markets than to send it to Europe ; but, whatever plan he adopts, 

 lie should keep to it, as by changing he may hit a bad market at 

 both places. 



WOOLSHKD, BARN AND SHED. 



One of the most useful buildings I have seen to serve the pur- 

 poses of a woolshed, barn, vehicle she:l and store for all sorts of 

 materials required on a farm, is the one of which a sketch is given 

 opposite. It has been in use on a small property carrying about 5,000 

 sheep for many years, and has been found extremely useful for a 

 great variety of purposes. The main building is 20 ft. wide by 

 40 ft. long, and there are two skillions 10 ft. broad along two sides. 

 The divisions in the interior are made by hurdles which have two 

 small projections at each end, which lit into receptacles on the 

 posts (these are shown in the plan, but the post is inverted). The 

 hurdles are made 10 ft. long, and the posts at the catching pens are 

 that distance apart. When the shearing is over the hurdles are 

 removed and put away till next shearing. This leaves a wide 

 space, in which fencing- wire, timber, vehicles, sheepskins, and 

 many other articles may be safely stored and kept from the 

 weather. There is a wide entrance-door on to the batten yard at 

 the other side of the catching pens. This plan may be altered to 

 suit a smaller flock, and the material may be wood or iron. To 

 rill the catching pens small gates are made in the hurdles adjoining 

 to the middle battened yard. This shed was erected at moderate 

 cost ; indeed most of the work may be done by any man handy 

 with tools. An iron roof gives a good supply of water, which is 

 saved in large iron tanks. 



EAR MARKING. 



Formerly all ear marking was done with the knife, but the 

 machine made for the purpose is now in general use. The advan- 

 tages of using the machine are that it makes a clean and uniform 

 mark, and is quicker than the knife. The marks generally used are 

 a half circle, a V and a square, all cut out of the edge of the ear. 

 These marks may be used singly or double with a short space 

 between. The V mark may be cut doubly close together, and thus 

 forms what is called a W. Besides these marks there is the punch 

 hole, which is placed in the centre of the ear, and the swallow tail 

 at the tip of the ear, which is made with a larger V than the one 

 mentioned. There is also a square mark like a quarter taken out 

 at the tip. The slit is a bad mark, for if it is not deep the sides of 

 the cut may grow together again, and if it is sufficiently deep, one 

 side, or both sides, of the slit may droop, which gives the sheep's 

 head an ugly appearance. 



All ear-marks should be registered ; this should be compulsory, 

 and what is described as the rogue's mark, i.e., the ear cut off close 

 to the head, should not be permitted under heavy penalties. The 

 ear-mark for age is a very simple matter. For this five positions 



