1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



135 



SHEEP EATING BACH OTHER'S WOOL. 



Some weeks since a correspondent inquired 

 what the cause is of sheep pulling the wool from 

 each other and eating it. Since that inquiry was 

 made, we have found the following in the Ohio 

 Farmer, the Editor of which paper gives much 

 attention to the subject of sheep, and has proba- 

 bly given the true cause of this disease: 



All the flock masters are more or less familiar 

 with the practice of some sheep picking their 

 wool during the fall, winter and spring. The 

 sheep — mostly tlie fine and dense wooled variety 

 — are led into this practice of picking themselves 

 for the same reason that a person scratching him- 

 self, viz : to relieve an itching on the surface of 

 the skin. 



The precise cause of this itching is not entirely 

 explained by the sheep veterinarians. During 

 our visit to the sheep flocks of Licking Co., our 

 attention was called to this matter by the appear- 

 ance of some of the sheep of Mr. James Fitts- 

 ford's flock. Mr. Pittsford says on close exami- 

 nation minute pustules may be discovered in the 

 cuticle of the sheep, which pustules on pressure 

 yield a particle of yellow pus or matter. We 

 suggested the possibility of the presence of small 

 animal parasites in the skin, but no person present 

 had known of a microscopic examination to ascer- 

 tain the fact. 



As a cure for the eruptions on the skins of the 

 sheep, which cause the itching, it was agreed on 

 all hands that an application of mercurial oint- 

 ment was the best. The ointment as it comes 

 from the drug store is too strong, and should be 

 mixed with five or six times its bulk of hog's 

 lard, then take a little of this mixture on the fore 

 finger of the right hand, part the wool and rub it 

 on carefully. The precise spots to be rubbed can 

 be ascertained by a slight roughness of the skin, 

 and also by noticing where the wool has been 

 picked. We have heard of sheep dying from the 

 eff"ects of mercurial ointment rubbed on as strong 

 as it comes from the shop, but by weakening it in 

 lard, the application is perfectly safe. 



Fur till' Netp England Farmer, 

 THE ADVANTAGE OF L.ARQE COKPOK- 

 ATIONS. 



Messrs. Editors: — Large combinations have 

 the advantage over smaller ones in many respects ; 

 "Where there is strength there is safety." Small 

 combinations are liable to impositions of various 

 kinds. Inferiority always labors under disadvan- 

 tages. Among men, and other animals, the more i 

 powerful commands respect. Even the little dog : 

 yields deference to the greater one. Small com- 

 binations or corporations labor under many dis- ' 

 advantages, whether in shape of parishes, towns, ; 

 States, or kingdoms. The small parish of a hun- 

 dred, or the small town of five hundred inhabi- 1 

 tants, requires about the same number of officers ! 

 and the same, amount of expense in conducting 

 its business, that parishes and towns consisting 

 of thousands would. The smaller the combina- 

 tion or corporation, the heavier the burden upon 

 its constituents. Small combinations, by their 

 weakness, are like the smaller animals, liable to 

 become a prey to the more powerful ones. A 

 small State or kingdom is watched like the un- 



fortunate bird under the vigilance of the soaring 

 vulture, ready to pounce upon it at any moment 



his voracity dictates. 



The larger Powers look with an evil eye upon 

 the smaller ones till an opportunity ofl'ers for mak- 

 ing the coveted grab with the least danger to the 

 aggressor of the interference of some rival power. 

 The small States of Europe have been "bones of 

 contention" to the covetous rulers of the larger 

 piratical States. It is to me one of the mysteries 

 of nature how a few designing, ambitious men can 

 involve the governments of all sizes, from a par- 

 ish church up to republics, kingdoms, and even 

 empires, in quarrels and bloody, desolating wars. 

 If these demagogues are accountable for the 

 "deeds done in the body," and to be "rewarded 

 according to their works," the judgment seat 

 would not be the most attractive place for such 

 culprits. The propensity in a tyrant to rule is so 

 strong in life, that the passion, "strong in death," 

 extends into the spirit world. Heaven is no place 

 for tyrants, if they are subjected to a higher pow- 

 er ; they seem to be as troublesome there as they 

 have been on earth. If they can steal their way 

 into heaven, they breed war there, and get cast 

 down to earth again to afflict mankind. We read 

 in the book of Revelation, that there was war in 

 heaven ; that Michael and his angels fought 

 against the dragon and his angels, which proves 

 that wherever tyrants covet power, that even 

 heaven, earth, or hell are alike pregnable to their 

 ambitious designs and encroachments. And we 

 further read, that the dragon and his angels were 

 cast out of heaven and lit upon the earth, proba- 

 bly to afflict and torment the lovers of peace, 

 "seeking whom they may devour." Sections of 

 kingdoms and communities forced into existence, 

 as corporate bodies, by ambitious aspirants for 

 offices, stand in need of protection by standing 

 armies, much more than large combinations ce- 

 mented by mutual agreement, as was the case of 

 the United States. 



When individual States think it a privilege, 

 and petition to be admitted into large combina- 

 tions of other confederated States, they come in- 

 to a voluntary league with the confederacy for 

 protection against the assaults of foreign and do- 

 mestic foes, at the same time adding more power 

 and strength to the combination of which they 

 become members. Wisdom's ways are the ways 

 of safety. Combinations of this kind command 

 the respect, if not the love, of enemies ; and the 

 aspect of a large, well-united people, by its for- 

 bidding appearance, is a greater safeguard to a 

 nation than a standing army. Small nations 

 stand most in need of standing armies. Subju- 

 gated States or nations do not harmonize and as- 

 similate with their conquerors so readily as those 

 States do which are admitted by petition to join 

 a larger combination. 



The farming population of the United States 

 constitute the strongest spoke in the wheel of gov- 

 ernment. In the present sad condition of our 

 tountry, we must depend upon them, mainly, for 

 the salvation of our Union. Our supplies for 

 building materials, food and clothing, beside the 

 backbone of our unparelleled armies, are derived 

 from that class of our citizens; much of our trust 

 is in their combined strength, for the safe termi- 

 nation of the existing calan)itous war. 



Nnrih Wilminglon, 1864. Silas Brown, 



