392 APPENDIX. 



retam the soft, flexible, and felting properties of the ■wool, the 

 Merinos must be pastured the year round. But the experience of 

 the Saxons, and of all those countries where the Merinos have 

 been bred, has proved this opinion to be erroneous. If one waf 

 to reason from analogy, we should conclude that the wool grown 

 in a cold climate would be softer than that raised in a warm one, 

 as it is a well known fact that' the beaver and all other furred 

 animals, found in high northern latitudes, have longer, softer, and 

 thicker fur than the same species have in southern latitudes, 

 Spain, however, has a mild climate, the thermometer being sel- 

 dom or never lower than forty degrees in the plains of Estrema- 

 dura or Leon during the winter, but the excessive heat of those 

 plains in the summer is avoided by pasturing the sheep in the 

 mountainous region. I think this breed of sheep would thrive in 

 the Alleghajay range as far south as Georgia, and everywhere 

 north of forty degi»es of latitude. But I am inclined to believe, 

 ftom what little I know of our Western Prairies, that the Leicester 

 or some other of the large, strong, long-wooled breeds of sheep 

 would do better on the tall, coarse grasses common to them. 



As connected with sheep management, it win not be improper 

 to point out the remedies for some of the most common diseases. 

 Foot-rot was totally unknown among the Spanish Merinos. It 

 was brought into this country in 1826 with the sheep imported 

 from Saxony. The best remedy for this disease is Koman or 

 blue vitriol, pulverized very fine, three parts, and one part of 

 white lead mixed into a thin paste with linseed oil. Slightly cut 

 the horn of the hoof to come at the part affected, and if put on 

 in season one or two dressings will ahnost invariably cure them. 

 The foul substances ought to be cleaned out with a knife or thin 

 stick from between the hoof before it is put on. An excellent pre- 

 ventive against the foot-rot is to wash the hoofs clean in strong 

 soap suds made of ordinary soft soap, directly after shearing, as 

 during this process their feet get very foul.* The scab, however, 

 was a disorder to which the Spanish Merinos were very subject, 

 if not taken great care of. Sulphur mixed with hog's lard, well 

 rubbed into the p^rt affected, directly after shearing, will cure the 

 disease. Another remedy is boiling tobacco in water tUl the 

 liquor is pretty strong, put into a hogshead tub, take the fore legs 

 in one hand and the two hind legs in the other, and immerse the 

 sheep except its head for about two minutes, then take a very 

 hard brush or a very fine curry-comb and scrub the hard scab off 

 from the part affected tiU it appears raw — pour on some tobacco 

 hquor and let the sheep run. One or two dressings will almost 

 invariably cure them; the best time likewise is directly after 

 shearing. ,If the lambs are immersed, it must be in a much 

 weaker liquor, as, if too strong, it is very pernicious to them. 

 Lambs are often infested with ticks, which are easily destroyed 



* This will be avoided by littering the pounds olUm with straw. — AuAor An%> 

 Sh^herd. 



