SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



325 



process. Let a man hold the lamb with its back pressed firmly against 

 his breast and stomach, and all four legs gathered in front in his hands. — 

 Cut off the bottom of the pouch, free the testicle from the inclosing mem- 

 brane, and then draw it steadily out, or clip the cord with a knife, if it 

 does not snap off at a proper distance from the testicle. Some shepherds 

 draw both testicles at once with their tcetli. It is common to droj) a little 

 salt into the pouch. Where the weather is very warm, some touch the 

 end of the pouch (and that of the tail, after that is cut off) with an oint- 

 ment, consisting of tar, lard, and turpentine. In ninety-nine cases out of 

 a hundred, however, they will do just as well, here, without any application. 



The tail should be cut off, say one and a half inches from the body, with 

 a chisel on the head of a block, the skin being slid up toward the body 

 with a finger and thumb, so that it will afterwai'd cover the end of the 

 stump. Severed with a knife, the end of the tail being gi'asped with one 

 of the hands in the ordinary way, a naked stump is left which it takes 

 some time to heal. 



It may occur to some unused to keeping sheep, that it is unnecessary to 

 cut off the tail. If left on, it is apt to collect filth, and, if the sheep purges, 

 it becomes an intolerable nuisance. 



Washing. — This is usually done here about the first of June. The cli- 

 mate of the Southern States would admit of its being done earlier. The 

 rule should be to wait until the water has acquired sufficient warmth for 

 bathing, and until cold rains and storms, and cold nights, are no longer to 

 be expected. 



Sheep are usually washed by our best flock-masters in vats. A small 

 stream is dammed up, and the water taken from it in an aqueduct (formed 

 by nailing boards together), and carried until sufficient fall is obtained to 

 have it pour down a couple of feet or more into the vat. The body of 

 water, to do the work fast and well, should be considerable — say 24 inches 

 wide, and five or six deep — and the swifter the current the better. The 

 vat should be say 2>\ feet deep, and large enough for four sheep to swim 

 in it. A yard is built near the vat, and a platform from the gate of the 

 yard extends to and encircles the vat on three sides. This keeps the washer 



Fig. 20. 





WASHING APPARATUS. 



fi-om standing in the water, and makes it much easier to lift the sheep in 

 and out. The cut here given exhibits all the necessary appendages. The 



(645) 



