1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



321 



as we work for a crop of corn or a crop of 

 vegetables. Not that a tree should be culti- 

 vated just as we cultivate a hill of corn or a 

 bed of beets, but the peculiarities of each 

 must be considered and its wants supplied. 



If our correspondent will plant corn, pota- 

 toes, squashes, or other hoed crops, with ma- 

 nure enough to secure a fair yield, we shall 

 expect his trees will show by both fruit and 

 foliage that they are not "ruined." 



MORTALITY AMONG SHEEP. 

 A few weeks ago we alluded to the fact that 

 many sheep and lambs had dietl this spring in 

 Vermont from some "unknown disease." Dr. 

 Henry Boynton of Woodstock, Vt., publishes 

 an article upon the subject in the last Mirror 

 and Farmer. He says that during the months 

 of March and April the loss in some_ cases was 

 as great as ten per cent. , and in some of the 

 best flocks as many have died this spring as 

 are usually lost in ten to twenty-five years. 

 The doctor says : — 



"We believe the malady is confined mostly to 

 yearling bucks, though there are cases of all ages 

 and both sexes. 



The most unaccountable feature about the dis- 

 ease is, that it seems quite as likely to attack ani- 

 mals that are apparently sound and in first-rate 

 condition, as those that arc poor and feeble. Two 

 or three in our own flock, that have been cared lor 

 as well as sheep can be, have died within twenty- 

 four hours after the first symptoms of derange- 

 ment have been noticed. One yearling buck, 

 which at night looki-d as though he was able to 

 fight his way with any animal of equal pounds 

 that could be produced, in the morning was dead. 

 Several cases in our neighbors' flocks have oc- 

 curred of a similar nature, death sudden and unac- 

 countable, without any premonition or warning. 

 But more generally the animal refuses his food, or 

 seems too much exhausted to walk across the pen 

 to get it. If noticed at this time, it may be coaxed 

 to take a little food, but will soon go away by it- 

 self and lie down. It shows a disclination ;omove, 

 or only mopes about the pen, hanging its head in a 

 careless, sleepy manner. 



The eyes become dull and heavy, giving out a 

 glutinous secretion. The discharge from the nose 

 becomes quite profuse, and forms a hard, gummy 

 rim around the nostril. The breathing is rapid and 

 labored, especially if the animal is made to move 

 around, and the heart will boat from one hundred 

 and thirty to one hundred and sixty times a min- 

 ute. A careful look will show that the nose and 

 lips have become blanched and bloodless, and are 

 literally as white as snow. 1 he inner side of the 

 lips, the gums, the tongue, and in fact the whole 

 inside of the mouth, will be found to have taken on 

 the sanie ashy paleness. An examination of the 

 skin of any part of the body will show the same 

 blanched condition." 



Various experiments were made by Dr. 



Boynton to see if any blood could be found 



near the surface of the body — such as slitting 



the ears, lancing deeply various parts of the 



body, "but not the slightest trace of blood 

 could be found." Next, taking an animal that 

 he was sure must die, and placing it in a fa- 

 vorable position he opened the arteries in the 

 neck. The result was the escape of about four 

 ounces of watery blood — it could not be called 

 bloody water. 



The post-moriem appearance of these cases is 

 such as might be anticipated from the above facts. 

 In cutting open a carcass, not blood enough is found 

 to stain a knife-blade. Every organ in tlie body, 

 brain, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys is perfectly 

 sound. The same is true of all the membranes. 

 The mucuous membrane lining the nnsal passages 

 is free from any sign of irritation, and the tissue 

 of lungs, liver, heart and kidneys is firm and 

 sound. 



No coagulum (clotted blood) is found in the 

 heart or large arteries. A little half-coagulated 

 blood is found in the large veins. All the watery 

 blood that can be found by opening the heart and 

 large arteries of an animal not ten minutes dead 

 will not exceed four ounces. The lungs and heart, 

 as well as the liver look exactly as though they 

 had lain in a pail of cold water for twelve hours. 

 In fine, the entire appearance of the whole carcass 

 is just what it would be if the animal had been 

 most carefully and thoroughly bled. 



Here, then, is the pathology of the disease, — the 

 blood turns to water and passes off", and the animal 

 dies precisely as it would if gradually bled. 



Now for the cause. That, we confess is beyond 

 us. We hope some one more skilled in observing 

 diseases of animals than ourself will give us a clue 

 to this. 



At this writing we have six yearling bttcks with 

 marked symptoms of this bloodless condiiion, and' 

 we are treating them with the muriated tincture of 

 iron. The results we will give hereafter. 



MASSACHUSETTS AG'L COLLEQB. 



Beside the appropriation which we noticed 

 recently of $35,000 for the erection of a 

 dormitory building, by the trustees of the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College, at their 

 meeting in Boston, May 11th, votes were 

 passed appropriating a sum not exceeding 

 $7000 for the erection of a boarding house, 

 north of the building now used for that pur- 

 pose ; one thousand dollars for the purpose of 

 grading and putting the grounds in order in the 

 vicinity of the Botanical Museum and Plant 

 Houses ; and two thousand dollars for moving 

 and fitting up the old barns on the place, with 

 a cellar under one of them. 



The salaries of Dr. C. A. Gessman, Profes- 

 sor of Chemistry, and of S. F. Miller, Professpr 

 of Mathematics and Physics are fixed at $2000 

 and house rent ; term of service to commence 

 with the academic year in September. Dr. 

 Gessman is now connected with the salt works 

 at Syracuse, and is spoken of as an accom- 

 plished chemist. Dr. Miller of Chicago, id a 



