474 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
The Shropshire Sheep. 
The development of great industries in 
iron and coal in the districts of Shropshire, 
at the beginning of the century, gave rise to 
a large and increasing demand for mutton. 
To meet this demand, the farmers of that 
part of the country turned their attention to 
the raising of mutton sheep. Breeding ewes 
were sought for from the midland and south¬ 
ern counties, and in time Shropshire became 
not only a leading sheep-raising region, but 
also the home of an important breed, the pa¬ 
rentage of which it is difficult to state, for the 
reason that it is derived from and combines 
a number of the best mutton breeds. The 
Shropshire is more strictly speaking a cross¬ 
breed, in which the “natives” of the dis¬ 
tricts, the Cotswold, and later the Leicester 
and Southdown have been combined. On 
account of this complex admixture of blood, 
the Shropshire breed is one that varies some¬ 
what in character. The original sheep was 
homed, black or brown-faced, hardy and free 
from disease, producing 44 to 56 pounds of 
mutton to a carcass, and a fleece of two 
pounds of moderately fine wool. The present 
Shropshires are without horns, the legs and 
face dark or spotted with gray, the neck 
thick, the head well shaped, ears neat, breast 
broad, back straight, barrel round, and the 
legs strong. They are easy keepers, hardy, 
fatten quickly, and at the age of two years 
give 100 to 120 pounds of excellent flesh. 
The fleece is longer, heavier, averaging 7 
pounds, and more glossy than that of the 
Southdown. The Shropshire is a valuable 
sheep for those American farmers who wish 
to grow both wool and mutton. Its strong 
constitution is also an important point in 
favor of this breed. As an instance of the 
popularity of the Shropshires, it may be 
stated that “Dudmaston Hero,” the first 
prize ram, shown in the accompanying en¬ 
graving—made from one given in a recent 
number of the ‘ 1 Agricultural Gazette ” (Eng.), 
was sold a short time ago for over one thou¬ 
sand dollars. 
I^ook to the There is a great 
deal of manure that goes entirely to waste ; 
but it is of that which is more than half 
wasted that we wish to speak. Many farm¬ 
ers know the full value of their manure heap, 
and yet do not realize that their method of 
feeding is a very extravagant one. Open- 
yard feeding, especially if the yard is a large 
one, and much exposed to winds and storms, 
is too expensive to be practised by any one 
who loves to see his stock comfortable, or de¬ 
sires to make money by the operation. In 
the single point of manure, it does not pay. 
Not only should the animals be well fed un¬ 
der cover for their own sakes, but also for the 
manure. It must be protected from drench¬ 
ing rains and hot sun, and have a large a- 
mount of litter incorporated with it, as well 
as trodden down completely, that the largest 
amount of its soluble fertilizing elements 
may be held. The best barn-yard manure 
of any kind is made under cover. 
Poisoning by Ivy and Sumach- 
Treatment. 
There is common belief that “ Poison Ivy” 
and 1 ‘ Poison Sumach ” are the same plant. 
While their poisonous effects are much alike, 
the two plants are very different. The Poison 
Ivy (Rhus Toxicodendron) is a prostrate or 
climbing vine. It is also known as “Poison 
Oak” and “ Mercury (often Marcury) Vine.” 
It presents two very distincts forms; the 
most common is a low spreading plant, mat¬ 
ting itself along the ground, rambling over 
stone walls, and climbing upon fence-posts. 
The other form attaches itself to the trunks 
of trees, clinging closely by its abundant 
rootlets, and reaching the tops of the highest 
trees. Though very different in their habit 
of growth, no botanical difference is to be 
found in them, and all the many forms are 
considered as varieties of the same species. 
This, while its leaves vary much in shape, 
has always compound leaves of three leaflets; 
that is, its leaves are divided into three parts; 
these parts differ somewhat in size, and es¬ 
pecially in outline, some having the margins 
so deeply cut as to suggest the name of 
“Poison Oak.” As there is no other native 
vine which has its leaves divided into three 
parts, that is a very safe guide in deciding 
whether a suspected plant is poisonous or not. 
The common Virginia Creeper (Ampelopsis 
quinquefolia), is often unjustly suspected as 
being poisonous. Besides other very marked 
characters, the leaves of that are five-parted. 
The Ivy is found almost everywhere, in the 
older States at least; by the road sides, 
along stone walls, in pastures, on trees at the 
edges of woods ; in fact, it is onb of the most 
generally distributed of all our native plants. 
Poison Sumach, on the other hand, does not 
climb at all, but is always an erect shrub from 
6 to 15 feet high, and noticeable for its neat 
and cleanly habit. In general appearance it 
is much like an Ailanthus Tree, having long 
compound leaves, which have all the way 
from 7 to IB leaflets. It is always found in 
moist swampy places, and is distinguished 
from the several harmless Sumachs by having 
its flowers and its berries in loose spreading 
clusters and not close upright ones, as in the 
harmless species. Both the Poison Ivy and 
the Poison Sumach, are well known for the 
qualities indicated by their names — their 
ability to poison. It is probable that a very 
small minority of persons are affected by this 
poison. The Poison Ivy is so abundant 
throughout the older States that, were the 
people in general affected by it, farm work 
would be brought to a stand-still. In employ¬ 
ing men to work upon a place where the 
plant was at one time abundant, we found 
that not more than one in five was suscepti¬ 
ble to the poison, while the others did not hes¬ 
itate to undertake the task of grubbing it 
up, and could handle it with impunity. The 
few are poisoned by coming it direct contact 
with the plant, while now and then a person 
is so susceptible to its influence as to be poi¬ 
soned by going near it, without actually 
touching it. The shrub, the Poison Sumach, 
also improperly called “Dogwood,” and still 
more inaccurately “ Poison Elder,” (the true 
Dogwood being harmless), is much more viru¬ 
lent than the “Ivy,” and is said to affect per¬ 
sons who are not troubled by the vine, and its 
results are much more obstinate and difficult 
to cure. In poisoning the effects vary greatly; 
some are troubled by only a few pustules on 
the back of the hand and between the fingers, 
others have an eruption upon the face, arms, 
and the insides of the legs accompanied by 
the most intolerable itching. In severe cases, 
there is a high fever, and we have seen the 
poison so virulent as to cause the face to swell 
and quite obliterate all the features, leaving 
just an opening for the mouth and completely 
closing the eyes. In such severe cases, med¬ 
ical aid should be called, to reduce the fever 
by proper treatment. The effects are exceed¬ 
ingly variable in different individuals, and in 
the great majority they amount to only an 
eruption annoying for its intense itching. 
The Remedies for Poisoning. 
The great number of remedies that have 
been given show that the disease is very vari¬ 
able, and that which is useful in one case, is 
not so in another. Attention to the general 
health, cooling the system by saline laxatives, 
such as Epsom or Rochelle Salts, is a great 
help. Among the external applications that 
have been found useful are Lime-water, strong 
salt and water, or the application of wet salt, 
a solution of Sugar of Lead, etc. Various as¬ 
tringent lotions are sometimes useful. In some 
country places a strong decoction of Hemlock 
boughs, or of Oak leaves, have often given 
relief. A similar astringent effect is given 
by a solution of Sulphate of Iron (Copperas) 
in a teacupful of hot water, applied as hot as 
