148 THE FARMER AT HOME. 



the world, from the universal deluge, from the confusion of languages, 

 from Abraham's journey to the land of Canaan, from the departure of 

 their forefathers out of Egypt, from the building of Solomon's temple, 

 and from the Babylonish captivity. The ancient Greeks reckoned 

 time by Olympiads, which were public games celebrated every fifth 

 year ; the first Olympiad they placed in the year of the world 3187. 

 The ancient Romans reckoned from the building of their city, which 

 was in the era of the world 3113. The Christians take their era 

 from the birth of our Saviour, this method of computing time com- 

 mencing among them, about the beginning of the seventh century. 

 The Mahometans compute their time from Hegira or flight of their 

 prophet, in the year of our Lord, 617 ; subtracting this number (617) 

 from the Christian year, the remainder will be the Mahometan 

 year. 



ERGOT. This is an elongated irregular excrescence, curved and 

 dark colored, sometimes found growing on the heads of several of the 

 cultivated grasses, particularly rye, and the smooth stalked June 

 grass. It most commonly appears in hot. damp summers. It is 

 known to be present by the change which the grains assume ; but 

 these seldom exceed five or six in an ear. The ergotted grains have 

 a heavy, unpleasant odor, and an acrid, nauseous taste, leaving a 

 slight sensation of heat in the palate. Ergotted rye is poisonous both 

 to man and other animals. When in bad seasons, it has prevailed, 

 and has been ground into flour with the rye, and baked into bread, it 

 has caused many fatal, depopulating diseases in the north of Europe. 

 On quadrupeds its use is followed by emaciation, palsy of the hind 

 legs, and extreme debility ; mules in South America lose their hoofs 

 and hair when fed on ergotted maize ; and hens who have ergotted 

 rye mixed with their food lay eggs without shells, owing to its excite- 

 ment of the oviduct. It is employed as a medicine in difficult partu- 

 rition, but it ought not to be administered without great caution 

 and discretion. Ergot is not so prevalent in this country as to occa- 

 sion great loss to farmers. 



ESSEX HOGS. In England is a breed of swine, known by this 

 name and much admired. Youatt says the Essex pigs have been 

 indebted for their improvement to crosses with foreign breeds, and 

 especially the Neapolitan, and with the Berkshires. They are mostly 

 black arid white, the head and hinder parts being black, and the 

 back and belly white ; have smaller heads than the Berkshire pigs, 

 and long thin upright ears, short hair, a fine skin, good hind quarters, 

 and a deep round carcase ; they have small bones, and the flesh is 

 delicate and well flavored. Lord Western's stock of these hogs is 

 entirely black, and is distinguished by having tea f - i; .ke appendages of 

 Jie skin depending from the upper part of the neck, which are com- 

 monly termed wattles. Some of these animals have reached the 



