280 FARM ANIMALS 



the fleece ragged. The first sympton of the disease 

 is observed in the sheep rubbing and they should 

 immediately be investigated to determine whether 

 the mite is present or not. This disease is readily 

 transmitted from one sheep to another, so that 

 it spreads with considerable rapidity throughout 

 the flock. There are two forms of scab, the body 

 scab being the most serious and the head scab, 

 caused by another mite, which confines its attacks 

 largely to the head and neck. The prevalence 

 of scab on the western ranges became such a serious 

 matter that the Bureau of Animal Industry under- 

 took its eradication on a large scale and began the 

 dipping of sheep in the worst infested states. In 

 this work several million sheep have been dipped 

 in the states of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon 

 and elsewhere and the work has been attended with 

 very satisfactory results. Sheep scab has been 

 thoroughly checked and practically exterminated 

 in Wyoming and excellent progress has been made 

 in other states. The immense importance of this 

 work can only be appreciated by those who have 

 seen scabby herds of sheep and have realized the 

 immense loss which this disease caused, not only 

 in wool, but in the weight of the sheep. The 

 treatment adopted by the Bureau of Animal In- 

 dustry and the one which has been the most gen- 

 erally effective consists in plunging the sheep into 

 a mixture of lime and sulphur while warm. The 

 essentials of a good dip are that it should kill the 

 scab mite in the skin, injure the sheep as little 

 as possible and cause no damage to tne color of 

 the wool or the quality. Tobacco dips are effective, 

 but sometimes discolor the wool. Occasionally 

 objections are made against the lime and sulphur 

 dip that this material injures the staple of the wool, 



