1905.] Eradication of Sheep Scab in Scotland. 521 



flockmasters the general dipping was completed by the end of 

 August. In certain districts, however, considerable opposition 

 was shown by the Crofters, especially in Inverness-shire, Ross, and 

 Sutherland, where objections were raised to carrying out the 

 Order at all. There is much to be said from their point of view. 

 They had not been represented at the meetings ; they knew 

 little or nothing of the circumstances leading up to the Order ; 

 the time was very inconvenient ; they had no dippers, and in 

 some parts had never been accustomed to dip, only to smear 

 the sheep. It is greatly to the credit of all concerned that 

 these objections were so generally overcome. The police were 

 active in explaining the reasons for and the requirements of the 

 Order, and the landowners and large farmers placed their 

 dippers at the service of their Crofter neighbours, and in some 

 places even supplied the dip and gathered the sheep. The only 

 places where sheep remained undipped at the end of August 

 were parts of Shetland and the Isle of Lewis, where the 

 Crofters were away fishing and the sheep could not be 

 gathered. In these cases the period was, at the desire of the 

 local authorities concerned, extended by a further Order of the 

 Board. All the local authorities have since reported the number 

 of sheep dipped, and have expressed their satisfaction with the 

 execution of the Order. Their returns of sheep dipped, when 

 compared with the estimated sheep population, are, on the 

 whole, very satisfactory. 



There are, finally, two points to be considered in estimating 

 the success of the work : the expense of supervision and the 

 efficacy of the dipping. The cost to the local authorities varied 

 very greatly. In Perthshire, where the sheep population is 

 about 660,000, it reached £1,000, and in Fife, where there are 

 105,000 sheep, it reached £200. In Argyllshire, on the other 

 hand, the cost was £155 for 840,000 sheep, and in Aberdeen- 

 shire, where almost every dipping was attended by a police 

 officer, the cost was £80 for 200,000 sheep. These figures in- 

 clude the expenses of printing and advertising. 



The efficacy of the dipping depends on the thoroughness 

 with which it was done. There is no doubt that in every case 

 it was carried out to the utmost ability of the owner. But the 

 practical difficulties were often very great. Care had to be 



