blishments to outgrow themselves, as it were, by not
selling every year's surplus stock. I have known establishments become
quite unmanageable from this cause, and have heard large proprietors
frequently say, they were losers by holding so large a number of sheep:
still, they went on in spite of their own better judgment, from year to
year, without selling a single head of stock. This loss attendant upon
overgrown establishments, arises as much from the difficulty of getting
good and trustworthy servants, as from any other cause. The master's eye
cannot be everywhere, and the overseer's is seldom to be trusted. Lazy
shepherds keep sheep in till ten A. M. in place of turning them out at
six. Idle watchmen shift the folds twice a week, instead of every day.
Fifty other cases of this kind take place on a large sheep-farm, that
never could occur on a small establishment. In damp weather, the
watchman's neglecting to shift the folds, is sure to do harm. One of its
first evil effects is to give the sheep toe-rot; a troublesome complaint
that lames the animal, and is not easily got rid of. Then, a careless
shepherd will allow his flock to stray on your neighbour's run, which
may have been fed over by scabby sheep the day before. If no rain has
fallen during the night, the disease is sure, in that case, to be caught
by the trespassers, as I can testify from dear-bought experience. Scab,
here, is a very different disease from what the sheep-farmer at home is
acquainted with, and is much more difficult to cure. The remedies
applied for it are severe, and of a kill-or-cure description: indeed, it
requires a strong sheep to bear this application. Rubbing with tar, as
practised in Scotland, has been found utterly useless.

In advising sheep-farmers to have a good agricultural homestead, I am
aware I am recommending what hundreds have not the power to obtain. As a
general rule, however, it is a golden one; and I would adhere to it,
even were I compelled to have three hundred miles between my stations
and the homestead. Indeed, I have known those two establishments
separated by two hundred miles.

Since 1838-9, sheep have been sold in New South Wales as low as
ninepence a head: this, however, was under very extraordinary
circumstances, and is not likely to happen again; more especially since
the proprietor has found out that, by slaughtering the animal, and
boiling down the carcase, he can get 3s. 6d. for the tallow it yields.
During