146 THE FARMER'S 



ginning at the head of the sheep, and proceeding 

 from between the ears, along the back, to the end 

 of the tail; the wool is to be divided in a furrow, 

 till the skin can be touched, and as the furrow is 

 made, the finger, slightly dipped in the ointment, is 

 to be drawn along the bottom of it, where it will 

 leave a blue stain on the skin and adjoining wool. 

 From this furrow, similar ones must be drawn 

 down the shoulders and thighs to the legs, as far 

 as they afe woolly; and if the animal is much in- 

 fected, two more should be drawn along each side, 

 parallel to that on the back, and one down each 

 side, between the fore and hind legs. 



Immediately after being dressed, it is usual to 

 turn the sheep among other stock, without any 

 fear of the infection being communicated; and 

 there is scarcely an instance of a sheep suffering 

 any injury from the application. In a few days 

 the blotches dry up, the itching ceases, and the 

 animal is completely cured. It is generally, how- 

 ever, thought proper not to delay the operation 

 beyond Michaelmas. , 



The hippobosca ovina, called in Lincolnshire, 

 Sheep-fagg, an animal well known to all shepherds, 

 which lives among the wool, and is hurtful to the 

 thriving of sheep, both by the pain its bite occa- 

 sions, and the blood it sucks, is destroyed by this 

 application, and the wool is not at all injured. Our 

 wool-buyers purchase the fleeces on which the 

 stain of the ointment is visible, rather in prefer- 

 ence to others, from an opinion, that the use of it 

 having preserved the animal from being vexed, 

 either with the scab or faggs, the wool is less lia- 

 ble to the defe ts of joints or knots; a fault obser- 

 ved to proceed ''om exery sudden stop in the thri- 



