OVERSEERS AT THE SOUTH.;—DISEASES OF ANIMALS.-NO. 2. 
155 
OVERSEERS AT THE SOUTH. 
On page 24 of your January No., I observe a 
paragraph about overseers of farms and planta¬ 
tions; and on page 17, Mr. Norton’s letter, in 
which he mentions the Agricultural School of 
Templemoyle. Sir Robert Ferguson I know per¬ 
sonally, and he recommended two young men to 
me as stewards or overseers from that school, when 
I resided in Ireland, ten years past; and two better 
overseers, or more unexceptionable young men I 
never met with—perfectly competent to do their 
business. Mr. Jas. Anderson, Sir Robert’s agent, 
and also one of the trustees or managers, is at pre¬ 
sent sending over at my desire, a young man from 
there as an overseer for a friend of mine here, Mr. 
Woodfine. If you want for your friends proper 
overseers, who know their business, I recommend 
their getting them from there. The salary men¬ 
tioned, viz., $500, is ample for trial. One servant 
is quite enough to wait on one of them in the 
house, for they are brought up plainly, and will not 
be above helping themselves, giving such assistance 
as is necessary—such as sowing grain, showing 
the farm servants how to manage horses, plows, 
&c.; and I venture to say they will raise as much 
grain off of half the land as is at present done, and 
keep it clear of weeds and the soil from deteriorat¬ 
ing. Indian corn they know nothing of ; but a little 
instruction will put them in the way of raising as 
large crops as any one can on the same kind of 
ground. They are we\\ versed in the care and 
management of cattle of all kinds. If any friend 
of yours should require an overseer, I will write to 
Mr. Anderson to do so, if certain of their being em¬ 
ployed when they arrive. Wm. Murdock. 
Ashville, Buncomb Co.,N. C., March 27, 1846. 
DISEASES OF ANIMALS, WITH REMARKS 
ON SHEEP HUSBANDRY.—No. 2. 
My object in availing myself of the privilege of 
your periodical, to communicate some facts and 
incidents in animal medicine and agriculture, is 
purely the good of the farmer; for I have long been 
aware of the unjust contempt which the farmer has 
received from the other classes. I can hardly 
reconcile the remark of the great English moralist 
with the general good tenor of his writings and 
disposition, and of course do not agree with him in 
his remark upon an admirer of nature, that “ that 
man’s conversation savored of bullocks.” It might 
have been the result of aristocratic feelings, pro¬ 
duced by royal patronage; but whatever might 
have been the cause of this state of feeling in Eng¬ 
land formerly, it has now entirely subsided, and 
given place to a most laudable encouragement and 
patronage to all agricultural pursuits (even from 
the hand of royalty itself), as shown by the ab¬ 
sorbing interest now taken in England in this 
branch, by some of her most eminent statesmen. 
This commendable zeal to raise the dignity of the 
husbandman has reached our own land, and may 
it be cherished by every patriot and philanthropist 
until our country shall be covered with the results 
of industry and science. 
My object ai present is, to mention some of the 
diseases among sheep and other animals, which 
have come to my own knowledge from observa¬ 
tion, hoping that it may stimulate others to watch 
attentively the symptoms of every diseased ani¬ 
mal on their farms, and search for the cause of 
death in every instance. No doubt many will say, 
“ what can I tell of what part is diseased, or what 
it is ?” Why, it is a very easy matter to learn the 
general structure of an animal. Every man look¬ 
ing at the inside of a beast can easily tell whether 
the liver, heart, lungs, stomach, and bowels appear 
healthy or diseased. If diseased, describe it; note 
it; perhaps others will become diseased in the 
same way, or have the same or similar symptoms. 
Examine the stomach, see what has been eaten, and 
where the animal has been feeding. By observing 
these things, the diseases of animals and their 
causes would be as easily ascertained, and conse¬ 
quently be as easily prevented or cured as those in 
the human subject, indeed much more so; for as 
the food of animals is more simple and natural, so 
would their diseases be fewer and more simple, 
and be more easily and successfully treated. 
I have noticed since my residence in the West, 
at times nearly whole flocks of sheep extensively 
diseased, and the owner, or shepherd, hardly 
seemed to have any idea what was the nature of 
the disease, or what the cause; and so for want of 
a little proper study and reflection, hundreds of 
these useful animals die annually. As regards 
sheep husbandry in this section of the country, an 
important consideration presents itself. To supply 
the want and demand occasioned by the immense 
tide of immigration that is constantly rolling to the 
west, millions of sheep must be brought in. These, 
like ourselves, who have been raised and accus¬ 
tomed to a healthy climate and soil previous to our 
arrival here, but poorly bear the change; hence 
sheep and other animals become subject to new 
diseases, the result of new causes and new influ¬ 
ences. It is in this way that the intelligence has 
gone forth that sheep will not do well on the 
western prairies. Now this is a sweeping conclu¬ 
sion, drawn from isolated circumstances; for there 
is as much difference in the situation of our 
prairies for health of both man and animal, as be¬ 
tween a sea-coast and a lake-shore, and more so. 
Many of our large prairies, upon which sheep 
are kept, are as level as a house floor; and for 
three or four months in a year are almost inun¬ 
dated with water. Every one informed as to the 
nature and habits of sheep, knows very well that 
they cannot long remain healthy in a wet or damp 
situation; and that they will sooner or later be¬ 
come diseased. 
This is but one view of the case. Aside from 
the disease of moisture, the soil and atmosphere are 
impregnated with miasm, which is almost as delete¬ 
rious to sheep as to man. Although I have not 
yet seen a sheep shake with the ague, yet I have 
seen dogs do so effectually—hence I draw the con¬ 
clusion from extensive observation, that sheep and 
all animals, more or less, are frequently diseased 
with miasm, or the poison that exhales from the 
earth, and the decomposition of animal and vegeta¬ 
ble matter. It is a fad that is well known in all 
the Western States, that the diseases of animals 
change materially from the diseases of old settled 
countries ; both man and animal seem to be affected 
alike with the climate and different circumstances 
