370 



THE GENESEE FARMER 



first instance; or, his last resource, he may, by in-and-in 

 breeding, attempt to propagate them perfected as 

 they are, and thus retain for his country and himself 

 the benefits which such a race of animals must neces- 

 sarily confer. But such is the amount of obstinate 

 prejudice now entertained against this system, that 

 we might expect to see many gentlemen, perhaps Mr. 

 Laxce himself, adopt any of the above sources rather 

 than the last. This is a suppositious case, but sub- 

 stantially it may be said to have occun-ed in the in- 

 stance of 3Ir. Barfokd's flock, as the following rough 

 sketch of its history wiU show : 



About the year 1786, the late Mr. V. Bakford 

 commenced sheep-breeding. He hhed rams of Mr. 

 Robinson, of AVellingborough, who was a discijjle of 

 Bakewell, of Dishley, and bred from his stock. Mr. 

 Barford continued to do so until about the year 1810, 

 when the present Mr. Barford, considering his own 

 sheep as good as Mr. Robinson's, and not being able 

 to find any that he thought calculated to improve 

 them, was really placed in something like the dilemma 

 which I have above mentioned. However, in-and-in 

 breeding had no imaginary terrors for him, and there- 

 fore he boldly adopted the last of the courses which 

 I have enumerated ; so that, by necessity, even if he 

 had not from choice, he must have become an in-and-in 

 breeder. I will not take upon myself to say that he 

 has succeeded ; but I do ask any gentleman who is 

 skeptical of the possibility of the thing to visit him, 

 and inspect a flock of which every individual sheep 

 has a pedigree that can be traced back for ujjwards 

 of forty years without a cross ! 



With such a fact as this before me, Mr. Editor, 

 and with the still more significant one that the Jews 

 have bred from the closest affinities from the very 

 time of their father Abrahaji, without any deficiency 

 of nervous energy, or any physical or moral de- 

 generacy, I think I may be justified in declaring my 

 firm opinion, that the explanation of the numerous 

 and palpable defects in man and animals, in modern 

 times, must be sought in other reasons than the sys- 

 tem of breeding Mr. Lance so strongly objects to. — 

 Omega, in the London Veterinarian. 



FOOT-ROT IN SHEEP. 



Flockmasters in Germany separate the diseases 

 incidental to the foot of the sheep into two kinds — 

 infectious and non-infectious; or better, into the viru- 

 lent and the mild foot-root; for although the common 

 foot-rot is there considered by some non-infectious, it 

 is perhaps only comparatively so, being attended v/ith 

 little or no danger, and often disappearing without 

 the application of a remedy, although through neg- 

 lect it may degenerate into the virulent or infectious 

 state. The following remarks relate, I think, to the 

 disease alluded to by Mr. Watkins, and which he sup- 

 poses to have been introduced into England of late 

 years; in Germany, they trace its origin in that coun- 

 try to the introduction of the Merino sheep. It first 

 shows itself in the limping gait of the animal, which 

 gi-adually increases ; generally commencing with one 

 of the fore-feet, afterward both are affected, and at 

 last this lameness extends to the hinder feet, with in- 

 creasing bodily weakness. 



The diseased foot is hot, and is often swollen round 



the hoof, which is more open or wider apart than on 

 the sound foot, and the skin of the coronet is inflamed. 

 An unpleasant-smelling humor exudes, which thickens 

 on exposure to the atmosphere, and not only inflames 

 and destroys the immediately-surrounding skin, but 

 often penetrates between the horn of the hoof and 

 the foot itself, the horny part partially separating 

 from the flesh; and in the worst cases an entire sepa- 

 ration of the hoof takes place, and, if neglected, de- 

 stroying the muscles and sinewews, and attacking 

 even the bones of the feet ; in which condition the 

 poor animal moves about on its knees, or helplessly 

 lies down ; the whole system gradually becomes 

 poisoned, and although generally with unimpared ap- 

 petite, it wastes away until death releases it from 

 suffering. 



The worst form of this disease is not so often met 

 with in the coarser Merino flocks, as in those where 

 every care is taken in improving the fineness and 

 quality of the wool, by which means they are ren- 

 dered more susceptible to the changes of temperature 

 and weather. It is of a very infectious nature, if 

 proper precaution be not taken, spreading through an 

 entire flock in a month or two, and is often introduced 

 by merely driving sound sheep over laud where dis- 

 eased sheep have been a short time pre\iously. 



Precaution is the oldest and best remedy ; but 

 thorough cleanliness, wholesome food, and attention 

 to the flock in wet and inclement weather, will not 

 always keep the disease away, as long as there are so 

 many channels for introducing it ; should it exist in 

 the neighborhood, the shepherd must keep a vigilant 

 eye on his flock ; a sheep observed to be lame must 

 be immediately examined. If a small eruption or 

 pimple appears on the skin between the hoofs (coro- 

 net), and the foot is unnatm'ally hot, tlie disease has 

 made its appearance, and no time must be lost in ap- 

 plying a remedy; the diseased sheep must be kept by 

 itself, and all the flock very carefully examined. 



With a sheep-knife remove the scab or pimple, 

 clean out the wound to the sound flesh, wash it with 

 salt and water, and then do it over with strong nitric 

 acid. If the disease has advanced under the horn 

 of the hoof, all the unsound flesh, together with the 

 horn, must be carefully removed, the wound washed 

 out with brine, and strong nitric acid applied. Some 

 recommend using sulphate of copper instead of brine, 

 and butter of antimoy in the place of nitric acid ; 

 but with the brine and acid a cure is generally eSected 

 in eight or nine days. Another remedy is, a concen- 

 trated solution of chloride of calcium dissolved in 

 water; after the feet are well washed and cleaned, and 

 all diseased parts removed, they are carefully painted 

 over with the chloride as far as the ankle-joint, us^ing 

 a small painter's brush for the purpose ; and it is best 

 to apply it also to those which have only heat in their 

 feet. It is a safe and good remedy. 



An old German shepherd recommends a compo- 

 sition consisting of several ingi-edients; but a method 

 of destroying the virus of the disease by electro- 

 chemical action, and the preservative effect of water, 

 deserve investigation. The process is simple, and is 

 said by those who have tried it to answer completely; 

 but, having never seen it applied, I must not trespass 

 further on your valuable space. — JoJin P. Rubie, in 

 in the Mark Lane Express. 



