DAILY MANAGEMENT OF LAMBS AND TEGS. 139 



it is well to put a little of the mixture round it, to prevent their 

 crawling outside the point to be dressed. If in a position where a 

 blemish will not show, it is well to cut off a little wool above, then 

 to pour in some of the mixture, and shake out the maggots. It 

 is advisable to sprinkle a little flowers of sulphur on the wool 

 about the place, to prevent any fresh attack. In wet, " muggy " 

 weather, when the sheep-fly is especially active, it is a good plan 

 to choose a time when the fleece is wet to pen the sheep closely 

 and well powder them with sulphur by the aid of a powdering 

 bellows. 



If lambs scour they are liable to be struck about the tail ; to 

 prevent attack, sulphur should be sprinkled on with a dredger. 

 Trouble is saved if the wool about the tails of all the sheep is trimmed 

 to prevent the accumulation of dirt down the thighs. Nothing is 

 more unseemly at any period of the year than filthy locks from the 

 tail to the hocks. An old pair of shears should always be at hand 

 to keep these parts clean. The shepherd has a few special oppor- 

 tunities of discovering if any of the sheep under his care are out 

 of health. These are when he first arrives in the morning, and 

 when he gives them fresh food. His first duty is to look out to 

 see if any of the sheep are at a distance from their companions, 

 as this is a suspicious symptom. Such sheep should be closely 

 noticed. Again, when fresh food is placed before them, whether 

 in a new pen or in the trough, those which are failing linger behind 

 It may be taken that whenever a sheep does not take to its food 

 there is something seriously amiss with it, and that it will soon 

 recover or soon die. Sheep medicines of a reliable nature were 

 few until recent years, but great advance has been made since it 

 has been recognised that farmers appreciated reliable medicines, 

 and were prepared to pay for them. Modern veterinary surgeons 

 make a strong feature of sheep diseases, and supply good remedies ; 

 and the medicines supplied by several firms owning proprietary 

 articles have been of great value to the flockmaster. There is no 

 excuse for a shepherd who allows a sheep to die when he has once 

 noticed any ailment. A sheep which dies a natural death is not 

 worth a shilling more than its skin. A shepherd should always 

 possess a good knife with a long blade, suitable for cutting a sheep's 

 throat, bleeding a sheep, and for paring feet. It is important 

 that troughs in which corn is given to sheep shall be moved daily, 

 so that the sheep will not unduly manure one portion of a field 

 to the detriment of others. This refers to pasture as well as 

 arable land, and to all seasons. It is of highest importance in 

 winter time when feeding off roots which will be followed by a 

 barley crop. It is necessary that the whole crop of barley shall be 

 uniform, and if the sheep are brought to one place with undue 

 frequency this place will produce a rank growth, which, in all 



