EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 575 



not last all season, but by the time the clover is gone they will be big 

 fellows and ready for a full feed of corn, which is the cheapest feed for 

 us to finish them with. 



No matter what the subsequent use of the pig on the farm is to be, 

 his early development should be carefully guarded. As compared with 

 other farm animals, the pig is obliged to sustain a heavy weight on his 

 feet and legs. This suggests the advisability of giving considerable 

 thought to the proper development of bone and muscle. Milk is the 

 natural food for the young pig, and that of the mother should, as the 

 pigs grow older, be supplemented with skim milk from the dairy. In 

 case this is not available, a good substitute will be found in fine wheat 

 middlings. Not only is it advisable to feed the young pig skim milk, or 

 some other feed well calculated to make bone and muscle, because of 

 the necessity of having strong feet and legs, but because the flesh of the 

 pig is perhaps as much or more susceptible to influence from, feed than 

 that of any other farm animal. That is, feed the young and growing pig 

 a nitrogenous ration like an abundance of skim milk or middlings and a 

 superior flesh is produced. 



THE DIPPING OF SHEEP. 

 By W. J. Kennedy, Ames, Iowa, in Iowa State Register and Farmer. 



The strongest argument for the dipping of sheep lies in the fact that 

 it is the best way of freeing them from external parasites. This is so 

 generally accepted that it is only necessary to mention it. Sheep are 

 very frequently troubled with red lice which can hardly be seen, and yet 

 they cause the sheep unlimited annoyance. Dipping will completely 

 destroy these. Ticks cause the farm flocks of this country untold annoy- 

 ance, and for these dipping is thoroughly effective. Ticks and red lice 

 do more damage than we are aware of, because the evidences of the 

 annoyance that they give the sheep are not so marked as in some other 

 troubles, but they are none the less a severe check to their well-doing. 

 Dipping, followed faithfully each year, will completely remove the baneful 

 results from the presence of these parasites. For the eradication of scab, 

 thorough dipping stands first among remedial measures. 



While the destruction of these pests is usually the mainly accepted argu- 

 ment for dipping, yet there are others that, grouped together, make a 

 more favorable indorsement for the operation. Among these may be 

 briefly mentioned cleansing the skin, cleaning the wool, and, particularly, 

 encouraging the best growth of the latter. To get the fullest returns in 

 these directions, the dipping should be done twice each year — in the 

 spring shortly after shearing, and again in the fall just before the advent 

 of winter. 



Shortly after shearing it is an advantage to dip the flock thoroughly 

 so as to cleanse the skin. This not only adds to the thrift of the sheep 

 and the lambs, but in all instances it favors the growth of wool and 

 secretion of yolk. Not only is the growth of wool better from it, but it 

 adds indirectly to the function of the fleece as a protection to the sheep. 

 The fleece of a sheep that has been dipped is more likely to remain intact 



