071 Merino Sheep. 41 



other disease of the skin, unless pelt-rot merits that dis- 

 tinction. This is probably attributed to a difference in 

 the construction of that organ in the former breed, which 

 is known to be much more thin and delicate ; and from 

 its more abundant produce of wool, and the proportion- 

 ably greater action of those minute vessels which supply 

 its growth, is doubdess more sensitive, and of necessity 

 more susceptible of disease. This belief is further 

 strengthened by what I consider the fact, that merinos 

 are also subject to eruptions of the skin from coming in 

 contact with poisonous plants when deprived of their 

 fleece. Several individuals of my flock were very seri- 

 ously affected in this way, soon after shearing last sum- 

 mer, which, for a variety of reasons, I do not hesitate to 

 ascribe to the common poison vine, which grew abun- 

 dantly on the fences of their enclosure. 



I have now fulfilled the limits which I prescribed to my- 

 self in the commencement of this epistle^ but I will remark 

 in addition thereto, that in the course of my short experience, 

 I have had my sheep affected oftentimes with the hoven^ 

 which, when discovered, I have never failed to cure, by 

 giving them a table spoonful of castor oil, and shortly 

 afterwards a gill of ley, sufficiently diluted to destroy its 

 pungency — say with an equal quantity of water. I do 

 not know that the castor oil is actually necessary to the 

 cure ; I was first induced to give it in order to defend 

 the coats of the gullet and stomach against the acrid 

 effects of the ley, and finding them jointly effectual, I have 

 not thought it worth while to separate them. I believe, 

 however, that the ley is the principal agent in the cure. 



own experience has produced a different conclusion. My me» 

 rinos, for the greater part of the first year, suffered direfullj 

 with that disease, but my common ewes, though they, part of the 

 time, ran with them, and were afterwards occasionally shifted 

 into the infected folds, were entirely free from it- 



