23 



wethers, ewes and lambs, were common sheep. The lambs graded up by a grade 

 Spanish buck, shearing ten pounds of washed wool. This was a flock of two 

 hundred and seventy-six. and cost $2 50 each, or S690. Another flock of 

 eighty, having two French bucks, a few nearly pure French cm'cs, a few Lcices- 

 ters, and about equally divided between ewes, lambs and wethers, I purchased 

 for $150. To this purchase I added two as good Spanish blooded bucks as 

 could be cbtaiued, for $30, making 35S sheep, costing me $870. These were 

 considered high figures at that time, and the source of some merriment to the 

 yeomanry in the vicinity. As if to add to my confusion, about the middle of 

 December my shepherd came to me and said " the largest flock had the scab, 

 and that the vender knew the other flock had \\iG,foot rot when he sold them to 

 me, and that I should slaughter the flock and keep no sheep for years to come." 

 Here was a dilemma, and the " book farmer" would trot back to town again 

 wiser than he came, in the opinion of some. Goaded to desperation by such 

 remarks, and the idea of being so " wooled," I "off coat" for a personal exami- 

 nation. Some of the largest flock had spots on their haunches and shoulders of 

 hai'sh, dry, and matted wool ; the skin under these spots exhibited small pus- 

 tules, and the whole skin yellow in appearance. This seemed the scab indeed, 

 and I treated it as such by withdrawing the diseased ones, and housing them in 

 warm stables and pouring on to the spots from a tea-kettle a strong solution of 

 tobacco as often as it became dry, and until the old wool on the spots sloughed 

 off, a new and healthy growth starting. This occurred within three weeks. 

 No new cases appeared, and I have since determined their di3c;ise to be " pelt 

 rot," contracted from running through the wet autumn of ISGl, in high clover. 

 The second flock undoubtedly had a slight touch of the foot rot, contracted from 

 the low lands they had run on the season before. The hoofs of this flock I im- 

 mersed twice a week in pyroligneous acid, diluted one-half, and, suffice it to say, 

 the first day of the next February no lame sheep or skin disease could be found 

 in the flock. By this time, becoming somewhat interested in the welfare of my 

 sheep, and imrred to exercise, as the 15th of April approached, I took personal 

 charge during the lambing season, rearing about 70 per cent, of those dropped ; 

 thus ended all my fears. I could tell " a sheep from a goat," and went on my 

 ■N'^ay, " thanking God and taking courage." 



Now for the general success and three years' experience. The whole flock 

 was debited with their purchase-money. At the end of the year interest thereon 

 was charged at 10 per cent., charging them the first year $1 50 per head for 

 board and shearing. The second year, the account running two years before 

 balancing, the flock was debited with one year's interest on the previous year's 

 board. " As I sold culls, wethers and lambs, and wool, the flocks received credit, 

 as the following exhibit will more particularly imfold : 



1861. 



November 1. To purchase money for 358 sheep $870 00 



1862. 



November 1 To purchase money of 1 buck 20 00 



To board and shearing 350 sheep 1 year, at $1 50 



each 525 00 



To 10 per cent, interest on SS70 purohase-monev, 1 



year T... 87 00 



1863. 



March. To purchase money for buck-lamb 10 00 



November. To board and shearing 423 sheep, at SI 50 each 634 00 



To 10 per cent, interest on Si, 425, original cost of . 



flock, and 1 year's board 142 50 



Total cost 2,228 50 



