18 THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



diseases known as " rot," and red water. Hares and rabbits, which 

 are also subject to the rot, and the presence of the accompanying 

 parasite, the " liver fluke," will travel long distances in quest of 

 this herb, and ground upon which it abounds will very soon be 

 eaten bare by them. For these reasons it is usual in England to 

 sow one pound of seed per acre in permanent pastures where it 

 reproduces itself from seed. It is a biennial plant seeding the 

 second year of its growth. 



Yarrow, (Achillea, Millefolium), a plant of the order to which 

 chamomile belongs, is a perennial bitter astringent herb natural- 

 ized in this country from Europe. Sheep are greedily fond of it, 

 and it is not to be doubted that this instinctive desire is prompted 

 by a natural need for it, not so much as a food, but as a medicine 

 and a tonic. It is usually sown in out of the way places on the 

 borders of pastures or lanes to which sheep have access, and where 

 they can go when instinctively desirous of the plant without being 

 driven, and so that it may not become troublesome as a weed by 

 unduly spreading in the pasture. It thrives best on sandy banks 

 or the hilly borders of woods upon sandy soil. The Ox Eye 

 Daisy, (Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum), a plant of the same botan- 

 ical order with the Yarrow, is also readily cropped by sheep, the 

 blossoms being especially attractive to lambs. Another related 

 plant, the well known Mugwort, (Artemisia tulgaris), sometimes, but 

 improperly, called wormwood, also naturalized here from Europe, 

 is greedily eaten by sheep. It is also bitter and aromatic and tonic 

 rather than nutritive. But these aromatic plants must not be sup- 

 posed to be worthless as food, for the analysis of yarrow shows it 

 to be possessed of nutritive qualities ; 100 parts of the dry herb 

 contain, according to Professor Way, as follows : 



ANALYSIS OF YARROW. 



Albuminoids or Flesh Formers .............. 10.34 per cent 



Fatty Matters ............................... 3 - 5 l " 



Carbonaceous or Heat Producing Matters. . . .45.46 ' 





100.00 " " 



Amongst other common plants readily eaten by sheep is goose- 

 foot, or " Lamb's-quarters," (Chenopodium album), which grows 

 plentifully all over our states and territories, being one of the most 

 common weeds upon newly broken prairies west of the Missis- 

 sippi, and which belongs to the same botanical order of plants as 

 the beet and the mangel wurtzel. In addition there are several 

 Varieties of sea weed and other maritime plants which grow upon 



