its last symptoms are swellings or deposits of 
lymph in the extremities, commencing in the 
feet and extending upward toward the 
belly ; also nt the nose and extending back 
over the face. In the former disease the 
swellings were dropsical and the deposits 
serum, commencing on the belly and extend¬ 
ing downward toward the feet, 5th, The 
present disease has uo peculiar time of its 
appearance among our horses, nor has it 
shown any symptoms of abating. Horses 
have been brought to ray infirmary to be 
treated for cough for over a month. The 
former disease first made its appearance in 
this city, at Dr. Carey’s stables on the 14th 
of October, and remained about three weeks. 
In my opinion, the present disease is 
epidemic influenza, affecting the larynx 
first, and when the animal is not taken care 
of and kept warm, the lungs and chest 
become the principal seats of the disease. 
The disease is now assuming a very serious 
character. Too many horses which were 
considered well and cured are now attacked 
with pleuro-pneumoniu. Horses which are 
compelled to do so much work daily, and in 
all kinds of weather, suffer most. The 
street car horses are suffering severely from 
pleurisy, and so many of them arc sick that 
the full number of cars cannot bo run.” 
usually kept in this country are not extreme¬ 
ly hardy, and cannot stand a great amount 
of neglect and exposure ; they need good 
food and kind treatment. In the summer it 
is very desirable that they should have shel¬ 
ter at night and during hard storms. If the 
pasture is far from the farm there ought to 
he a shed built iu the lot, to which they can 
go when the heat is intense, during the show¬ 
ers, and in which they can stay at night. 
Last year I drove cny sheep to the barn and 
kept them in their shed every night. I also 
drove them in when there was likely to be a 
hard shower. For many years I have taken 
a great deal of care of them, and have had 
my reward. While my neighbors have had 
sickness in their flocks, weak lambs and 
losses, my sheep have been strong and 
Certainly roan is a very beautiful color, and 
the variety which leads to make a herd of 
Short-Horus a most picturesque object in 
the parks or meadows of a nobleman ; but 
still, this variety detracts from its dignity as 
a tribe, and lessens its effect when viewed as 
a herd in the stalls, or grouped for sale in 
the market. I say, that this uniformity 
may be effected, because even now, there is 
a kind of unity amid all this variety, for, if 
we cannot determine what the color of the 
future calf will be, we can, at all events, pre¬ 
dict what it will not be ; we know that it 
will not bo entirely black, or have any 
patches of that color—black, or anything 
approaching black, would taint the fair famo 
of the Short-Horned, as assuredly as would 
a woolly scalp, a flat nose, a protuberant lip, 
and a dark skin in her progeny, sully the 
honor of a Virginian lady. 
Perhaps there have been more good Short- 
Horns of a white than of any other color ; 
a 1 though it is now very unpopular—unpopu¬ 
lar, because it betrays dirt, and is difficult to 
keep unsullied ; and, erroneously unpopular, 
as implying weakness of constitution. It is 
as hardy as any color. Stick to (acts and 
not to fancies. In what color does natuie 
robe the animals which spend their lives 
amid the regions of eternal snow ? What is 
the prominent color in the Arctic hare, the 
Esquimaux dog, and tho Polar bear ? Of 
what color are the body-ends of nearly all 
feathers, especially the feathers of all water- 
fowl occupying cold latitudes ! What, color 
has iustiuct and experience alike sanctioned 
as the proper one to husband and preserve 
the heat of tho human body ? Let no man 
who puts on a white shirt, condemn white 
colors in his ox as a sign of “nesb.” A 
white cow may be “nesb," but the same 
cow would have been as “ nesh,” or “ nesli- 
er,” if she had been of any other color. 
In determining the color and the texture 
of the hair and skin, the Influence of the 
male predominates, where both have an 
equal hereditary tendency ; that is, suppos¬ 
ing that the female had through as many have 
been white, the progeny will partake more 
of the latter color, bear in mind, that this 
effect will follow only where the hereditary 
bias toward, a special color and character of 
hair, is equal in both of the sexes. Look at 
the Mule, carrying always hair of the 
coarseness ami color ol the Ass ; reverse the 
procedure, let the horse bo the sire, and the 
“Hinny,” or as 1 have heard it called in 
Derbyshire, the “ Foulart,” will have the 
hair and the color of the horse. From early 
childhood I have roared birds, rabbits, and 
other pots, and have never known uu In¬ 
stance where the male lias not influenced 
mainly the color and texture of the external 
covering of the body. If you pair a male 
SHEEP HUSBANDRY-OLD PASTURE. 
There seems to be so little genuine old 
grass land in the United States, at least in 
those States which have been so long popu¬ 
lated, that it appears as if this fact had some 
influeuce on the very few sheep kept in com¬ 
parison with England. How strange it is 
that while in this country sheep arc almost 
unknown in some of the thickly populated 
districts, and miles can be traveled without 
seeing a single flock, and when some are met 
with they seldom exceed forty or fifty in 
number, a traveler in England will see sheep 
in every fourth field lie passes taking an 
average of the whole Island, and nor. oniy so, 
but instead of forty or fifty there will often 
be hundreds, and at this time of the year, 
aud from now till next summer hundreds of 
the lambs now called tegs, will be seen lying 
exposed to all weathers, yet growing in mut¬ 
ton and wool as none in the States, North or 
many 
well, lambs vigorous, and the whole flock in 
prime condition ; and to keep them so has 
cost me but little time and work. 1 pasture 
the cows and sheep m*the same lot, and drive 
them to anil from the barn together. And I 
am convinced that it pays to keep them 
sheltered from the storms and dews. For 
awhile after shearing they need extra care, 
and I take pains to keep them from the rain 
for several days. I am well aware that such 
little things aregenerally considered beneath 
the notice of the average American farmer, 
but I am also confident that it would be for 
his iuterest to give them more attention. 
