Foot-rot hx Sheep. 
In the case of people who are always buying sheep, it is, 
under existing circumstances, quite impossible to avoid foot-rot, 
owing to the prevalence of the disease. In the case of those who 
only breed and do not deal in sheep, there is, if ordinary care be 
exercised in the introduction of the few animals it may be neces- 
sary to buy, no difficulty whatever in keeping free from foot-rot 
— this, at least, is my experience. 
For more than twenty years I have kept a small breeding 
flock, ranging from sixty to 300 animals, and have never known 
a case of foot-rot to arise spontaneously, or from the most unfa- 
vourable conditions for the feet under which I have known sheep 
to exist. Yet all the flocks in this neighbourhood, under similar 
circumstances, continually have foot- rot more or less, according 
to the season, whether tbey are dry or breeding flocks, and this 
because it has never been thoroughly eradicated. To get rid of 
the complaint it is necessary, before all things, that every hoof 
upon the place should be examined, and all animals that are 
diseased, however slightly, placed by themselves. At the same 
time, a strict watch must be kept upon the sound sheep for at 
least three months, placing them if possible upon a completely 
fresh lair, and never letting them go where the diseased animals 
have been. If they continue quite well, and if they form the 
bulk of the flock, I would rather sell the rest, even if cured, 
than run the risk incurred in introducing them again amongst 
the sound animals. Sheep that have suffered from foot-rot are 
never safe, until after the expiration of a considerable time, but 
how long I cannot exactly say. This is, I think, the great reason 
most farmers consider foot-rot arises spontaneously, as if the 
diseased animals are separated for treatment at all they are 
returned to the sound sheep as soon as apparently well, with the 
result that, after a little time, especially if the season favour 
foot-rot, the attack comes on again as severe as ever. 
Nearly every practical man knows how to cure footrrot, and 
this is scarcely worth speaking about in comparison with the 
means of keeping free from it. I recommend that eveiy bit of 
diseased surface should be exposed with the knife down to the 
quick, but not beyond it, as the blood interferes with the dress- 
ing ; the latter should be of a more or less caustic nature, and 
the feet should be kept dry for some time after applying it. 
Let this be repeated as often as appears necessary, no matter 
how busy one may be with other things. In unfavourable 
weather it is a good plan to dress the feet in the evening, 
keeping them in the dry till morning. 
My own experience may be briefly recorded. From the time 
of my first keeping sheep, especially during the period from 1807 
