128 
Abstract Report on Rot in Sheep. 
Thus It will be seen that the removal to salt marshes as a p7'e- 
ventive measure is valuable, but as a curative one it is only 
fallacious. It is, however, a preventive within the reach of 
but very few persons, and even these may not have recourse to it 
sufficiently early ; they may keep their sheep at home during 
a wet summer, until all the mischief has been done. 
It may be asked, what means can the agriculturist employ 
at home for the purpose of destroying the immature forms 
of the fluke after they have entered the stomach of the 
sheep ? This brings us again to the administration of salt as 
an effectual agent for the purpose. Its combination Avith 
sulphate of iron and aniseed will materially increase its pre- 
ventive power. Indeed no better medicinal compound for this 
purpose can be employed than the one named when speaking 
of the treatment of the disease. The daily use of the mixture 
will not only arrest the further development of the fluke- 
embryos, but will destroy the early-hatched flukes, and thus 
remove the cause of the malady. The rules for the use of the 
medicated food must, however, be modified, as the object 
sought is somewhat different. 
It is almost impossible to reckon upon the time the compound 
may have to be employed, and therefore care should be taken 
that no ill effects follow its long-continued use. In a wet year, 
like that of 1879, it may be found requisite to commence its 
use early in June, if not in May, and to continue it to the end 
of October. Under such circumstances, however, if a moderate 
quantity only is allowed daily, no possible harm can arise. To 
meet a difficulty of this kind, however, the proportion of the 
medicine to that of the nitrogenised food should be altered 
by adding to the two bushels of linseed-cake and pea-meal 
tico more bushels of corn. We prefer 07ie of crushed oats and 
another of crushed maize, to both being of the same kind. 
Either is good food for sheep, but a mixture of them is better. 
The relative proportion of the salt and of the other ingredients is 
thus reduced one-half, thereby enabling the agriculturist to vary 
the amount of the medicine according to circumstances, but 
always securing the partaking of some of it by using from half 
a pint to a pint daily of the food-compound, divided or not into 
two feeds. Provision also is thus made for the nutrition of the 
animals when the grasses have lost much of their quality, as 
they invariably have when surcharged with moisture. 
A difficulty frequently exists in getting sheep to eat " manger- 
food," especially if mixed with hay-chaff, when the animals are 
at grass during the summer, but this is not insurmountable. 
Most farms yield at this period of the year some green food, 
such as tares, clover, Italian rye-grass, tScc, a small quantity of 
