LOUPING-ILL. 567 



been before, and louping-ill was very much diminished with 

 him, whilst on other farms it was, as might have been expected 

 from the state of the weather, very bad. He thought, but 

 wrongly, as he has now found out, that the wet, coarse weather 

 was the cause of the scarcity of the ticks. 



In six years both louping-ill and tick had both almost entirely 

 disappeared — an odd one now and then — and he has had scarcely 

 any since. 



He has kept extra stock, both of cattle and sheep, during 

 summer. The number of cattle kept has increased from forty 

 to one hundred and twenty, which were kept during the summer 

 of 1881. The cattle are sold about October, but about thirty 

 head are kept on the hills during winter, part of them being 

 tied at night. Last year Mr. Nichol stated, " You may believe 

 the pastures were eaten to the bone." During our visit, how- 

 ever, we found that the grasses were more luxuriant and of 

 much better quality than on any neighbouring land. 



Mr. Nichol very quaintly remarked, " Those who can afford 

 to let their sheep die, do so, but I cannot afford this, so 

 give corn." 



One farmer whom I know very well congratulated himself 

 that his heavy loss had taken away all his weakly sheep, and he 

 had now a good strong stock to breed from, stock that would 

 stand anything, even starvation. 



One moment's rational consideration of this matter would 

 open the eyes of even the most prejudiced, and convince them 

 that starvation never leads to strength, but to the converse con- 

 dition, and that a strong healthy stock, although able to live 

 through a hard winter without any food but what they can 

 scrape up, are rendered weak and debilitated ; and that the 

 mortality amongst the ewes is enormous during the lambing 

 season, that many dead lambs are brought forth, and that where 

 both mother and offspring survive, the latter often dies from 

 starvation, the ewe being unable to afford it its natural susten- 

 ance. It must also be borne in mind that exhaustion of soil, 

 micro-fungi on grasses, ticks, poverty, and louping-ill are co- 

 existent. 



In conclusion, I would earnestly recommend all who may 

 read these observations to carefully consider the suggestions 

 laid down, to eat up or destroy the old grass, which, when 

 left on the ground, becomes a source of mischief not only in 



