740 
Ford-rot in Sheep. 
often found within the distance of half a mile, the sheep niay 
suffer as much from foot-rot as if they had been transferred to 
the Lincolnshire fens. Even when they are put on the gravel 
loams of the adjacent valleys, they suffer as severely as though 
they had been sent to the gravels of Beds. When they are 
turned on the broken-up Down land they do not experience 
much trouble, as the laud generally carries them well ; but if 
they are folded on vetches in wet weather they fall lame because 
the feet are constantly wet, and the vetch-haulm readily chafes 
the skin between the claws. 
There are numerous means by which chafing may be induced. 
Such are, lying on wet straw in the lambing-yard ; friction be- 
tween the claws when they are wet, dirty, or contain dried 
vegetable matter and dirt forming a cake ; sinking in the 
ground ; malformation of the foot ; neglect to pare the hoof ; and 
many other causes known to the sheep-farmer. 
If chafing continue for some time, it is likely to be followed 
by foot-rot ; and that form of foot-rot which commences be- 
tween the claws is the most common. I am inclined to the 
belief that this variety of foot-rot rarely, if ever, attacks sheep 
unless the skin between the claws is broken, or some portion of 
the sensitive region of the foot is laid bare. As the disease only 
breaks out when certain parts are exposed, it would undoubtedly 
appear that foot-rot is contagious, as the conditions point to 
inoculation, which could hardly happen if the skin remained 
whole. On two separate occasions, while I was working on my 
father's farm, foot-and-mouth disease broke out, and when this 
was cured the sheep— some 800 or 900 each time — fell with 
foot-rot. It was most difficult to heal because the hoofs came 
off, and the feet could not be kept free from chafing, whilst the 
foot-rot continually broke out afresh until new horn grew. 
With these exceptions, I have never had any speciftt diffi- 
culty in getting rid of the disorder. Doubtless the best means 
of preventing the disease is to keep the feet hard by having 
the sheep on firm lair; by hardening the skin with solutions 
which, inimical to the progress of the disorder, at the same time 
prevent any chafing ; by making the sheep walk over caustic 
lime ; by keeping the feet neatly pared. When the disease 
shows itself in a fiock, the sheep which have fallen lame should 
be taken out and dressed, and not returned to the Hock until 
quite sound. On hard chalk soils, containing flints, the Teet 
generally keep naturally trimmed so that there is little to do 
but to dress them with a mild caustic, which may be applied in 
the form of powder, liquid, or salvo ; or tho sheep may be made 
to walk through a trough containing a caustic solution. When 
