272 THE SHEPHEBD'S MANUAL. 



in St. Louis, which consists of a concentrated infusion of tobac- 

 co, and. saves much trouble in preparing the dip, but water only 

 being required to dilute it to the proper strength. 



MIXING SULPHUR. The quanty of sulphur used is four 

 ounces to the gallon of dip, or a pound to four gallons of water, 

 put a sufficient quantity of it into a tub or vat half filled either 

 with the tobacco water from the infusion boilers, or with cold 

 water, and stir and break the sulphur until it be thoroughly 

 mixed, and of the consistency of thick gruel when it is poured 

 into the dip. Repeat the process until the proper quantity of 

 sulphur has been added, and when requisite, replenish in the 

 same manner as the dipping process. It is said to improve the 

 bath by rendering it more penetrating, especially when the 

 water is hard, to add one pound of soda ash or two pounds of 

 common soda, to forty gallons of the mixture. 



SPOTTING. The best plan to spot, is to draft from the differ- 

 ent flocks every sheep showing the least symptoms of the dis- 

 ease into a " diseased " flock, and subject it to three or four 

 dressings both extra strong and extra hot ; and it would be 

 making the cure a certainty if the sheep in the diseased flock 

 were handled after the first dressing, and the dead scurf or 

 scab and the loose wool removed from, and around the parts 

 affected. 



THE VAT. The vat should be at least twenty feet in length, 

 so that the sheep may have a good bath; and tongued, grooved 

 and pitched. In order at all times to know the depth of the 

 mixture in the vat, it should be gauged or marked, at every 

 three inches, and the number of gallons corresponding to the 

 different measurements should also be marked on the sides. 

 The vat should be sufficiently deep so that the sheep cannot 

 touch the bottom and will be completely immersed in the dip. 



DRAINING YARDS. These yards are built to hold not exceed- 

 ing one hundred sheep at a time each, and they should be at 

 least two in number, so as that in turning out the sheep after 

 dripping, those that are newly from the dip may not be turned 

 out with those that are thoroughly dripped. The bottom of 

 the draining yards (which should have an incline from the sides 

 to the race) should be lined throughout, the same as those of 

 the race and vat ; and over it should be placed a grating of 

 battens with the supports so laid down as to allow the draining 



