156 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



feet as short as possible, not to cut to the 

 quick, so that they may he able to stand natur- 

 ally and squarely upon them. It is probable 

 that lack of trimming is in some degree re- 

 sponsible for disease of the feet. Diseases 

 may occur, unfortunately, even in feet that 

 have been well trimmed, and the subject must 

 have attention. 



FOOT-EOT AND FOOT-SCALD, 



The shepherd commonly makes a distinction 

 between a simple contagious affection of the 

 foot called "foot scald" and the real and very 

 serious disease, also contagious, called foot- 

 rot. There seems reason to believe that there 

 is a form of foot scald that rapidly goes 

 through a flock yet readily yields to treat- 

 ment that is distinct from the more severe and 

 less easily eradicated foot-rot. 



It is the belief of the writer, however, that 

 quite often the shepherd hides his genuine foot- 

 rot behind the more harmless appellation. 



There is, however, an inflammation of the 

 skin between the claws of the foot that does 

 not extend beneath the horny covering of the 

 foot itself and that yields quite rea<£ly to a 

 simple treatment of putting the sheep upon 

 a _dry_ footing, cleansing from filth and an ap- 

 plication of some coal tar dip or carbolic 

 acid. 



When the disease has penetrated beneath the 

 shell of the foot and there is found there a 

 watery, evil-smelling exudation it is genuine 

 foot-rot and should have immediate and thor- 



