SHEEP UNDER FARM CONDITIONS 163 



years, scabies was considered an eruption upon the 

 skin from some unknown affection of the blood, 

 and there was little or nothing to be done in the 

 way of combating it. Modern investigation and 

 the microscope, however, revealed the multitudes 

 of mites working upon the surface of the skin, and 

 when the true cause was known it was only a ques- 

 tion of time and experimentation when definite 

 remedies were produced. At present, this disease 

 has largely disappeared from the range, due to per- 

 sistent dipping and disinfecting, and there is abso- 

 lutely no excuse for its continuation under farm 

 conditions. A few dollars invested in a dipping 

 plant and a few hours' work once or twice a year 

 will serve to keep the sheep free from not only this 

 disease, but from ticks, lice and other parasitic 

 pests which may infest the herd. The type of 

 dipping plant desirable will depend entirely upon 

 the number of sheep to be handled. If several 

 hundred head are supported upon the farm, 

 it will pay to install a plank or cement-lined vat. 

 This should be made about 5 feet deep, 30 inches 

 wide at the top and tapering to about 8 inches wide 

 at the bottom. It may vary from 28 to 30 feet in 

 length, if only a few hundred are handled, to 100 

 feet long, as is the case when several thousand are 

 to be handled. When only a small number of 

 animals are kept, a galvanized iron dipping tank 

 may be purchased at small cost, which will serve 

 very well. There are many different dipping prep- 

 arations upon the market which are guaranteed 

 to destroy any of the ordinary parasites. Any of 

 these preparations bearing the indorsement of the 

 federal bureau of animal industry may be consid- 

 ered reliable, and should be used at exactly the 

 Strength indicated by the directions. 



