44 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Jan. 2, 1920. 



It is well known that certain plants produce a similar eruption of the 

 skin- — as, for instance, buckwheat, alsike clover, and red clover. A similar 

 outbreak has also been recoi'ded in horses working among growing potatoes. 

 In liability to the disease, individual idiosyncrasy plays some part ; all 

 animals, though equally exposed, are not equally attacked. The white face, 

 however, suffers more than the white legs, apparently because of its more 

 constant exposure, the absence of shadow from the trunk, and the delicacy of 

 the skin, and the fineness and thinness of the hair. 



Typical Predisposing Circumstances. 



In an outbreak which occurred recently in the Dubbo district, the circum- 

 stances and symptoms were so typical, and so fully bear out the findings of 

 Dr. Dodd, as to be of sufficient interest for brief description. 



A flock of sheep (principally wethers) were brought up for shearing, at 

 which time they were all perfectly healthy. After being shorn, they were 

 divided into two lots, one of which was turned on to a pasture which con- 

 sisted almost solely of trefoil, the other lot being placed in a paddock free 

 from it. A week later, the wool on the sheep that were in the trefoil 

 paddock began to peel off along the back and in patches on the sides, leaving 

 the skin quite bare. Intense redness, and tumification, with violent itching 

 and rubbing, were evidenced, while in some cases vesicles with yellowish 

 contents, sores and scabs appeared. l,esions also occurred on the ears, 

 nostrils and around the mouth, though these were not so pronounced as those 

 on the back. A striking contrast was afforded by a few black sheep in this 

 lot, which, although shorn and under identical conditions as to feed and 

 exposure to sunshine, remained quite unaffected, the pigmented skin of these 

 black sheep accounting for their immunity. 



An inspection of the sheep on the trefoil-free pasture showed that they 

 had remained perfectly healthy. On removal of the affected sheep from the 

 trefoil, recovery commenced, and in a fortnight's time a distinct growth of 

 wool could be observed on the previously denuded parts. 



Farm Book-keeping. 



Without accurate book-keeping no farmer can tell exactly how he stands or 

 how much he has made or lost over any period. It may be argued that with 

 the best kept accounts he cannot tell exactly how he stand.s, owing to varia- 

 tion in the standard of fertility of his farm or other factors, whicl) can only 

 be estimated. But he will know his exact financial position, and the finan- 

 cial results of his farming over a given periled. The farmer's books sliow 

 him whether liis past management has been on the best lines, and by judging 

 fronx results he can vary his present and future policy. For other reasons 

 which need not be gone into in detail, e.g., income tax questions, labour 

 proljlems, &c., books are necessary to the present-day agriculturist. That 

 he is aware of the fact is evident from the keen interest that is being taken 

 in the question of farm accounts at the present moment. — Journal of the 

 Hoard of Agriculture, England. 



J 



