190 
Report on Liver-Rot. 
Turner, Eardisly Park, R.S.O,, lost 12 sheep, which, contrary 
to orders, had been turned on a wet pasture. None of the 
others suffered. Major Warswiclt, of Sarnesfield Court, Weobley, 
wrote June 2nd, 1880 : — " Although I have been a sufferer by 
the fluke, my evidence will hardly be valuable, as I do not 
know from what fields my sheep got it. My land was half of 
it drained, and they roamed over the whole both years. How- 
ever, I kept my lamb hoggs after they were weaned on clover- 
aftermath, and on cabbages and turnips, and preserved them. 
Their dams all went off with rot last autumn. As regards the 
dry food so much talked of, no one uses more than I do, but I 
have not given it to ewes after the lambs are taken from them, 
and it was at that time, namely, from July to September, that 
the ewes doubtless contracted the complaint. I do not know 
anyone anywhere who gives cake and corn to ewes after the 
lambs are taken from them. Around here are numerous cases 
of cattle whose livers, when slaughtered, are found to be full of 
flukes, and my bailiff declares that he recently saw in the house 
of one of my tenants the liver of a fat pig containing many 
flukes." 
In the hill country towards Radnor, for forty years un- 
scathed by rot, heavy losses have been sustained, especially 
where the land is cold and poor, and the sheep during late 
autumn and winter have been hardly done. One occupier in 
Radnor Forest is said to have lost 1000 sheep, and many 
smaller men in Old Radnor parish count their losses by the 
hundred. Grazing in summer and autumn on flat clay-land, 
from which the water does not readily get away, is the usually 
ascribed cause. The failing flesh, the pale watery eye, and 
other symptoms, have generally shown themselves in December 
after cold or wet weather. Some victims are said to die six 
weeks after they are seen amiss, but others are kept alive 
much longer, especially if put upon dry food. 
In South Herefordshire, around Ross, a good many flocks 
have been decimated. Mr. D. Buck, Glewstone, lost 50 ewes, 
which for only a few days had the run of a wet meadow. 
Major J. M. Bennett, Markhall, had to sacrifice all his valuable 
flock of Shropshire ewes. Sir E. Cockburn, in the light sandy 
Ryland country, wrote, 30th May, 1880 : — " My opinion is that 
half the losses from rot have occurred from want of proper 
nourishment, and from the gross ignorance of many farmers and 
shepherds. In the summer of 1879, for instance, when the 
mischief undoubtedly began, there was abundance of grass. 
Many fancied that all was right ; but observant shepherds know 
well that a short pasture is preferable to a luxuriant one, espe- 
cially when the luxuriance consists of wet washy grass. During 
