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It is exposed to the North wind, which comes directly on to the place 

 from the Maracas valley; on the South the Caroni river overflows its 

 banks, leaving malarious swamps, and from the East the storm water 

 flows over the land on its way to the West and the sea. In a bad 

 season stock must encounter many unpleasant hours. For sheep- 

 rearing such a locality should not be selected. 



With regard to the parasite which inflicted loss on the flock it is 

 described as Strongylus filaria. This form inhabits the intestines 

 generally, but more particularly in the delicate portions. The filaria 

 is a fine thread worm about half an inch long, of a dirty red colour ; 

 they lay together in masses attached to the membrane, which becomes 

 inflamed and destroyed. Death appears to occur from diarrhoea and 

 exhaustion, the sheep being greatly emaciated. 



Various remedies were tried without much success. A mixture 

 of tar, salt and santonine certainly destroyed the parasite but the 

 sheep that recovered were left anaunic and never improved, and were 

 finally disposed of on the premises. 



Experiment was also made with sheep bought in Tobago. These 

 were of the usual diminutive type ; they were located in an enclosed 

 space which had never carried cattle of any description and given 

 oats and corn, in addition to good grass and rain water. After some 

 days two began to show the usual signs of distress — arched backs, 

 diarrhoea, not feeding, &c. One was given the medicine mentioned, 

 the other nothing ; both died emaciated as if starved ; both were 

 badly infested with filaria. From the treatment adopted there is 

 evidence that Tobago sheep suffer from this parasite considerably, 

 and this would account to a great extent for their diminutive size and 

 want of development. The sheep on the Tobago branch of the Farm 

 suffered somewhat extensively at first from this form of disease, but 

 improvement took place when the flock was moved to new ground 

 and given water from a new supply without the aid of medicine. 



I also observed this form of disease in sheep in some parts of 

 Canada, showing how widely this pest is distributed. 



Pigs. — Fortunately the pigs of the Farm escaped injury, which 

 may be attributed to the fact that they are kept clean in concrete 

 styes, with plenty of bedding. The water given is pure, and their 

 food cooked with a plentiful supply of fresh grass. They are given 

 exercise, but not allowed to wander at their own sweet will. 



Though we have been fortunate to escape disease amongst pigs 

 on the Farm, it is very evident, from the number of pigs which are 

 slaughtered whose lungs are condemned as unfit for food, that they 

 contribute their share to the destroyer. As the pig is generally 

 treated as a scavenger, he must, if suffering from parasites, in his 

 wanderings spread the disease broadcast, and if he can reach water 

 used by other animals, then the chances are that the evil is greatly 

 increased. 



The medicine mentioned above is an allround useful vermifuge, 

 and would be as good for pigs as other animals. The way to administer 

 it is to tie a rope round the lower jaw, cut the toe off an old shoe, 

 put it into the pig's mouth, and pour down the physic. This is the 

 easiest and surest way of getting it into the patient. 



