SHORTENING HORNS MAGGOTS. 189 



ointment of the shops, mixed with seven parts of lard, is an 

 effectual remedy. It is rubbed on the skin in furrows made 

 by opening the wool, and should be most freely applied to 

 the parts which are especially frequented by the insects, viz., 

 the neck and brisket. Half an ounce of it may thus be used 

 with entire safety on a common sized Merino lamb, having 

 the ordinary access to shelter, in any but exceedingly 

 tempestuous or changeable weather ; and this would be more 

 than sufficient for the purpose. In England, where mercurial 

 ointment is frequently used, it is believed to have a generally 

 salutary effect on the skin and on the growth of the wool. 

 Indeed, it is often applied for this express purpose, about the 

 first of October, to lambs which were dipped at shearing, and 

 which, therefore, have no vermin on them. It is also applied 

 to grown sheep for the same purposes, at the close of the 

 coupling season 2 Ibs. to twenty head or 1% oz. per head. 

 An ounce would be sufficient on a grown Merino. 



SHORTENING HORNS, ETC. Every horn in the flock should 

 be examined at marking time. When those of the ram press 

 upon the side of the head or neck, a longitudinal section 

 should be sawed from the inside of each, so as to relieve the 

 parts of their contact and the edges should be rasped 

 smooth. Ewes' horns sometimes grow into the eyes or sides 

 of the face. They should be sawed off", and it will save the 

 trouble of repeating the operation often if they be taken off 

 near the head. By far the best saw I have ever used for 

 these different purposes is a butcher's bow saw. 



MAGGOTS. New-shorn rams do not recognize each other 

 at once after shearing ; and those often fight which have pre- 

 viously run kindly together. If the skin of the head becomes 

 broken, and especially if blood oozes from the wound to a part 

 where a horn presses on the flesh, or where the shearer has 

 left a mass of wool between the flesh and horn, maggots are 

 promptly generated, and they soon burrow in the flesh and 

 produce death under the most distressing form. Where they 

 have entered the flesh deeply it is difficult to exterminate them 

 by one application of the proper substances and they should 

 be carefully re-examined at intervals of a day or two, 

 according to appearances. Spirit of turpentine will kill the 

 maggots it comes in contact with, and prevent the fly from 

 again attacking the parts until its effects are dissipated. It is 

 common also to daub tar over the wound. Having always 



