COLORING SHEEP ARTIFICIALLY. 81 



to any of the objects of manufacturing ; and that its quantity 

 and consistency are only important in so far as they affect its 

 weight and cause a loss in scouring. 



I have been speaking of the natural color of yolk. In 

 many regions where sheep are not pastured on thoroughly 

 sodded ground, the whole interior of the fleece becomes 

 stained by dust to the prevailing color of the ground. This 

 often occurs on our Western prairies. 



COLORING SHEEP ARTIFICIALLY. To give Merinos des- 

 titute of it, a dark external color, they are sometimes painted. 

 A coating of linseed oil and burnt umber, slightly darkened 

 with lamp-black, neatly applied within a few weeks after 

 shearing, can be distinguished from the natural dark coat of 

 a housed sheep with some difficulty, by inexperienced eyes. 

 But generally the sheep jockey overdoes the thing and excels 

 nature ! He lays on the coat more evenly and more uniformly 

 dark. It is said there are other preparations, with or without 

 coloring matter, intended to give the fleece a thick, firm 

 feeling, but I have not learned their composition. It is not 

 necessary to remark that all such practices are rank frauds. 



ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION AND PRESERVATION OF YOLK. 

 Yolk is greatly increased in the fleece by high keep; and 

 careful housing in summer, as well as winter, as I have 

 repeatedly remarked, preserves it there. The objects and 

 effects of these practices will be alluded to hereafter. 



