628 



FAR M E 11 S' R ]■] GIST L<: R. 



[No. 10 



as the weakness occasioned by the flux must neces- 

 sarilv reduce their condiiion. 



The flij. — Tliis disorder is chiefly conlined to 

 pheep that are continually exposed in hot seasons, 

 pariicidarly in inclosed woody disirids. 'I'he in- 

 sects fiom which the disease derives its name, livo 

 fimorig the wo^.!, where they materially prevent 

 sheef) frum thriviiijr, from the severiiy with wiiish 

 they bite. Hence various reinedies iiave been 

 suo^gested, most of which, Iiowcver are in s:)nie 

 deirree injurious to the wool. Flour of sulphur, 

 mixed up with butter, lard, or other unctuous 

 substances, and ruhi.ed in vvuh the hand, or lour 

 ounces of suljjhur mixed with a pint of train 

 oil, and four oiuices of oil of turpenline, have 

 been found sufficient to effect a cure, and least 

 hurtful to the quality of the wool: the lemedy, 

 suggested by Sir Joseph Banks lor the scab, in 

 Bheep, hereafter described, may a'so be applied in 

 the present case. Wiien, however, mairgots are 

 formed, they should be carefully scraped from the 

 wound, to which turpenline and brandy, mixed 

 together, may be applied. Mr. Marshall* di- 

 rects such maggots to be picked out uith a knife, 

 or otherwise removed, wiihout breaking tiie coat, 

 when a quantity of while lead Is to be scraped 

 among the wool, which heiuir agitated, the pow- 

 der is carried evenly down to the sore. But due 

 attention must be given, that too much ceruse be 

 not applied, as it will discolor the wool; while a 

 Email quantity prevents any further injury fi-oni 

 the mairirots remaining among if, as it drives them 

 away from the wound, the healirior of which it 

 promotes at the same lime. Mr. Priest, an intel- 

 ligent chemist of Norwich, has prepared a cheap 

 liquid, that not only cures where the By has alrea- 

 dy struck, but also prevents its future attacks. It 

 has been very extensivelv and successfijily used 

 by the Norfolk sheep-liiririers. 



The fool-halt, as its name announces, is peculiar 

 to the feet of sheep. It is occasioned by an insect 

 resembling a worm, two, three, and sometimes 

 four inches long. It is indicated bv lameness, 

 which often increases to such a deijree as to pre- 

 vent the animal fi-om grazing. From pain and 

 want of appetite, the sheep 'laniruishes, till at 

 length it falls a victim to the disorder, unless the 

 worm be opportunely extracted. 



As soon, therefore, as a sheep is observed to 

 limp, the lame foot ought to be examined be- 

 tween the close of the claws, where the skin is 

 found perforated, throu£ih which the worm has 

 worked its passage upwards, between the external 

 membranes and the bone. In order to extract the 

 in=5ect, it will be sutlicientto move the claws in con- 

 trary directions, backwards and fbi-wards, till the 

 worm <rradually makes its way to the surface. 

 This simple expedient is fiir preferable to the ope- 

 ration of drawing out the insect, as in the las>i. case 

 there is always danirer of its breakinff off, and 

 rotting in the leg of the sheep, which will thus be 

 materially injured. As the loot-halt occurs more 

 frequently in wet than in dry seasons, and cene- 

 rally in the spring and fall, but rarely in summer 

 and winter, it may he prevented, in most cases, 

 by pasturing sheep in dry and healthy groundsj 

 rather than in low meadows or marshy" soTls. 



The foot-rot is another disease peculiar to the 

 feet of sheep, and if it be not quickly eradicated. 



• Rural Economy of the Midland Counties. 



generally proves contairious. It arises, in gene- 

 ral, from sheep-feedinir on long, rank iirass, in wet 

 seasons; but inaticiiiion to cleanlinchs will also 

 produce the fboi-rot as well as the ii)(ii-li;di. 



This disease is known by lameiu^s, which in- 

 creases as the flirt-rot iiecomes moie inveteraie, 

 by tlie oozmg of a (lisiii.freea!>!y '(fitid matter 

 ii'orn iiptwceu ihe claws, and by ihe appeaia' ce 

 of proud flesh in the. nmie advar.ced slate ol' ibe 

 uuilady; at leniilh, if il lie iioi timely discovered, 

 ihe foot l)ecoiries so completely moriified by the 

 cancerous humor cori'odinir eveiy part of it, as to 

 become incurable, in wliich case llie skin is the 

 onl}' vahudile part oi the animal. It is remarka- 

 ble throiiLdiout the progress of ihis disease, that 

 sheep retain their appetite, and apparenily feed 

 as well as when in perf"ect health, tliouixh they 

 very soon fill a'vay, and continue decliiiinfr till 

 they have lost all their fiit. Their appetite, how- 

 ever, remains till the very last fcl.age; and instanr 

 ces have occurred in which they have been so ea- 

 ger as even to crawl on their knees lor food. 



Various remedies have been tried and recom- 

 mended for the cure of this contagious disorder, 

 of which ihe following appear most deserving of 

 notice. As soon as ihe disease is discovered, the 

 sheep should be separated fi'om the rest of the 

 flock, and put into a dry pasture, or co'ifiued in a 

 barn, shed, or yard wilh a chalk bottom, and the 

 part afil'cled pared and cleansed, so as not to 

 touch the quick, and at the same time to remove 

 the gravel, if any should be there contained; after 

 which either of the remedies sutjoined may be 

 applied : 



One ounce of blue vitriol and six of water or 

 vinegar. 

 Or, 



Mix four ounces of the best honey, two ounces 

 of pulverized burnt alum, and half a pound 

 of powdered Armenian bole, in such a quan- 

 tily ol train or other fish oil as will make the 

 various ingredients of the consistence of salve. 

 The honey should be first dissolved irradually, 

 and the bole carefully stirred in, and then the 

 alum and oil are to be added. 

 Or, 



Reduce three ounces of verdigris, four ounces 

 of alum, a similar quantity of vitrol, one ouuce 

 and a half of white mercury, and one ounce of 

 white copjieras, respectively into fine powder, 

 gradually dissolve the whole into one quart of 

 white-wine vinegar. 



It may be proper to observe, that the former 

 of the last two remedies were invented by Mr. 

 George Cullcy; and the latter by the late emi- 

 nent Mr. Bakewell. In Mr. Young's opinion, * 

 the salve is more efficacious than the liquid, hav- 

 in(T in one or two cases effected a cure where the 

 latter had failed; but Mr. Y. states, th.at he uni- 

 formly employs Mr. Bakewell's remedy before the 

 animids are anointed with Mr. Culiey's salve. 

 The following have been tried with success: 

 Two ounces of roche-alum, a similar quantity 

 of blue vitriol, one ounce verdigris, and a quar- 

 ter of an ounce of animated quicksilver, dis- 

 solved in a quart of good distilled vinegar; to 

 be dropped pn the diseased part, care being 

 taken to keep the feet dry, and clean from all 

 dirt or filth. 



*Anna!s of Agriculture, vol. xxi. 



