226 
MEDITERRANEAN WHEAT.—DISEASES OF SHEEP. 
of killing has scarcely commenced; we apprehend, 
however, it will be considerable higher than last 
year. 
In consequence of the late low price of pork, 
many breeders we understand have killed off their 
choice stocks. This is a very injudicious course, 
and highly to be regretted. What has cost them 
dear should be carefully kept and bred, even more 
so when prices rule low than high; for then is the 
time that improvements can be made at a cheap 
rate. Our country has paid pretty generously for 
improved stocks of different kinds, and we really 
hope that unceasing pains will be taken to per¬ 
petuate and spread them. There is no excuse 
now for the farmer who has hitherto held aloof 
from purchasing improved stock on account of 
what he considered high prices; these are at pres¬ 
ent moderate enough in all conscience, but they 
will not continue so much longer. An increased 
demand for improved animals has already com¬ 
menced ; and we venture to predict, that those 
who take good care of their stock, and are choice 
in its breeding, will a year hence be able to make 
sales at considerable higher prices than rule at 
present, and in much greater numbers. Shrewd 
breeders already have an eye to this anticipated 
change in the times, and are not only improving, 
but increasing their stocks as rapidly as possible. 
MEDITERRANEAN WHEAT. 
Many farmers have tried the above wheat, and 
give it a decided preference over any other varie¬ 
ty, on account of its proof against the Hessian fly 
and rust. They claim for it a hardier constitution, 
more thrifty growth, and much more vigorous 
roots, in consequence of which, it resists the at¬ 
tack of the fly in the fall, by which almost any 
other species of wheat is more or less injured, and 
sometimes totally destroyed; and so much for¬ 
wardness in the plant in the spring before the fly 
appears, as to be beyond any injury from its at¬ 
tack. Added to this, is its early maturity, by 
which it entirely escapes rust. These are certain¬ 
ly great considerations in its favor, and if they 
prove true in most cases, will insure its extensive 
introduction through the United States. 
But it is certain that its long, stiff beard, and 
thick, dark-colored bran, make it but an indiffer¬ 
ent wheat when matured, and those who are cul¬ 
tivating the choicest kinds without material injury 
from the fly and rust, will do well to be cautious 
in substituting it for such as are most approved. 
this latter conclusion, we know that several of 
the planters who have tried it in Virginia, do not 
agree with us. But have they ever taken a quan¬ 
tity of the White Flint, or some other choice 
flouring varieties, and ground 100 bushels or so 
of each, to ascertain which yields the most and 
best flour ? Nothing short of such an experiment 
should decide this question. 
DISEASES OF SHEEP. 
Thousands of sheep have been taken the past 
season from the north and east, to the prairies of 
the west; and the difference in climate, soil, food, 
and the hardships of extra exposure, have made 
them somewhat liable to disease. We have been 
requested to give remedies for these diseases, such 
as are not usually found in books. We must con¬ 
fess our inability at once to do so, not having any 
experience in the diseases incidental to sheep upon 
the prairies. We presume, however, many of our 
readers have had the necessary experience, and 
we shall feel quite obliged to them for any com¬ 
munications they may favor us with on this im¬ 
portant subject. 
In the little practice which we have had in 
sheep husbandry at the west, we have found that 
sheep have become diseased, more from being 
placed on wet, low lands, or those of a heavy clay 
soil, than from any other cause. The remedy in 
this case all understand, which is a removal to 
dryer ground. Diseases frequently occur from 
want of salt and tar, especially in the interior of 
the country, where these articles are of a high 
price. We once had a flock of sheep that became 
badly diseased, and were rapidly dying. We re¬ 
stored them to perfect health in three weeks by 
the following simple proceedings. 
At the time they became affected, they were 
running on lands of a heavy clay soil, the hollows 
of which had more or less standing water in them. 
We first removed the flock to pastures which had 
been partially drained, and were tolerably dry. 
We then placed a sufficient number of troughs in 
the pasture for the accommodation of the sheep, 
covering the bottom of them at least half an inch 
deep with tar. To this we added sufficient salt 
to come above the tar, then scattered over it to 
every peejt of salt, a mixture of one pound of sul¬ 
phur, a quarter of a pound of alum, and one ounce 
of saltpetre well pulverized. The sheep did not 
seem to relish this mixture at first with their salt, 
but they soon became accustomed to it, and in a 
week ate it quite as freely as the salt alone. We 
believe if sheep were constantly supplied with 
