406 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



S W I N E. 



Best of all the prize boars, coloured breed, the gold medal, 

 Uobert S. Backas, Esq., Butlcratown Castle, Waterford. 



Best of all the prize boara.white breed, the gold medal, Lord 

 Lur^aa, Brownlow House, Lurgan. 



Coloured Breeds. 



Best boar, six months, and not exceeding twelve months 

 old large silver medal, Kobert S. Backas, Esq., Butlerstowa 

 Castle, Waterford ; second best, small silver medal, William 

 Joyce,' Esq., Abbey Farm, Waterford ; commended. Lord 



Clermont. ,. „, . ,. 



Best boar, exceeding 12, and not exceeding 24 months old, 

 large silver medal. Lord Clermont. 



Best boar, exceeding 24 months old, large silver medal, 

 Joseph Radcliffe, Esq., LL.D., Q.C, Cliff Lodge, Rathfarn- 

 ham ; second best, small silver medal. Marquis of Waterford. 



Best breeding sow in pig, or having had a litter within six 

 months, large silver medal, John Eustace, juu., Esq., Hamp- 

 stead House, Glasnevin ; second best, small silver medal, H. S. 

 Murray, Esq., Saudycove. 



Beat three breeding pigs of the same litter, under 10 months 

 old, large silver medal, William Joyce, Esq., Abbey Farm, 

 Waterford ; second best, small silver medal. Lord Clermont ; 

 commeuded, William Jameson, Esq., Montrose, Donuybrook. 



Best litter of pigs, not exceeding five mouths old, accom- 

 panied by the sow, large silver medal, William Joyce, Esq. ; 

 second best, small silver medal, William Jameson, Esq. 



White Breeds. 



Best boar, six months, and not exceeding twelve months 

 old, large silver medal, Lord Lurgan ; second best, small silver 

 medal, same. 



Best boar, exceeding twelve, aud not exceeding twenty-four 

 months old, large silver medal, Lord Clermont ; second best, 

 small silver medal, ijord Lurgan. 



Best boar, exceeding twenty-four months old, large silver 

 medal, William Henderson, Esq., Elm Ville, Carlow; second 

 best, small silver medal. Lord Clermont. 



Beat breeding sow, in pig. or having had a litter within six 

 months.i^large silver medal, James L. W. Naper, Esq., Lough- 

 crew, Olduastle ; steondbeat, small silver medal, same; highly 

 commended, Wm. Henderson, Elm Ville, Carlow. 



Best three breeding pigs, of the same litter, ucder ten 

 months old, large silver medal, Lord Iiurgan ; second best, 

 small silver medal, James W. Chapman, Esq. ; highly com- 

 mended, James L. VV. Naper, Esq. 



Best litter of pigs, not exceeding five months old, accom> 

 panied by the sow, large silver medal, James Wheeler Chap- 

 man, Esq. 



ROTTEN SHEEP. 



The accounts we receive from difFerent localities 

 lamentably confirm the truth of the reported prevalence 

 of rot in sheep, and that it prevails extensively in all 

 districts subjected to (if I may not say cursed with) an 

 inefficient drainage. The losses that flockmasters will 

 sustain in this and the past year would have drained 

 effectually these tracts of country thrice over. The 

 accounts from Surrey are very distressing. Why 

 Surrey ? There are there so many downs and commons 

 yet in a state of nature, and so wofully managed, that 

 you can scarcely cross them in a tolerably dry season ; 

 much less then, in a wet one. Why is this ? We 

 know several of them, and they are not appropriated to 

 military services either, which are in a continual sloppy, 

 spongy state. Why, twenty-four hours' grazing on such 

 pasturage is enough to rot the most healthy sheep ; 

 which facts upon facts can unmistakably prove : and if 

 in Surrey, it is the same elsewhere. Depend upon it, 

 wherever sheep are turned upon such pasturage as the 

 above, the rot is inevitable. 



It is attended with groat danger to turn sheep to 

 graze on well-managed and well-drained pastures after 

 such a season as the last, and under the unfavour- 

 able prospects of the present year. The late rains 

 have thoroughly saturated every land, and they are so 

 continuous as never to give time even for partial drying. 

 On this account, every danger is to be apprehended, and 

 every known preventive must be sought for, to stem the 

 dire irruption. It is in prevention mainly that safety 

 can be attained. If once attacked, a cure is next to im- 

 possible ; and the only right way then is to push them 

 into condition as fast as possible, and send them to 

 market te make what they best may. The fat ones will 

 go to the butcher without loss, if timely seen ; the store 

 ones to a sorry finish generally. 



What, then, are the best preventives ? In the first 

 place, continue to supply them on their pastures with 

 roots — mangolds or turnips — as long as they will eat 

 them. Give them also abundance of common salt — not 

 rock salt ; they cannot consume enough of that to be of 

 any real benefit to them ; rock salt may do very well in 



addition, and some animals delight to lick it. Give 

 them good rations of corn or cake ; keep them exceed- 

 ingly well, and be sure to get the pastures as dry as pos- 

 sible. Delay putting them upon the pastures as long 

 as it appears to be prudent or reasonable. It increases 

 the danger to put them upon short, wet herbage, or be- 

 fore the low and swampy parts of any pasture can have 

 time to dry. Every weak animal should be dealt with 

 otherwise than to be put upon these pastures. Keep 

 them in a small bare paddock or yard, upon reserved 

 roots or dry food. An attack of rot soon destroys them. 

 The fatting sheep should be kept as highly as circum- 

 stances will allow. The sooner they are made fat the 

 better. It is a well-ascertained fact, that for a few 

 weeks after the disease takes place they will improve 

 rapidly; but soon manifest declension shows itself. 

 After this, it is to no purpose to continue grazing them ; 

 the only alternative is to sell them at once. As to the 

 breeding and store stock, one can only lament the 

 attack ; nothing of any permanent value can be resorted 

 to. They must take their chance. A few may recover, 

 some may escape altogether. It maybe observed, Why 

 not sell them, as you do the fat ones .' The fat ones go 

 to the slaughter-house, the breeding and store stock to 

 the grazier. Now, no one can honestly sell a diseased 

 animal for a sound one for grazing purposes. The onus 

 lies with the seller. If he sells them as unsound stock, 

 all very well; but he gets precious little for them. It 

 is a painful and destructive visitation, and the losses in- 

 curred often ruin the flockmaster. It behoves us, then, 

 to do all we can to prevent its ravages ; and this short 

 notice is penned chiefly to draw attention to the sub- 

 ject, as many good men of business have often had their 

 flock infected before they were aware of its proximity. 

 " To be forewarned is to be forearmed." It is impera- 

 tively necessary, during the season, for all purchasers of 

 sheep to require a warranty, just as they would for the 

 soundness of a horse. The seller is liable for all 

 damages incurred by selling unsound sheep, not only in 

 the value of the animals sold, but the reasonable loss of 

 profit by the purchaser. The proof lies with the pur- 

 chaser, 



