DBSTEOYING ilCKS. 



187 



shear them very close, and their skins were so thia and 

 delicate, that they not unfrequently Wistered, and became 

 sore under the scorching sun. Some greased these sores — 

 others gave the sheep shade and paid no further attention 

 to them. 



Ticks. — A very tioky flock of lambs can not be kept in 

 good order, and when they become poor and weak, toward 

 spring, these destructive parasites rapidly reduce them lower 

 and render it extremely difficult to save their lives. Ticks are 

 found on all sheep in neglected flocks, but the heat and cold, 

 and the rubbing and biting to which they are exposed- on new 

 shorn sheep, drive 4hem to take shelter in the long wool of 

 the lambs. Here they are so readily exterminated, that it is 

 as much of a disgrace as a loss to the flock-master to suffer 

 them to remain in a breeding flock. About a fortnight after 

 shearing, every lamb should be dipped in a decoction of 



DIPPDTQ- BOX. 



tobacco strong enough to kiU the ticks. The last point can be 

 readily settled by an experiment on a few of these insects. * 

 The decoction is poured into a narrow, deep box, which has an 

 inclined shelf on one side, covered with a grate, as shown in 

 the cut. One man holds the lamb by the fore-legs with one 



* The rnle uaed to be to boil B lbs. of plug tobacco (after chopping it fine) or 10 

 IbB of stems for a hnndrefl late Saxon lambs. Tlie larger, earlier and longer fleeced 

 lambs of the present day reanire more — say 6X lbs. or 7 lbs. The decoction is nsed 

 cold or blood-warm. Care must be taken not to dEat« it so that it -vrill fail to kill 

 both the tick and its eggs. 



