[73 I 



should be, spread under all the sheds, will become saturated 

 with the urine, and this, thrown on the general heap, gene- 

 rates an immense amount of ammonia, which, lodging in 

 the mass of decaying vegetable matter, makes a manure 

 unexcelled by any. 



Sheep that have been kept up and fed during the winter, 

 when turned on grass in the spring are very apt to scour, 

 thefceces catching in the wool around the vent and on the 

 thighs, forming tags. These tags sometimes become enor- 

 mous, and serve, not only to impede the motions of the an- 

 imal, but also to make a secure lodgment for insects, espe- 

 cially for maggots. These tags are a great annoyance to 

 the lambs also. Sometimes drainage from the filth, held by 

 them, trickles down on the teats, mingling with the milk. 

 Sometimes they prevent the lamb from sucking altogether. 

 Whether wet or dry, the wool can never be washed from it, 

 and sooner or latei it must be cut from the sheep. Tagging 

 before turning out to grass prevents all this expense, waste 

 and risk. So tagging should be practiced at once, cutting 

 away all the wool around the vent and on each side of the 

 thigh, so the dung will fall clear to the ground without 

 touching any wool. It should also be cut from around the 

 udder of the ewe, and from the scrotum of the buck. In 

 doing this of course care should be taken to be gentle with 

 the sheep and not injure the skin. Should a scar be made 

 on the skin, cover it with a mixture of tar and grease, s>s 

 this is a season of flies, and a nest of maggots would soon 

 be made on any wound. 



No one thing contributes to the health of sheep more 

 than salting. It prevents injury from the great change 

 from dry to green food, and will prevent the mass of herb- 

 age from fermenting in the stomach. The salt is better 

 when mixed with epsom salts, copperas and sulphur; 

 and the best plan of using it is to place a supply in 

 covered boxes, protecting it from rain yet admitting it to 

 the constant access of sheep, replenishing the boxes as often 



