NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



From the Mcihanic's Gazette. 



INSECTS THAT nF.STHOV SHEKP. 



Messiis. Printers, — Thcilestruclinn of?heep, 

 ,T- jiiiblislied in your \:\< paper, extracted from 

 the Norlliainpton Giizelle, arises from an insect 

 abo'it as large as a honey bee. 



There is a grniis of insects called by natural- 

 ists astriis or gad fly. In this and most other 

 countries they are very injurious to neat catile, 

 horses, sheep, deer, and some other animals, — 

 There are accordingly several species of this 

 kind of insects, each of which it attaclcs. There 

 is one which pierces the hides of our neat cattle, 

 to deposit its esjof^, which hatching into larvw 

 or maggots, feed upon the living animal and 

 produce ulcers, sickness and death. 



The (fstrus eqiii, another species, deposits its 

 eggs on the hair of the horses, which are lick- 

 ed off by the animal and swallowed with its 

 food. — The eggs hatch in the stomach, and are 

 sometimes so numerous in the form o\' larvw. or 

 worms, that they destroy the coals of the sto- 

 mach and intestines, produce inflammation, and 

 kill the animal. These are the insects which 

 produce the botts in horses. 



A third species cestrus ovis, the gad fly 

 which annoys sheep deposits its eggs in the 

 nostrils of that animal, produces disease there, 

 and frequently destroys them. The blind stag- 

 gers in sheep is occasioned by this insect. The 

 eggs are hatched into larvtc (grubs, or worms, 

 or maggots,) which by their irritation excite 

 inflammation and a running from the nose. 

 When they are numerous the inflammation ex- 

 tends up the membranes of the nose into ihefron- 

 tal sinus of the brain, producing that vertigo or 

 gidiliness which causes the staggers, and occa- 

 sions the death of the animal. The worms, 

 when hatched irom the eggs of the fly, crawl up 

 the nose ; and in those sheep which have horns, 

 there is a natural communication from the nos- 

 trils of the sheep into the cavity of the horns^ 

 and hence the grubs or maggots are found there, 

 as the writer hereof has demonstrated by dissec- 

 tion. 



In the season of the year when the sheep are 

 attacke<l by this species of gad fly, their instinct 

 naturally leads them to avoid their enemies. Ac- 

 cordingly when these insects are hard buzzing 

 about them, sheep frequently start and run, from 

 no apparent cause, but actually to shun them. 

 At such time, a fly of this kind will drive them 

 from one place to another,and they are observed 

 to hold their noses to the ground to shut up the 

 avenues of approach to their enemy. 



With these facts before us, we have only to 

 watch the enemy, at the season of his arriv- 

 al, give him no enterance, but keep him at bay 

 for a few weeks, till this short race is run. We 

 know of no better remedy than that of cover- 

 ing the nostrils of the sheep, with a list of gau- 

 zy substance, through which the animal can 

 breath, and keeping it in its place by some ad- 

 hesive substance. This is the only method 

 that has suggested itself upon considering the 

 case, and if it can possibly be done, it is recom- 

 mended to practical men, as the only plausible 

 remedy. 



We have been assured ky a friend, who has had 

 much eKperience with regard to the management of 

 sheep, that the following is an infallible preventive of 

 the attacks of the insact above mentioned viz : smear 



the nostrils of the sheep with tar ; apply it before the 

 (ly make its appearance, and continue the application 

 (ill its departure. It will be safest to begin to iifctlie 

 remedy abont the first of August, and fb continue its 

 nsrtill the last of September. The tar should be ap- 

 plied two or three limes a week, or often enough to 

 Ureji the nose continually Wacliened with that sub- 

 stance. The tar will prove useful not only as an anti- 

 dolr against the troublesome and dangerous insect 

 above described, but is an excellent remedy against 

 cough, rot, and consumption of the lungs. It promotes 

 and confirms the health of the animal, and would be 

 useful in a high degree even if the oestrus ovis were 

 not in existence. — Editor A'. E. Farmer. 



Strav'berries. — I have been induced to make 

 the present communicatibn. iVora having been 

 inl'ormed by a young man from near Salem, of 

 the management of a bed in his father's ganlen 

 which was planted about 20 vears ago, and 

 still continues very prodiictive. — It contains 

 about 2 square perches, and the present season 

 20 quarts were gathered in a morning, and 

 straivberries measuring 3 3-4 inches round were 

 frequently found. The manner in which this 

 bed has been managed and made so productive 

 is: As soon as the fruit is all gathered, mow 

 the vines close off and cover the bed 4 or 5 

 inches with rotten wood, drawn fresh from 

 woodland, where old logs have been left to de- 

 cay — the strawberry vines will shoot through 

 this covering, and there will be no further la- 

 bour necessary, bnt to keep the running vines 

 cut off to prevent their taking root; 12 inches 

 square was the distance at which the plants of 

 the above described bed were planted. 



