[ ao8 ) 



I have alfo reafon to believe, that the nailk of 

 difeafed cows is too often mixed with the red, and 

 made into butter, cheefe, &c. If then it 'appear, 

 that numbers of cows are difeafed, and die annu- 

 ally, without the nature or caufe of the difeafe 

 being difcovered, and of difeafes to which this 

 fpecies of animals are not naturally fubjeds I pre- 

 fume it will be mod reafonable to fearch for that 

 caufe in their food. 



On infpe6i:ing pafture and ^-meadow-lands in ge- 

 neral, many noxious and poifonous plants will be 

 found, and fometimes in confiderable quantities. 

 Of thefe kinds are, among others, the following; 

 henbane, hemlock, the aconite, or deadly night- 

 Ihade, and feveral fpecies of dropwort; which, if 

 taken in with their food by cows, &c. will gene- 

 rally caufe difeafe, and fometimes death. 



I am aware of the objedion that may be made 

 to this fuggeftion of danger to cattle from noxious 

 plants, i. e. that inJlinSf is a certain guide to almofl:^ 

 every fpecies of animals in the choice of their food. 

 This is generally, but not unexceptionably, true. 

 If cattle were at liberty to rove at large over e^^- 

 tenfive trads of pafturage, with a plenty always 

 before them to choofe out of, there would be little 

 danger^ but when herds cf then^. are confined 



within 



