THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



271 



tainly be none with which the general body of buyers and 

 sellers were less familiar. However good the decimal 

 system may turn out to be, it was hardly prudent to 

 commence it oa so vexed a question as the buying and 

 selling of corn — a branch of trade that it has been, 

 perhaps, less associated with than any other. We are 

 strongly inclined to trace this resolution back to some 

 enthusiastic student of the currency question — an 

 intricate business, that has led to more wild talk, if not 

 work, than almost anything else to which a man could 

 devote himself. But if wo are to give our " ten- 

 pennies" for hundred pound weights, the country, we 

 fear, will require something far more unanimous than 

 this edict of the Liverpool Association to enforce such 

 an alteration in our habits and customs. 



A series of letters received on this subject, are 

 all noticeable as arguing the same way. The first 

 of these, from a Liverpool merchant, describes the 

 present state of things there, as brought about by 

 the recent resolution: — " In this market, sellers and 

 buyers are now, to a great extent, in hostile array 

 on the subject. One will sell by the Cental only ; 

 another is equally firm in refusing to buy, except by 

 the former weight. Declarations and counter-declara- 

 tions have been signed and published ; and each party, 

 as usual in such cases, claims the preponderance in in- 

 fluence and importance for the subscribers of its mani- 

 festo. The struiigle seems to wax hotter daily, to the 

 great interruption of business, and almost approaches, 

 if it has not in some cases reached, personal hostility. 

 Nothing can show more strongly than this the necessity 

 for legislation ; and, indeed, it must appear to your 

 readers extraordinary that so many of the leading corn 

 merchants of the large and influential port of Liver- 

 pool should have shown so little practical knowledge of 

 the world as to attempt the important step of chang- 

 ing, not only the long-established customs, but the set- 

 tied and legalized practices of the country, without all 

 the assistance which it is in the power of an Act of 

 Parliament to afford." 



Then Mr. Moss, writing from Manchester, says — " I 

 believe there would not be more than one in every ten 

 of the corn trade in this city in favour of the new 

 scheme. I myself think it a bad one, inasmuch as it is 

 impossible to get a test of quality in any other way tlian 

 by measure ; therefore the measure cannot be aban- 

 doned." And for a third, a whole army of merchants 

 and factors from Liverpool, enter a formal protest 

 against sale by the Cental ! We have already in- 

 timated that Glasgow has recanted, and other towns 

 more quietly withdrawn from the new scheme to which 

 they had momentarily committed their markets. 



There is but one inference to be drawn from all this. 

 Everything tends to show how desirable it is that 

 Government should at once take up the question. 

 Any honourable member who would devote himself to 

 its consideration might do a great public service, as 

 ■well as earn for himself some merited popularity. It 

 might, perhaps, be as well, in the first place, to ask for 

 a Committee, althoughtheonly advantage of this would 

 be to test one man's experience and opinions by those 



of another, and so to arrive at the most feasible ]jlan. 

 We repeat that it would be hopeless to count on any- 

 thing like unanimity irom the witnesses called. But the 

 country generally is so sick of the present systemless 

 system, and consequently so far ripe for a change, 

 that almost any uniformity that came out under the 

 sanction of the Government would be certain of wel- 

 come and respect — even were it simply the better to 

 maintain the use of the imperial busliel. With the 

 Country Party in office we should hardly be driven to 

 Liverpool for legislation. 



HOMCEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF BLACK- 

 LEG IN CATTLE. 



Sir, — As no cure appears yet found for this disorder in 

 cattle, I am induced to send the following account of treat- 

 ing a case, which, if not blackleg, was very like it. Tea 

 years ago I had five or six cases, which being treated by a 

 cow-doctor, all died ; since then I have been free from it 

 until last June, when one of my yearling steers was found 

 in the morning very lame and off its feed ; one hock was 

 swollen, and the stockman pronounced it blackleg. At 

 10 a.m., when I first saw it, the disease had made rapid 

 progress ; the swelling was extending rapidly upwards ; 

 the skin over the part chiefly aftected had, when touched, 

 a peculiar crackling sensation, liise parchment ; one knee 

 was also a little filled ; the animal could scarcely stand, and 

 lay down again immediately it was left alone ; the eyes were 

 staring; respiration quick and interrupted, and the muzzle 

 with that peculiar grin which animals have when in pain. 



I gave it immediately aconite (3rd dilution) 2 drops, in 

 an ounce of water, and in an hour's time repeated the dose ; 

 an hour after the second dose, bryonia (3rd dilution) 2 

 drops, also in water, and then continued aconite every 2 

 hours imtil night, when about 10 o'clock another dose of 

 bryonia was given. Towards evening the animal became 

 much easier, and towards 7 o'clock got up of its own accord, 

 and ate a little mash and hay. The next day it was much 

 better; and in about 10 days was turned out again quite 

 well, as it has continued ever since. The second and third 

 days he had aconite at 6 and 1 1 a.m. and 4 p.m., and brj'- 

 onia at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ; after that 2 drops sulphur to a 

 dose, morning and evening for 3 days, then only every 

 morning for 4 more days. The remedies are so inexpensive 

 that they are worth trying by any person whose cattle are 

 affiicted with this disorder. 



The medicines bryonia and aconite of the 3rd dilution 

 and sulphur of the 6th are to be procured from any homoeo- 

 pathic chemist, in bottles of tincture Is. each ; so for 3s. 

 the experiment may be tried, and if it fails we shall only 

 be where we were before. A medical man recommended 

 me to substitute arsenicum, 5th dilution, instead of br3'onia, 

 should I not be successful in other cases. 



I should say that in the above case the animal recovered 

 so rapidly, that had it not been for the skin adhering to the 

 first rib for 8 or days, I should have thought the swelling 

 might have arisen from some injury such as a sting. 



I enclose my address, which may be had by applying to 

 the editor of the paper. Should any readers of the Mark 

 Lane Express try the above remedies, they will confer a 

 great benefit to the proprietors of animal, if they will kindly 

 send the result of their treatment to your paper. 



Dec. 28, 1858. 



