071 Heavy and Ligld Land. 257 



soon after weanino;; the second towards autumn. Numerous 

 dressings are employed. Those that contain arsenic, mercury, 

 &c., are objectionable, since it is well known that such materials 

 absorbed by the skin into the system are not beneficial ; putting 

 out of the question the possibility of a serious accident, if the men 

 are not careful. Again, a strong alkali is combined with arsenic 

 to cause the latter to become soluble, or rather to mix with the 

 water, which dries up the wool. Lately a valuable addition 

 has been made to our to list in ' Cliff's antiseptic fluid,' a prepara- 

 tion of carbolic acid. It has been tried largely for scab, with as 

 great success as the mercury and tobacco-washes, which are de- 

 pended upon in the colonies, and is much cheaper and easier to use. 

 As an antiseptic it is very powerful. A number of sheep badly 

 affected with scab were placed upon a small island, and four healthy 

 sheep, once dipped in this fluid, turned amongst them. Unpro- 

 tected, they must have become scabbed in three or four days ; but 

 so powerful was the dressing as an antiseptic, that it was ten 

 weeks before they became affected ; by this time the protective 

 power was dissipated. This experiment was tried by Professor 

 Brown, and is so important that I do not apologise for inserting 

 it here. 



Management of Sheep on Strong Land. 



Mr. Alfred Hughes, in his lecture before the Society in Hanover- 

 square, endeavoured to show that by adopting a certain rotation 

 of crops, sheep might be wintered on an arable farm of strong 

 land. I do not think he proved his point. In the comparatively dry 

 climate in which his experience had been gained it might be pos- 

 sible; but, generally speaking, I believe sheep stock cannot be profit- 

 ably kept on strong land, if it be all arable. The crops may be so 

 arranged that the treading of the sheep does not destroy all chance 

 of the next crop ; but the animals standing so much on a damp 

 soil cannot thrive : therefore, in considering this question, I shall 

 assume that a considerable portion, at least one-third, of the strong- 

 land farm is grass. The rotation of crops suggested by Mr. 

 Hughes is in many respects a very judicious one. The plan of 

 growing first two corn-crops and then two roots in succession is 

 undoubtedly wise, whether we feed the crops on the land or draw 

 them off. Seeds are sown down in oats and are followed by roots. 

 The ley is not ploughed till spring, and affords a dry surface 

 during winter, besides a good deal of useful autumn keep. 

 Moreover, on such soils wheat is seldom to be depended upon 

 after clover ; the land is often so hard that it cannot be properly 

 ploughed. 



The first point that must be attended to is thorough drainage ; 

 sheep will not thrive if there is stagnant water in the soil. Both 



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