SHEEP SCAB. 33 



as the foundations for a house, except that they are to be 6 inches 

 thick. The space inside these walls is then filled with gravel to the 

 required height and the floor laid on it. Cement floors should have 

 rough surfaces to prevent slipping. A coat of " pebble dash "' over 

 the cement floors will afford a suitable surface for the sheep to stand 

 on. The floors of draining pens should slope so that the dip will 

 drain away rapidly and not collect in pools from which the animals 

 mav drink. 



The dipping vat may be constructed of either lumber or cement, 

 the cement vat being preferable. The length of the vat may vary from 

 30 to 100 feet, depending on the number of sheep to be dipped. Pub- 

 lic dipping vats, where from 50,000 to 100,000 sheep are dipped each 

 season, should be 100 feet long. The depth should be 5 feet, width 

 at bottom 8 inches and at top 2 feet. Sheep vats are usually so con- 

 structed that the top is flush with the top of the ground and there 

 should be no cross pieces to interfere with free action of the sheep 

 or of the men working along the vat. As a matter of individual taste, 

 however, the top of the vat may extend from 9 to 18 inches above the 

 ground. Those of the latter kind afford a better opportunity to 

 handle the sheep and can be operated with less effort. If it is desired 

 that the top of the vat shall be flush with the ground, it should first 

 be built at least 4 inches above the natural surface of the ground and 

 then dirt or gravel may be filled in, thus securing proper drainage 

 along the sides. 



Whenever it is possible to do so the gravity method of draining 

 the old dip out of the vat should be adopted, as otherwise it is neces- 

 sary to pump or dip it out each time the vat is cleaned. The end of 

 the vat having the drain should be slightly lower than the other end 

 so that all the liquid will drain off. The slide board into the vat 

 should be set at an angle of 45 degrees and extend from the floor of 

 the chute to at least 4 inches below the dip line ; it should be made of 

 or covered with a smooth-surfaced material, such as planed lumber 

 or sheet metal. The end extending into the dip should be flush with 

 the vertical end of the vat. A space between the slide board and the 

 end of the vat, if large enough for a lamb to lodge in, is a dangerous 

 arrangement. The runway leading out of the vat should not be too 

 steep. The length varies from 8 to 16 feet, the latter being preferable 

 in large vats. 



HEATING FACILITIES. 



When lime-and-sulphur dip is used it is necessary to provide cook- 

 ing tanks. The cooking may be done by steam or in open boilers 



