THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 373 



DIPPING SHEEP. 



Homestead. 



As the time approaches when the sheep will be deprived of then* 

 warm coats of wool we hope that every sheep owner will make prepara- 

 tions to dip the flock. Some time ago we heard Richard Gibson, the Cana- 

 dian authority en sheep breeding, say: "A rich man may discard the use 

 of dip; a poor man cannot afford to do so." This a fair statement of 

 the matter. There cannot be the slightest doubt that it pays to dip 

 sheep, not only for the purpose of ridding them of ticks, but also with the 

 idea of stimulating growth of wool and production of mutton. A sheep 

 that has been dipped grows more and better wool and puts on mutton 

 faster than the rheep that is not dipped. Ticks cause irritation and keep 

 the sheep from thriving so well and such irritation affects the wool crop 

 and the increase in meat. At the same time it may be safely asserted 

 that the modern, tar-product sheep dips stimulate an increased growth of 

 wool and make the wool better in strength of staple. There has been a 

 great deal of discussion for and against some of the sheep dips and not- 

 ably regarding tne lime and sulphur dip, which, while effective, has been 

 proved to injure the wool; but we have not heard a word said against the 

 tar-product dips for tick killing, general cleanliness and effectiveness and 

 they certainly c'o not injure the wool, but as Mr. Gibson says, improve i*. 

 and increase the annual crop. Where sheep are supposed or known to be 

 afflicted with scab and have to be dipped on that account sulphur should 

 be added to the solution of warm tar-product dip at the rate of sixteen 

 pounds to the 100 gallons of solution and this will kill the scab mite and 

 not hurt the wool, but the dipping should be repeated in ten days. For- 

 merly it was a somewhat difficult and rather dangerous task to dip sheep. 

 The commercial dips contained arsenic in some cases and wonderfully 

 concocted home dips contained arsenic, lye, carbolic acid, corrosive sub- 

 limate, nicotine and a host of other things some of which might lead to 

 death either by absorption through the skin or by getting onto the pasture 

 grasses to be consumed by newly dipped sheep. All this has been done 

 away with and we do not believe there is now a dangerous dip upon the 

 market. Carbolic o.cid and tobacco are still used in some of the dips, bur 

 in such proportions and manner as to render them safe and effective, and 

 it would be foolish, indeed, for any man to go to the trouble of making a 

 home brew of alleged dip that might prove dangerous, hurtful or too ex- 

 pensive. The tar-product dips are cheap and come almost ready for use. 

 All that is necessary in their preparation is the addition of water for ordi- 

 nary purposes and the sheep may even drink the solution without danger, 

 and do not suffer harm from getting it into their eyes. Further there are 

 now handy dipping tanks, platforms and strainers on the market so that 

 the work of dipping can be easily, properly and comfortably done. The 

 best authorities claim that sheep should be dipped three times a year, and 

 the first time is just after shearing when the coat is short and the dip 



