244 



DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



passes off, and leaves the animal extremely weak, 

 Therefore, most of the means used for the cure of dis. 

 sases of sheep should be calculated to excite, rather than 

 allay, the activity of the functions of life. 



During summer, give them a good supply of salt, and 

 occasionally some tar ; and if they do not have access tc 

 burnt lands, give them wood ashes mixed with their salt, 

 of four or five parts of the former to one of the latter. 

 Sheep running on freshly burnt lands are generally re- 

 markably healthy. The coal and ashes are specifics 

 against several disorders, and they will go far to get to 

 such places. 



As to sheep wanting water in summer, the question is 

 not wholly settled. We have a number of cases in 

 which they have succeeded remarkably well without 

 water ; and we have kept sheep in a pasture in which 

 there was but one spring in a dry time, and we never 

 saw their tracks around it, and though we have worked 

 in sight of it many a day, for years and years, yet we 

 never saw a sheep drink there. Yet some say that 

 sheep need water in summer. The majority of evi- 

 dence seems to show that they will do well without it. 



Carefully select the best sheep to keep, though the 

 butcher offers a high price for them. One good sheep 

 for breeding is worth more than half a dozen poor ones ; 

 otherwise the poor ones are worth nothing, and the value 

 of the best is seldom estimated. 



Wean lambs in season, as it will benefit themselves 

 and their dams. They will get accustomed to the 

 change, while on green food, and their mothers will have 

 a chance to gain flesh against the coming winter. 

 Early in fall, examine the flock, and select for fattening 

 such as are not fit to winter. When a sheep is once 

 very fat, she should be slaughtered, as she will not prob- 

 ably be in so fine a condition again. 



When sheep are brought to the barn in the winter, 

 smear their noses well with tar ; it tends to keep them 

 m good health, and prevent their taking disorders. 



As sheep suffer from being kept long from the ground, 

 it is best to let them run out late in fall, or early in win- 

 ter, while th*v can get a good support 5 but they should 



