1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



253 



always deficient in milk. Corn too liberally fed 

 to sheep will produce this effect. It contains a 

 great amount of oil, and in place of producing fat, 

 as in some domestic animals, it too frequently 

 produces oil in sheep. Sheep fed largely on oil 

 cake will be excessively yolky, particularly meri- 

 nos. A large number of those remarkably heavy 

 fleeces are produced from oil cake. Wool having 

 its origin in the skin, will be affected by whatever 

 affects that part. Too much dry food is apt to af- 

 fect the skin of all animals unfavorably, and man 

 is no exception, — while all succulents have a hap- 

 py influence upon the coats both of the horse and 

 cow; some of the sleekest coated horses we ever 

 saw were indebted to a small supply of potatoes 

 daily, for the softness and brightness of their hair. 



Corn and hay are dry food, and fed exclusively 

 and liberally to sheep are apt to affect their skin 

 unfavorably, and consequently their wool. We 

 have frequently noticed that sheep, which have 

 been fed liberally with corn, show a falling off in 

 the build of the staple during its winter growth, 

 and is sometimes as weak as though its feed had 

 been deficient ; the bottom of the staple is often 

 yellow and filled with a salvy substance, a sure 

 sign of skin disease. This we have rarely no- 

 ticed in wool when the sheep have been fed upon 

 roots and hay, and scarcely ever saw an excessive 

 supply of yolk from sheep so fed, but have known 

 a great many cases where sheep on such feed have 

 rapidly improved, while those fed upon corn and 

 hay have lost weight, which could only be ac- 

 counted for from the fact that corn, containing a 

 great amount of oil, produced yolk and not fat. 

 A little corn, with roots and hay, we have no doubt 

 would be good feed, yet we have never seen roots 

 fail. Sheep have many slight diseases of the skin 

 which are rarely noticed by the flock master, but 

 an ordinary judge of wool quickly detects them. 

 They are frequently manifested by a discoloration 

 of the wool — which is found to be yellow at the 

 bottom of the staple. One reason, we think, why 

 dry food is found to be injurious to the sheep is, 

 it draws heavily upon the saliva in the process of 

 mastication, and deranges the whole system by 

 the drain. 



In this connection we would urge upon the farm- 

 er the importance of looking well to his sheep in 

 the fall. They are too often suffered to run too 

 late in the pastures after the feed has been seri- 

 ously impaired by the frost, and consequently lose 

 condition. The growth of the wool is affected, a 

 weak place is produced in the staple at this time, 

 and any animal suffered to lose condition at this 

 season of the year, cannot afterwards be restored 

 when the weather is much colder, except at a 

 greatly increased outlay. A little feed sometimes 

 judiciously supplied before folding time, might be 

 of more benefit than high feeding after they are 

 housed. The past fall was not an exception, but 

 we think an exemplification of this matter. We 

 know of a great many cases when the sheep were 

 allowed to run out till after Christmas, and pick 

 up their own living from the sour, frozen grass ; 

 we do not object to their running out when it is 

 dry, though it may be cold, yet they ought to have 

 some better feed than the hard, frozen pastures 

 afford ; we believe a little good hay fed nights and 

 mornings, at that season of the year, would have 

 saved the lives of many sheep and produced bet- 

 ter and heavier fleeces. Tyko. 



NEW ENGLAND AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



General Arrangements. 

 The first annual exhibition of the New England 

 Agricultural Society will be held at Hampden 

 Park in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, 

 Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, September 

 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th," 1864. The gates will be 

 open for the admission of the public from 8 A. 

 M. till sundown of each day. The Marshals- and 

 Superintendents of the various Classes will meet 

 at the President's marquee at 8 A. M., on Tues- 

 day, to perfect arrangements for the day. The 

 Judges and guests will report themselves at the 

 Secretary's office on the grounds where cards of 

 admission, etc., etc., will be furnished, vacancies 

 will be filled by the Board of Trustees, at the 

 President's quarters, on Tuesday, at 10 A. M., 

 when the book of entries will be delivered. The 

 reports of the Judges must be handed to the Sec- 

 retaries before 9 o'clock, Friday morning. No- 

 tice of intention to enter life stock, and all other 

 contributions, should be sent to either of the Sec- 

 retaries on or before September 1st, that proper 

 arrangements may be made for their accommoda- 

 tion. Letters may be addressed to C. L. Flint, 

 Boston, Mass., or Henry Clark, Poultney, Vt., 

 Secretaries, or J. N. Bagg, Springfield Mass., 

 Corresponding Secretary. Entries may also be 

 made on the grounds at the Secretary's office'until 

 9 A. M., on Tuesday, September 6th, when the 

 books must be made up for the Judges. Arrange- 

 ments will be made for the sale of stock on the 

 grounds at the close of the Exhibition. Male and 

 female animals used for breeding must have been 

 owned in New England at least six months previ- 

 ous to the Exhibition. Stalls will be provided 

 for the stock ; and hay, straw and water without 

 charge. Grain furnished at market prices. Favor- 

 able arrangements will be effected with the various 

 railroads in New England, for the transportation 

 of stock and articles intended for exhibition. 

 Entrance Fees. 



Members of the Society can enter animals or 

 articles for premium, free of charge, and are en- 

 ticled to a season ticket. All others will pay an 

 entrance fee of one dollar, and receive four tick- 

 ets of admission, with the following exceptions : 

 Competitors for premiums on horses will pay ten 

 per cent, on the first premium offered. Single 

 horses under the saddle or in harness, entered for 

 exhibition, but not in competition for premium 

 and subject to the call of the Marshal, $3 ; spans 

 or tandems, $4 ; four or six in hand, $6. Exhib- 

 itors of horses under the above rules will be en- 

 titled to an exhibitor's ticket, and when necessary 

 an attendant ticket good during the Fair. 



Amount of premiums offered, $10,000. 



Address on Friday, by His Excellency John A. 

 Andrew, Governor of Massachusetts. 



Farmers' meetings will be held every evening. 

 Prize animals will be specially signalized, and pro- 

 vision made for the sale of stock. Ample accom- 

 modations will be made on Hampden Park. An- 

 imals and articles competing for premiums must 

 be on the grounds by 6 P. M., Monday, Septem- 

 ber 5th, the day before the exhibition. Arrange- 

 ments have been made with most of the railroads 

 to transport stock free, and run half fare excur- 

 sion trains. Entries may be made in writing with 



