MAGGOTS. 375 



the year generally that they are most subject to it. A cor- 

 respondent of the Cultivator thus speaks concerning it : " It 

 generally commenced in one corner of the mouth and spread 

 over both lips, and the lips swelled to the thickness of a 

 man's hand. My flock consisted of about 300, and in the 

 space of three weeks, about forty died of the distemper, and 

 not one haj recovered. By this time at least one half of the 

 remainder of the flock were attacked. It occurred to me 

 that tar would be as likely as anything to give relief. I ac- 

 cordingly had my sheep all brought together ; and filled their 

 mouths, and daubed on to their lips all that could be made 

 to stick ; and, to my surprise, it effected an immediate cure. 

 I lost but two or three after this, and these were nearly dead 

 when I made the application. In a few days, every sheep 

 was well." 



The writer, a few years since, had a few of his sheep 

 affected in a similar way, and inasmuch as it was confineil 

 to but one flock, he attributed it to irritating weeds cut with 

 the hay. The application of tar to their mouths was made, 

 as described above, which effected an immediate cure 

 Hog's lard and sulphur will also cure the disorder. 



Sheep in the spring are subject to scours or diarrhoea, 

 which causes an accumulation of filth about the tail and at- 

 tracts the maggot-fly ; and again — rams by fighting will often 

 lacerate the skin around the forehead, which will also invite 

 the approach of the fly. If maggots are at work about the 

 tail, the sheep will be seen biting it, and rubbing against 

 fences and whatnot ; and the ram to shake his head almost 

 constantly, and also rubbing against every object that pre- 

 sents itself. 



Treatment. ^-DisloAge the worms with a knife, and apply 

 spirits of turpentine. If they have penetrated far into the 

 skin, hold the sheep in such a position as to retain the liquid 

 for a minute or more in the affected part. By so doing the 

 maggot will crawl out and perish instantly. Sheep cannot 

 be too closely watched before they are shorn, otherwise 

 some will be destroyed from the above cause. 



Sheep Louse (Hippohosea ovina) and. the Tick {^Acarus 

 reduvius) are destroyed by tobacco decoction. For particu- 

 lars, see " Summer Management of Sheep." 



