SHEEP. 1031 



Ticks. The presence of ticks in a flock of Merinos is a 

 serious imputation upon the keeper's thrift ; but less so with 

 the open-wooled English breeds. Now is the time above all 

 others in the year to give them the slip. After shearing they 

 will disappear from the shorn sheep, some taking refuge on the 

 lambs, and the latter must be dipped in a vat of strong tobacco 

 water (made by boiling ten to fifteen pounds of stems in water, 

 to which enough cold water is added to dip one hundred lambs), 

 with an inclined leaf to carry back the drippings into the vat. 

 Or arsenic water may be used, if cheaper three pounds of 

 white arsenic, dissolved in boiling water, and then diluted with 

 forty gallons of cold. The lamb is immersed back downward, 

 care being taken not to let the liquid enter the eyes and nose. 

 If yearlings are infested with ticks, they may be held in check 

 so as not to injure the sheep until shearing-time comes by giv- 

 ing them free access to salt mixed with one-third part of sul- 

 phur, and housing them from the storms. A flock well dipped 

 and cared for afterward ought never to have ticks on them again. 



Maggots are one of the greatest pests of summer, especially 

 on the evil-smelling Merino. Rams at shearing should receive 

 a light smear of tar around the base of the horns, and on any 

 contusions which they may make by fighting. Ewes, if wrinkly, 

 and with a tendency to foul, should be carefully watched, kept 

 dressed with the shears and fresh, soft tar applied. Early lambs 

 have wool of considerable length at weaning time ; ewe lambs 

 should then be tagged a little about the posteriors, and the 

 wether lambs at the pizzle, and those parts touched with tar. 

 Nothing else will supply fully the place of tar, but it must not 

 be daubed on thick, else it will smutch the fleece. When nwg- 

 rots once get a foothold, only the greatest thoroughness will dis- 

 lodge them. Shear close to the hide, rigorously hunt them out 

 with a sharp stick, then smear tar solid over the whole space 

 covered by them. Turpentine or kerosene will expel them more 

 quickly, but these are hard on the sheep, and it is better to 

 spend more time in digging them out. It may be necessary to 

 sprinkle the adjacent wool with them to prevent the flies from 

 laying more eggs, and to keep the sheep in the dark. 



