FARMEES' INSTITUTES. 383 



the neck. Whctlier this be the case or not, in every instance of this disease, 

 of which I have knowledge, an examination has revealed the fact that the 

 teeth were not cut through, and the gums were inflamed and swollen. The 

 artificial cutting of the gums has seldom failed to effect a cure. 



Closely following the yeaning season comes the huge farce of washing sheep, 

 as if it was a process necessary to prepare the wool for the manufacturer to 

 ■\vork up; a labor performed at the peril of both man and beast, only to avoid 

 the "one-third deduction rule on all unwashed" wool, when in fact all wool, 

 whether fleece washed or unwashed, is subjected to a cleansing process before 

 it can be successfully manufactured. A farce, I repeat, because no difference 

 how much foreign matter it may contain, one-third is the shrinkage, imma- 

 terial how free from filth tlie unwashed may be the rule of shrinking one-third 

 on all unwashed is rigidly adhered to. So long as the unjust rule of indis- 

 criminate shrinkage is continued, just so long will the barbarous practice of 

 ■washing sheep be continued. It is to be hoped that more equitable councils 

 may prevail, and that wool, whether washed or unwashed, will be sold strictly 

 on its merits, like other products of the farm. 



The sheep after having successfully subdued the vegetable vermin of the 

 farm, produced the annual fleece, and reared a numerous progeny, retires to the 

 stall, and by a systematic course of feeding, is successfully converted into mut- 

 ton, which if properly fattened, commands a ready market, the merino bring- 

 ing as high a price per 100 pounds as the sheep that has been reared with the 

 single object of body in view ; thus exceeding the old adage, that " the tread of the 

 sheep is golden." Its whole lifetime has been a pecuniary success, and the 

 closing scene is one of profit to its owner. 



DISCUSSION, 



Mr. Morris said he thought goitre in sheep was often caused by too close 

 confinement in winter. 



Hon. J. J. "Woodman said that it was the opinion of many physicians in 

 Switzerland that goitre was caused by the sheep having to eat snow and drink 

 snow water, in order to quench their thirst. Physicians in Canada had been 

 investigating the matter and had a similar opinion. He did not know whether 

 that was the cause of goitre. He had never had a case of it in his own flock, 

 these he always su])plied with plenty of good water. 



Mr. Henry Straub read the following essay on 



SMALL FKUITS. 



There is no good reason why every farmer's family should not be well supplied 

 with small fruit. A few rods of ground well tended in small fruit will yield a 

 richer return than the same amount of ground devoted to any other purpose. 



Fruit is no longer considered simply as a luxury, but is now generally recog- 

 nized as necessary to good health. 



The apple has always been the principal supply of fruit for the farmer, but 

 it does not come until the middle of summer, leaving the fore part of the sea- 

 son wholly unsupplied with fruit, excepting a few small wild strawberries or 

 raspberries that might occasionally be gathered in the meadows, fence-corners, 

 or waste places of the farm. But the skill and patience of the horticulturist 

 have changed all this. These wild fruits have been so improved by cultiva- 

 tion, that we have now varieties of strawberries and raspberries so large, 

 luscious, hardy and productive, that a few rods of ground and a little intelli- 



