1804. ACurefortheBlach'SpaldinCiilves. 207 



tions with the faimer, in rating truly the work of oxen, and 

 confequently, in enabling him to appreciate jultly its value. 



His Lordlhip adds, that ' his work is done at the rate of a- 

 bout 80 acres of tillage to four oxen,' or 40 acres to one pair. 

 At the rate of five ^cx^s per week to one pair of oxen, the la- 

 bour of thefe beads at plough, will be iinilhed in a couple of 

 monrhs. Are they in the other ten months 2\{o fully employed ? 

 Do they, in the intervals between their ploughincr, from March 

 to September inclufive, perform ^/Wj work equal to the ei"ht 

 weeks they are employed in ploughing? Are they applicable 

 to the whole work of the farm ? Do they carry forward win- 

 ter-ploughing as quickly, according to the length of the day, 

 and poach the land as little as horfes do ? Can they be ufed as 

 fafely as horfes in carrying corn to market ? Are they as little 

 liable to be lamed ? If thefe things, upon a ftrict inveftigatioii 

 by his Lordfliip, be fo ; and if, in jobbing work in the winter 

 months, their labour keeps pace with that of horfes in the pro- 

 portion of fix to five, (i. e, if fix pairs of oxen will execute as 

 much work on a farm throughout the year ^ as five pairs of horfes 

 of equal weight) then the queiiion in favour of the former 

 draught cattle, will appear to receive a complete decifion. 

 I am, Sir, your obedient fervant, ^ 



*.* J. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMER's MAGAZINE. 



A Cure for the Blad-Spald in Calves. 



Sir, 



Being much dlfappointed to find that a query, by your Ber- 

 wickOiire correfpondent, of jpth January 1803, refpeding the 

 black-fpald in calves of a year old, has not been anfwered by fome 

 of your numerous readers, 1 humbly prefume to ofFer my rtiire, 

 hoping, if it be not ufeful in itlelf, ir may be the means of in- 

 ducing fome ablrr writers to handle a fubjec^ of fo great import- 

 ance to breeders of cattle. What is called the black-fpald in 

 Berwickfhire, I apprehend to be the fame difeafe that, in this 

 country, is called the quarter-ill^ or ill-trouble. It is mod com- 

 mon to year olds that are in good condition \ bur 1 have feen it 

 feize cattle of five years of age. The certain fvmptoms of the 

 difeafe arc lamenefs in one of the feet, louthing of food, and, 

 in a (hort time, fome part of the afFrded \q^ or fhoulder, when 

 the Ikin is drawn up between the finders and thumb, will crack 



