DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS. 417 



aud break at about the same time. This was well illustrated by an experiment made of 

 churning a portion of milk from two cows separately, and weighing the prodiice. The 

 amount of butter was largely in excess of that gained by churning the same quantity 

 of the same milk mixed, and the microscope revealed the cause. 



A curious feature brouglit out by these experiments is, that the mixed 

 milk from two breeds will not produce as much butter as will the same 

 milk churned separately. The explanation is in the variation in tbo sizes 

 of the globules. When a large-globuled milk and a small-globuled milk 

 are churned together, the larger globules separate first into butter, and the 

 breaking of the smaller globules appears to be retarded. When, there- 

 fore, a Jersey cow is kept in an Ayrshire or Dutch herd for the purpose 

 of influencing the color of the butter, the large globules of the Jersey 

 milk are broken first in the churn ; and while the smaller globules are 

 being broken, the butter which first came is being overchurned, and 

 theoretically, at least, the quality of the result is impaired, if not the 

 quantity lessened. When a few Ayrshire or Dutch cows are kept in a 

 herd of Jerseys, and the milk churned together, both theoretically and 

 practically a large portion of the butter of the small-globuled milk is 

 left in the buttermilk in the state of globules. 



Dr. Sturtevant arranges the breeds in the order of the average size of 

 the milk-globules, as follows: 



Jereey, Ayrshire, ( butter family,) Ayrshire, (cheese family,) Holstein, or Dutch. Like- 

 wise we can arrange the breeds in accordance with certain properties of the milk : the 

 rapidity with which the cream rises — Jersey, Ayrshire, Dutch ; the rapidity with which 

 the cream churus — Jersey, Ayrshire, Dutch ; the completeness with which the cream 

 rises — Jersey, Dutch, Ayrshire ; the value of the milk for cheese — Ayrshire, Dutch, 

 Jersey ; qualities desiraljle ior the milk-retailer — Ayrshire, Dutch, Jersey. 



Dr. N. S. Townshend, professor of veterinary science in the Ohio Agri- 

 cultural College, contributes a brief paper on " Parasitic diseases of 

 sheep." The writer says that, in Ohio, sheep are subject to an affection 

 known as white-skin, paper-skin, pelt-rot, &c. In the British Isles the 

 same disease is called hoose, or husk, and in Germany, Lungenwurm- 

 seuche, or Lungeawurmhusten. In its early stages the disease is char- 

 acterized by tits of coughing and sneezing, v^ith discharge of mucus 

 from the nostrils. The affected sheep stretches the neck, gapes, rubs 

 the nose upon the grass, and gives other evidences of difficult breathing 

 or of irritation of the air-passages. After a time the animal loses flesh 

 and strength, the eyes and mucus membranes are unusually pale, a 

 diarrhea comes on, and rapidly hastens the general emaciation. The 

 wool becomes loose, is easily pulled off, or comes off in patches sponta- 

 neously, leaving the skin peculiarly pale and bloodless, and hence the 

 name white-skin, paper-skin, &c. Finally, the sheep dies from exhaustion, 

 except in a few cases, when, in earlier stages, it dies from suffocation. 



Dr. Townshend states that this disease is caused by white thread- 

 worms. In examinations he found the bronchial tubes full of these 

 v/orms. Sometimes they were extended at length, but more frequently 

 they were found roiled up in bunches. When fully mature, in the Siiring 

 of the year, they are from two to four inches in length ; the mfJes 

 scarcely exceed two inches, and are of a light yellow color ; the females 

 are considerably larger, and more nearly white. This parasite is known 

 to zoologists as Strong'ipius hronchialis, jStrongylus Jilaria, Filaria bronchi- 

 alls, &c. It belongs to the class of nematoid or thread-like worms. He 

 advises the following treatment : 



The i)roper treatment for sheep suffering from this affection f-.hould have regard to two 

 points : first, to support the strength of the sheep ; and, second, to expel the parasites. 

 To sustain the strength and vitality of the affected sheep is very important, and for 

 this purpose the most generous feed is better than medicine. To expel the worms, 



27 A 



