92 
SOUTHEEN CULTIYATOE. 
DISEASED MEAT. 
Messrs. Editors— Ir killing mv hogs I found that the 
meat of two, that were to all appearances just as healthy, 
hearty and thrifty as the others, were full (4 or 5 to every 
inch) of small globules, not exactly round, but inclined to 
be long. The outside of these globules was a very thin 
skin, containing water, in the centre was a white sub- 
stance like matter ov pus-, there was nothing offensive in 
it at all. The meat was much softer and more flabby 
than that of the other hogs. The heart and liver ©f these 
two hogs, in fact all the meat, heads shoulders, sides and 
hams, were full of it. I would be glad to have this 
phenomenon explained, as it is entirely new to me. 
, Yours truly, Wm. H, Ray. 
Greenville, Ala., 1855. 
Remarks. — The only explanation of which the singular 
case admits, is the fact that the cellular tissues of the ani- 
mals were generally diseased, and the inflammatory ac- 
tion took the form above indicated. Hogs are not very 
subject to maladies, especially in the few first years of 
their existence; and they are seldom allowed to live long 
enough to suffer from the ills incident to old age, and a 
worn out constitution. The sudden transition from low 
feeding to high feeding sometimes vitiates the blood, and 
causes a morbid action in the cellular system not unlike the 
cases described. Less nutritious food, and that contain- 
ing a little accidity, like sour milk, or fermenting slops, 
will operate as a preventive of such complaints, L. 
FEEDING SHEEP ON COTTON SEED. • 
Messrs. Editors — Experience and observation has 
prepared me to believe that sheep which are fed on cotton 
seed are more subject to the rot and other diseases than when 
fed on other food. For the last eight years my sheep 
were wintered entirely on cotton seed, during the most of 
that time they were affected with a most distressing 
cough and running at the nose, which foretold their con- 
dition ; and after they were turned to grass in die spring, 
running at large, they continued to eough and run at the 
nose, and when the weather became warm, would sickea 
and die in large numbers. This season I have fed entire- 
ly on fodder and oat straw, which they eat kindly, and in 
keeping them in this way I find they are now healthy and 
sound, free from cough and as clean abeut the nose as a 
goat. 
Now, Messrs. Editors, if cotton seed feed produces the 
above stated facts, cannot some of your numerous corres- 
pondents, or Dr. Lee, enlighten the readers of the Cultiva- 
tor on the subject. 
lam, with respect, yours, &c., 
Aaron W, Grier, 
Ttaytov-n, Ga., Feb., 1855. 
THE EOT QUESTION, AGAIN! 
Messrs. Editors — From some cause or other the Sep- 
tember ( 1854) number of the Cultivator, containing the 
piece of “W, P. W,” upon the subject heading this article 
did not reach me until I had read the reply of “A. T. L,,” 
in the November number. Although you are crowded, 
(as I learn from the contents of the Cultivator,') with con- 
tributions from your numerous correspondents, still I hope 
you will find room to insert a short article by way of re- 
ply, especially as it was my article which called forth the 
lengthy reply of “ W. P. W.” 
Whatever be the opinion of my unknown friend, “A. T. 
L.” as to the cause inducing “W, P. W.” to write, whether 
for reputation or to advance the cause of truth, my opinion 
is, it is a very well written production; calculated to de- 
ceive those who have not been eye witnesses of the plain 
matter of fact, that Bots do kill horses. I am free to ad- 
mit I have not gone into an analytical or microscopical ex- 
amination of the subject, and if I were to do so I would be 
incompetent to determine whether the stomach of the grub 
was capable of digesting chyle or flesh and blood; nor do 
I consider it at all necessary, with the truth before us that 
such is the case. The theory advocated by “W. P. W.” 
I have, formerly, wished to entertain. The “father of the 
wish” was the simple fact that there was no remedy for 
the disease, known as a specific. Nothing but such facts 
as plain as common sense could not controvert, has forced 
upon me the theory which I now entertain ; just such 
facts as I doubt not would change the views of “W. P. W.’^ 
or any other living man, claiming a moderate share of 
acuteness and observation. I mean no reflections by the 
use of these terms ; indeed, I have a high regard for all 
the writer.s of the Cultivn.tor, and look upon them as a 
band of noble brothers, giving their experience and obser- 
vation to each other for the interest of the whole. Let me 
here doff my cap to “A. T, L.” for coming so timely to 
contribute his aid to advance the cause of truth. But like 
myself he can only assert a fact that has passed under his 
observation. The bare assertion of which, I do not think 
likely to change the views of “ W. P. W,,” or any of his 
adherents. This is not at all strange; evidence of this 
character and at so great a distance, cannot be received 
by the mind in the habit of solving its own difficulties and 
forming its own theories, especially when supported by 
the learned M. D.’s who have contributed the weight of 
their learning and investigation in making up the theoiy. 
I shall reserve the right to “A. L. L.” to preach the funer- 
al of “W. P. W.’s” theory, when he, the Editors, and “W. 
P. W.” shall think most proper to do so ; and will give 
him one single instance, the last which passed under my 
observation, for his text on that occasion: 
I had a good horse some 10 years old, (getting towards 
the age when they are generally more quiet upon the ap- 
proaches of the fly to deposit their eggs, which breeds the 
bots) at work very leisurely in the field ; he came and ate 
his dinner as usual, and returned to the plow without any 
symptoms of distress. About the middle of the evening, 
the plowman brought the horse to the house and reported 
him indisposed. I looked at him and thought him 
but slightly afflicted, and could not judge from any symp- 
toms the nature of the disease, as he stood still, except a 
little trembling ; evinced no desire to lie down, and only 
moved when forced to do so. As is my habit, we used 
some external remedies only. The trembling continued to- 
increase till it could be heard at considerable distance, the 
horse still standing. After some time he laid down, and 
without any other effort worthy of note commenced strain- 
ing; his straining was so great the rectum came out some 
10 inches, J suppose, and I began to think probable the 
whole intestines were coming out. Until then we enter- 
tained hopes of his recovery, and this unnatural straining 
and internal derangement was about the the first evidence 
we had of bots. I was then certain the food got in an un- 
natural channel. He soon died, and curiosity led me to 
have him cut open and examined. The servant attending 
the operation in search of the grub, for some time kept re- 
porting the maw as sound. I made him take out the in- 
trails and turn it over, when the cause of the horse’s death 
was plain before my eyes — while one side was sound, the 
other was almost entirely eat up, in great round holes, 
large enough for an egg to pass through without any diffi- 
culty. These holes killed the horse, and they killed him 
about as soon as he would have died had they been mus- 
ket balls. 
Such is my incredulity, that the bare theory of no liv- 
ing man can make me disbelieve a fact seen with mine 
own eyes. Had “W. P. W.” been there to apply his mi- 
croscopical investigation to the bots which had done the 
work, he would have found them filled with flesh and 
