271 
Facts and Observations, 
BRANDZIEKTE—SCAB—IN THE SHEEP OE THE CAPE. 
In the Cape Argue we find the following letter, which 
probably treats of the so-called fl new disease of sheep,” a 
paragraph relating to which appeared in our February number. 
“ The brandziekte amongst sheep is, in this colony, a 
serious evil, in some seasons; and few farmers have taken much 
pains to prevent it or to cure it. Unfortunately many have 
made it a pretence for shearing twice a year, a most abomi¬ 
nable and short-sighted practice, quite unnecessary, and very 
injurious to the sheep themselves. I myself have had very 
large flocks of woolled sheep for many years on various 
farms in this district and Colesberg. Few men, if any, in 
this colony have possessed more; but I never found it 
necessary, or at all desirable, to shear more than once a year. 
“ But now for a cure for the brandziekte, or scab, in its 
mild form. Most men in these parts of the colony know or 
have heard of Mr. Donald Sinclair, living on the farin'* St. 
Clair/ in the Winterveld, and that he has very large flocks 
of fine-woolled sheep, grazed upon that and surrounding 
lands belonging to him, and acquired by his own industry 
and untiring perseverance. Not five or six hundred sheep, 
averaging six pounds of wool each, as stated by one of your 
Cape papers, but five or six thousand of that kind, and a few 
thousands besides of inferior quality, and amongst them 
some Cape sheep; very useful for their tails when butter is 
scarce. 
ei My friend Mr. Sinclair, from whom I have the facts, took 
it into his head to wash his sheep when affected with brand¬ 
ziekte, and I believe sometimes even before, to prevent it, 
with a strong lye, made from the soap ashes which are pro¬ 
cured by burning the ghauna bush, found in many parts of 
the colony, and more especially in the Karoo districts. I 
have seen it in all the Karoo plains of Graaff-Reinet. It 
formerly existed, and perhaps may still be found on the 
Great Fish River, and some parts of the Koonap. It is 
found in the Cradock district, and grows most luxuriantly 
in the district of Beaufort West, especially along the Ghamka 
River, which runs past the town, and flows, when it runs , 
westward towards Cape Town for some distance. Ghauna 
ashes, to make Boer soap, are sometimes sold on the Graaff- 
Reinet market, and it may always be procured somewhere 
