630 Journal of Agriculture. [10 Oct., 1910. 



carbolic, that do their work well and are fairly lasting. It does not pay 

 to make home-made dijis. 



Powder dips are called '' Poisonous'' and licjuid dips " Non-Poison- 

 ous." They are, however, both poisonous. The one is mainly arsenic 

 in fine powder ; the other is usually arsenic in solution. Either in its 

 undiluted state is deadly. If they w'ere not poisonous what would be the 

 use of them ? Manufacturers recommend powder dips, in preference to 

 the so-called non-poisonous liquid dips ; but many farmers have a dread 

 of poisons, and, again, powder dips are more expensive. When one firm 

 put the cheaper so-called non-poisonous dij) on the market others had to 

 do the same in order to do business. 



Many wool-growers, especiallv merino breeders, are, however, satisfied 

 with liquid dips. If they meet favourable weather immediately after the 

 first dipping, all parasites are certainly killed, and if no others are caught 

 from infested sheep they keep clean for the year. Very little trouble is 

 then required to keep them in a satisfactory condition, especially if the 

 property is well fenced and neighbours' sheep clean. Some owners using 

 powder dips have found it unnecessary in the case of merinoes to dip more 

 often than once in two years. This is not, however, generally advocated, 

 but it shows the beneficial effects of powder dips. 



Arsenical liquid dips kill more quickly than powder dips and some 

 sheep owners are led bv this fact to think that the former are the best. 

 While a powder dij) may be slower to kill, it is by far the most lasting in 

 its effects. 



Warm weather, even a hot windy day, is ideal for dipping ; the sheep 

 immediately dry and this means death to all vermin, and comfort to the 

 sheep. 



The sooner a sheep dries after dipping the more effectual the poisoning 

 of parasites, as well as lessening the chance of losses in the sheep them- 

 selves. If sheep meet rain after being dipped and before having a chance 

 to dry, the strength of the preparation they have carried out with them 

 is weakened. Ticks and lice will, in such cases, often recover. 



Covers over draining pens are often advocated. Whilst beneficial, they 

 are not really necessary. 



Should severe conditions such as cold wind and rain follow imme- 

 diately after dipping, serious losses as a rule will be experienced. In 

 .some cases, severe bruising is more responsible for deaths than even 

 adverse weather. Driving sheep long distances to the dip, and putting 

 them through immediately while over-heated, is also a coinmon cause of 

 loss, and break in the wool. Sheep should stand over night and be put 

 through early next day if the weather appears promising. 



There is danger in dipping sheep or lambs if over an inch of wool is 

 on them; a rather w^eaker solution is then necessary. The temptation with 

 many is to put them through quickly, thinking that it means a weak dip- 

 ping, but it leaves patches which are not soaked. The strength of the 

 bath .should be weakened down, and time taken. If a full strength bath 

 be used on woolly sheep or lambs it causes the skin to crack wdthin a few 

 days. This is accentuated if they are driven long distances, or even driven 

 rapidly for two or three miles and dipped when over-heated. 



It is claimed for dips that they improve the wool. They do so in- 

 directly. The killing of all vermin means, first of all, cleaner wool, and 

 the increa.sed comfort and general good health mean more wool. Then, 

 coupled Avith good breeding and good feeding, the sheep produces wool 

 and flesh at its best. But if the sheep are not bred and fed to grow good 

 wool, the mere fact of dipi)ing will not produce it. 



