634 Journal of AgricuJtin-r. Victoria. [10 Oct., 1917. 



alternate teeth on each side should be filed on both edges, and by 

 this action guins, or false teeth, are raised in the blade between each 

 tooth. These gums must be kept down either by filing them straight 

 across with the file flat on its side or by placing the saw flat and firm 

 on its side on a solid piece of iron and marking with a cold chisel by 

 striking the chisel a firm blow with a hammer, each gum being treated 

 the same way on both sides of the saiv. The gums then may be readily 

 broken oS by applying the saw set and bending them, in the same 

 way as is done when setting the teeth. 



Dressing must always be carried out in this order — stripping, 

 setting, and filing or sharpening. If the teeth be sharpened prior to 

 being set, the points will be dulled when brought into contact with the 

 set, and consequently, at the conclusion of the operation, the saw will 

 still be unfit to perform good work. 



SHEEP DIPPING. 



By A. W. Curlewis, Inspector of Stocl\ 



During last season certain points wthich are of interest to sheep- 

 owners came directly under observation. The one which calls for com- 

 ment just now is the very marked increase in the number of sheep 

 infected witih lice compared with other recent years, excepting the drought 

 season of 1914-15. This is chiefly due to ineffective dipping rather than 

 to failure on the part of owners to dip their flocks. Dipping has proved 

 ineffectual partly through neglect of owners to comply strictly with 

 directions regarding the mixing and the strength of the wash used and 

 tihe period of immersion, and partly as the result of the use of non- 

 poisonous liquid dips, for without a poisonous mixture in some form it 

 is ahnost impossible to free sheep from lice. A further contributing 

 cause is the deterioration of, at least, a portion of the dipping material — 

 a deterioration probably due to a shortage of some of the chemicals used 

 by the manufacturers, for, until recently, most of the dips on the market 

 have been very reliable. 



It would be well if sheep-owners tihis season noted the result of 

 dipping, and, if necessary, gave their flocks a second immersion before 

 offering any sheep for sale. 



Experience has shown that the use of powder, paste, or combination 

 rather than liquid dips is most effective. Many of the manufacturing 

 firms supply powder and liquid material, and give directions for com- 

 bining them, should this be desired, while others sell a paste which is a 

 combination in itself. 



Attention is also drawn to the f)robability of vermin remaining in 

 flocks, owing to the failure to dip lambs, which are to be kept for some 

 time after the ewes have been dipped. To comply with the terms of the 

 Sheen Dipping Act, lambs, whether shorn or not, should be dipped at the 

 same time as the rest of the flock. Apart from the legal penalties to 

 which sheep-owners render themselves liable for non-observance of this 

 provision, there is the likelihood that sucih neglect may be the cause of 

 their flocks remaining unclean, for, even though the lambs be dipped 

 later, the eradication of tick and lice has been made very difficult by the 

 growth of wool, and thus vermin may be carried from one sihearing to 

 another. 



