SHEARING 577 



the men may stand in it dry, with a plank or bridge 

 leading to it, to wash the sheep, before allowing 

 each individual to pass to the opposite side, where 

 they can walk out by means of an inclined plane. 

 Before they reach the man who washes them they 

 should be well soaked in the water, so as to save 

 time. When washing is over, the flock should be 

 driven to a dry, clean pasture. Of course, dusty 

 roads must be carefully avoided, until the animals 

 have become fairly dried. The lambs do not require 

 more than simply swimming through the water. 



SHEARING. 



June is the time when shearing commences. It 

 requires considerable care and nicety to perform this 

 operation without mangling the fleece, and leaving 

 large patches of wool adhering to the backs of the 

 animals. "After sheep are shorn, they are liable to 

 the attacks of different insects, such as ticks and 

 gad-flies, etc. The former of these should be care- 

 fully picked off, and the skin smeared all over with 

 the following composition : 



Tar \ gallon, 



Train oil .... 4 gallons, 

 Spirit of turpentine . . i pint ; 



but oil of tar may be substituted for the turpentine, 

 being considerably cheaper. 



The method employed in sheep-shearing is so 

 well known that a detailed account of it is un- 

 necessary. 



FOOD. 



It is considered prejudicial to change the food of 

 sheep frequently, as it has a tendency to derange the 



2 o 



