FOR SHOW RING AND MARKET. 187 



arable time on a farm without being effectually checked the 

 whole premises are liable to become so thoroughly impreg- 

 nated with the germs of the disease as to render them al- 

 most impossible to completely eradicate it, even where the 

 most thorough measures are practiced to bring about a 

 desirable issue; it usually means a hard and continuous 

 fight to keep it under. It is, comparatively, a very easy 

 matter to take a sheep that has one or every foot literally 

 rotten with the disease and with a few careful but thorough 

 dressings with some suitable composition to effect a cure 

 in a wonderfully short time. But this does not mean the 

 worst part of the trouble is overcome. It is the preventing 

 of the trouble continually breaking out anew that worries 

 the life and patience out of the shepherd. After a dry spell 

 lie will be congratulating himself that he has not a lame 

 -sheep on the place, but upon stormy weather coming along 

 disappointment comes too, for the whole flock may be limp- 

 ing from the horrible disease ere a week has elapsed. 



I will guarantee a perfect cure of the worst case of foot- 

 rot where the affected animals are treated as I advise in the 

 following lines, but I do not guarantee to bring about the 

 'complete eradication of the disease from the flock unless after 

 the feet have been patched up and disinfected the sheep are 

 removed to pasture where foot-rot has never existed. 



The first essential in battling with foot-rot is that the shep- 

 lierd cast aside sentiment, and with a very keen knife cut 

 deep down into the seat of the disease. Cut every particle 

 of diseased or loose hoof away. If the hoof appears sound 

 and still the sheep be lame, cut into the hoof until blood or 

 matter comes; search for matter, and don't give up seeking 

 for it until you have found it, if the animal is lame. Cut 



