MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



soiled as to be unsuited to further cleansing of the wool. 

 When sheep are washed in a stream, pond or lake, 

 the method followed in each instance is virtually the 

 same. The following are prominent among the requisites 

 for each washing: (i) A pen or inclosure adjacent to the 

 water in which to inclose the sheep ; (2) water deep 

 enough to prevent the sheep from touching the bottom 

 with their feet and plentiful in supply; (3) a shore line of 

 sand or gravel, and freedom from mud or mire underneath 

 the water. The inclosure may be made of rails, poles or 

 hurdles. Hurdles such as are used in grazing sheep (see 

 page 13) are more suitable than the other materials 

 named, because of the ease with which they may be 

 moved and the quickness with which they may be put in 

 place. The ends of the two sides should come down 

 against the water, to prevent the sheep from getting 

 around them and thus escaping from the inclosure. Un- 

 less the water is deep enough to float the sheep they can- 

 not be handled to the best advantage by the person wash- 

 ing them. As soon as the water causes them to swim they 

 are immediately under the control of the washer who can 

 move them about in the water with but little effort. When 

 water thus deep comes up against the shore where the 

 pen faces the water the sheep are at once under control 

 when they enter the same, so that wading them out into 

 deep water, which they so much resist, is not necessary. 

 The necessity for a sandy or gravelly shore where the 

 sheep enter and leave the water will be at once apparent. 

 Especially where the sheep leave the water is this impor- 

 tant, as wading through mud or mire would leave the 

 sheep in such condition when they reach the land, that 

 they would need to be washed again. Should the bottom 

 where the sheep are washed be covered with soft mud, it 

 would not be possible to wash wool clean there, because 

 of the fouling of the water through the rising of mud 

 particles. A plentiful supply of water is helpful, as it 

 does not foul readily, but it should not be so deep as to 



