No. 175.] 
795 
gratify their vicious propensity, and return home ere daylight. It is 
thus often difficult, for a time, to detect the real culprits. 
DISEASES OF SHEEP. 
156. Scab .—We proceed next to adduce such facts with regard to the 
diseases with which sheep in this district are affected, as are within our 
knowledge. These diseases are chiefly cutaneous affections and mala¬ 
dies which result from the attacks of insects. Of the former, one of 
the most common is the Scab, as it is termed. This has prevailed much 
more with the Vermont flocks than it has with us. It is a contagious 
disease, analogous to the itch, and is the worst when the fleece is most 
heavy, namely, in the spring and fore part of summer. To appease its 
torment the sheep bites and scratches and rubs itself, starting out the 
wool; and if not attended to, it eventually dies, the disease in the 
meantime spreading through the whole flock. The skin is inflamed 
and rough, and is covered here and there with pimples which discharge 
a fluid, and become crusted over with a scab. It is cured by thorough 
washings with decoction of tobacco. 
157. Johnsworl poison .—It is a common opinion that the green and 
growing leaves and stalks of Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum , Linn.) 
a weed which fortunately is much less common in our fields now, than 
it was fifteen years ago, by their acridity produce a soreness and inflam¬ 
mation of the noses of sheep in consequence of rubbing against them. 
But some experienced observers say they have never seen such an ef¬ 
fect, except perhaps in lambs. The most serious injury of this poison¬ 
ous weed is that which it produces upon the skin of the body. When 
sheep in spring are turned into a field where the dry dead stalks of the 
last year’s growth are still standing the seeds often get into the wool 
and work down through it to the skin, there producing sores similar to 
those of the scab. These should be dressed with an ointment made of 
lard mixed with about one-sixth part of tar. Where sheep are begin¬ 
ning to be poisoned by running in Johnswort pastures, the wool of each 
should be parted along the back and a streak of this ointment rubbed 
on the whole length. It will then work down over the body and pre¬ 
serve the sheep from becoming affected^by the poison. 
158. Sun-burnt backs .—Among other objections to the finest wooled, 
delicate, Saxony sheep, that were brought into the country twenty-five 
years ago, was this—their lambs when first yeaned had such thin wool 
and a skin so tender that they were unable to withstand the rays of 
the sun, even in this high latitude. Within a few days after birth if 
it was clear weather, their ears would become enormously swollen and 
red, hanging down by the sides of their heads, blistered as it were, and 