Fitlage Rccm-d. 



As tea contains volatile parts that should be 

 preserved, and in which its better qualities ex- 

 ist, the tea-pot should be handed to each per- 

 son on a tray with cups and sugar; for when 

 made out of the room, all its reviving spirit 

 has evaporated before it reaches the guest. 

 It is not the bitterness but the fragrance of tea 

 that is cheering. When the infusion has once 

 been completed, it is found that any further 

 addition of the herb only aff"ords a very small 

 increase of strength, the wafer having cooled, 

 much below the boiling point, and consequent- 

 ly acting very slightly; therefore it is better 

 to make fresh tea in a second vessel, than to 

 add it to the exhausted and cool leaves. 



Philips^s History of Cultivated Vegetables. 



Valuable informaiion for Smiths. — Under this 

 head we last weejj published an article relative 

 to a new method of welding cast sleel and iron, 

 by the aid of borax, sal ammoniac and unslack- 

 ed lime. An intelligent smith has informed us 

 that he has been in Ih* habit of using borax 

 alone to weld cast steel, for a great number of 

 years, and that the discovery was made by a 

 person who lived in the neighbourhood of 

 Springfield, Mass. soon after the Revolutionary 

 war; by this it would seem that we have the 

 start of the English considerably Hud. Whig. 



The Seasons. — A Virginia paper gives it as 

 the opinion of experienced persons, that the 

 present wheat harvest greatly surpasses any 

 previous crop in Virginia. The season is also 

 auspicious to the growing crop of corn. 



„. Ji 



Hints to Men of Bi/swess.— Superintend U, 

 person as much ol your business as practicable 

 and observe with a watchful eye the manage- 

 ment of what is necessarily committed lo the 

 agency of others. 



Never lose sight of the powerful inflneiice of 

 example, and bo careful in liio management of 

 your concerns, lo recommend by your own per- 

 sonal practice uniform habits of active, inter- 

 ested and persevering diligence, to those iu 

 your employ. 



Be prompt and explicit in your instruction to 

 your agents, and let it be understood by ihem 

 tbat'you expect they will execute the same ia 

 slrici conformity thereto. 



Lei no common amusements interfere or min- 

 gle with your business; make them entirely 

 distirri employments. 



Dilpatch at once, if possible, whatever yoii 

 take In hand; if inlerr(i[)ted by unavoidable in- 

 terference, resume and finish it as soon as the 

 obstruction is removed. 



Beware of self indulgence, no business can 

 possibly thrive under the shade of its influence. 



D/) not assume to yourself more credit for 

 wha you do, than you are entitled lo, rather 

 be c intent with a little less; the public mind 

 willralways discover where merit is due. 



Fmiliarize yourself with your books, keep 

 then accurately, and frequently investigate and 

 adjuit their contents — This is an important item. 



Ciltivate domestic habits, for thisyour family, 

 if you have one, has a strong and undeniable 

 claiti ; besides, your customers will always be 

 best bleased when they find you at home or at 

 the place ofyour business. 



Under the influence of such hints as these.; 

 with a suitable dependence on the God of Pro- 

 vidence for a blessing on the labour of your 

 hands, you will have a good foundation to rest 

 your hop^ upon, for success in whatever business 

 you may he employed in. 



Never let hurry or confusion distract your 

 mind or dfepossess you of self-command. 



Winds c^nd Weather. — A hazy cloud will be 

 seen in thi southwest, 24 hours before a north- 

 east snow storm. A cloud will be seen in the 

 northwest, from 6 to 28 hours before a south- 

 east storm. And a southwest wind on our coast 

 will generally produce rain in 15 or 20 hours. 

 Wheu uncommon birds are heard to make a 

 noise, and the brute creation, as well as fowls, 

 appear to be more active than usual, then look 

 out for rain; I have heard shepherds say that 

 sheep, ard especially lambs, are the most ac- 

 tive before a rain. When drops of water ap- 

 pear on a white stone, or on a cup of water, or 

 any cold substance ; then look out for rain ; for 

 these signs show the air to be full of moisture. 

 When no dew is seen on the grass in the morn- 

 ing, then we may suppose the moisture is gath- 

 ering in the clouds for rain. — American Sentinel. 



Sick Held Ache. — To remove ati attack of the 

 sick headache, a correspondent in one of the 

 monthly journals, recommends the patient to 

 take a "spoonful of ginger mixed with a lump 

 of sugar, in a tumbler three parts full of water, 

 with chill off; to sit, for quarter of an hour, with 

 his feet in water agreeably warm and to apply 

 a napkin wrung out with cold water to the tem- 

 ples or forehead whichever appears the most 

 afl'ected. 



^. 



