ITS INFKCTIOUS NATURK. 67 



Spanish sheep had been), before it, as I hope, ceased altogether, as 

 I have not found a diseased one for some time past. I had three 

 Southdown wether sheep (two-toothed), which were the only sheep 

 I had on my farm ; the other part of my flock being lambs. I had 

 the three sheep put in with the Spaniards when the Spaniards 

 appeared healthy. All three were taken within a week, and in about 

 four days tw^o of them died, the other remaining very ill for some 

 time ; I therefore consider the older the sheep the more fatal will be 

 the disease. I intended seUing 300 of my lambs at Weyhill or at 

 Winchester fair in October, leaving me my winter stock ; but, fortu- 

 nately for me, and for the public, the disease shewed itself before I 

 sold one of them. I shall now keep the whole during the winter, 

 having put them on cut swedes, giving them peas, maize, and hay ; 

 so that, through me, the disease shall not be carried into any other 

 man's flock. And I do hope every individual who may have been so 

 unfortunate (as I have been) as to have purchased any (and I hear 

 several have), will use his utmost endeavours to put a stop to this 

 most fatal disease in its infancy ; for I feel, if this once extends itself 

 to the flocks of this country, no man can tell the serious injury which 

 the country may sustain, or where it will end: 20, 50, or 100,000 

 has nothing to do, in my opinion, with the loss that might be sus- 

 tained in the flocks of this countr)- if due precaution is not taken in 

 putting a stop to it in its now first appearance. 



I see they talk of having a person to examine the foreign sheep in 

 Smithfield : that may be very well to prevent immediate infection ; 

 but I could have sold 500 there, within the last month, that had the 

 disease amongst them, and 100 of them breeding it, having caught 



the disorder, when no man living could detect it in a single sheep. 

 ***** 



Many of my sheep will carry the marks and pits left by the malady 

 on their bodies to the shambles, if that should be two or even three 

 years hence. 



" Charles Fielder, 

 " Land Surveyor and Farmer." 

 " Sparsholt, near Winchester, Hants, Nov. 4.*" 



Early after ovine variola was imported into this 

 country we placed healthy sheep with diseased, taking 



* The Farmer's Magazine, page 524, vol. xvi. 



