The farmer who has but a small flock can use a small, portable vat 

 for dipping, turning a part of his barn or some shed into a catching pen; 

 by holding the sheep a moment at the top of the incline, as the animals 

 emerge from the vat, and allowing them to drain, he can do away with 

 the necessity of a draining yard. 



When large flocks are to be drained at stated periods it will be economy 

 to build a more permanent plant. Such a plant should consist of (1) col- 

 lecting and forcing yards, provided with a (2) drive and (3) chute, or 

 slide, into the (4) diping vat, from which an (5) incline with cross 

 cleats leads to the (6) draining yards. 



Heating tanks or boilers are also necessary. For a small vat any port- 

 able caldron with a capacity of 30 to 100 gallons will answer, and the 

 proper temperature may be maintained by pouring fresh hot ooze into 

 the vat as the supply is exhausted by the dipping. In the large permanent 

 plants the temperature can best be regulated by means of a steam pipe or 

 hot water coil close to the floor of the tub. 



Thermometers are an absolute necessity. The floating dairy thermometer 

 will be found to be most convenient and several extra thermometers 

 should be kept on hand to replace broken instruments. The thermometer 

 is dropped into the vat and allowed to float for a short time, then quickly, 

 removed and the temperature determined. It is well to make paint marks 

 at the side of the 100° and 110° points. 



Building material — The yards and vat may be built of wood, concrete, 

 cemented stone or brick, according to the individual taste of the owner 

 and the facilities at hand. 