MULES FOR FARM WORK 
An Arkansas correspondent of the Ameri¬ 
can Farm Journal, thus strongly states the 
superiority of mules over horses for farm 
work in the South. The subject is worthy 
the attention of northern farmers ; 
“Mules on an average are more valuable 
than horses, are more easily raised, are not 
so subject Lo disease, arc not likely to run 
away in wagoning and plowing, are longer 
lived, will do more work and require less 
feed and attention ; they are stronger, will 
draw heavier loads and stand a great deal 
more hardship, and are in every way prefer¬ 
able to the horse for general farm use. Mules 
Come in earlier, being ready for light work 
when three yearn old. They will then do 
enough work on the farm to pay for their 
feed, and after having attained the age of 
four years, they are ready for any kind of 
service. But. t.iio horse (colt.) must be kept 
until he is four years old before he is worked 
at all, and when he is four he must be a first- 
rate colt to bring as much as the mule will 
at two yearn old. But assume the animals 
are both required for farm work, see what a 
difference there is in favor of the mule. 
Thu working life of the mule can be safely 
estimated at Uiirty years, aud that of a 
horse at ten years. So while a mule is work¬ 
ing its life out, three horses will be required 
to do equal service. But these are not the 
only items. The saving of feed is at least 
one-fourth, or not less than ti47 bushels of 
corn and 437 tons of hay. These amounts, 
added to the original saving in purchase of 
auimalB, show an advantage in favor of the 
use of the mule over the horse of over $1,000 
during the ordinary life of the animal. The 
rnuio is less dainty about food, unground 
gram and dry feed being just the thing for 
him.” 
THE PRECOCITY OF SHEEP 
The question of tho precocity of sheep, lias 
been for Borne time under discussion, in re¬ 
spect to the breed. M. Sanson, Professor of 
Zoology, at the Agricultural College of Grig- 
nou, believes it is possible to develop in the 
pure merinos, the alleged precocity of the 
dishley-merino, or any variation of that type, 
namely, 4fi lbs. of meat hi 14 months. Pre¬ 
cocity, M. Bauson defines to be, the rapid 
unity of the bones and the quick develop¬ 
ment of tho permanent teeth, and that an 
animal is more or loss precocious, in propor¬ 
tion as it possesses its adult teeth ; the con¬ 
sequence follows, that there will be greater 
activity in the processes of nutrition, in the 
souse that the animal will be able to assimi¬ 
late a larger quantity of aliments, thereby 
acquiring weight, which is the test of pre¬ 
cocity. At Grignon the “ShropshireDowns” 
disnlav creator nrecooity than the South- 
some of the SCOtcn cuum rney raise 
sheep and cattle in proportion to their aver¬ 
age than tho English do, and consequently 
they argue that it is a proof of the old grass 
remaining always undisturbed by plowing 
being no advantage to the country. 
However, as I was always accustomed to 
the rich old pastures and meadows in the 
best part of England, and have seen that the 
best butter and cheese was invariably made 
from it, and that although labor was so 
cheap there, yet the saving of the cost of 
plowing and cultivation, made what are 
there called graziers, more prosperous than 
those who occupy all arable land. I always 
retain a high opinion of laud which is of 
suitable soil for remaining perpetually in 
grass. A Working Farmer. 
THE HORSE DISEASE 
The veterinary editor of the Buffalo Live 
Stock Journal does not believe the disease 
now so yirevalent among the horsos is the 
same that swept over the land three years 
ago. The doctor’s letter upon the subject is 
of peculiar interest at the present time. He 
says • 
“ The disease which prevails among our 
horses at present seems to assume a more 
serious character than was at first antici¬ 
pated. The first symptoms were of so mild 
a nature as to cause little or no apprehension 
of any danger from the disease iu a later 
stage, for a great many horses iu this vicinity 
DONCASTER, THE NEW ENGLISH HORSE 
Doncaster, the winner of the Derby of 
last year, is reckoned the great horse of his 
day. Alter Doncaster had won the Ascot 
cold cup he was purchased from Mr. Murry, 
by his trainer, Robert Peck, for $50,000. He 
is described as being a perfect specimen of 
the thorough-bred, having grand aymmeiry, 
great power, unimpaired soundness, a brave 
heart, and a gentle temper. It was a fine 
sight to see the gallant brute striding away 
from bis opponents iu the contest of one of 
the most coveted trophies of the turf, with 
the " Prince of Jockeys,” Forharn, sitting on 
his back firm aud motionless. An immense 
ovation greeted the victory, and horse, own¬ 
er jockey and trainer word cheered to the 
echo. We think that <n Doncaster Mr. 
Merry had one of the best horses ever foaled, 
for, in addhion to his undoubted stamina, 
Doncaster has so fine a turn ol Speed that lie 
could have won the Ascot cup at any portion 
of the race. Opponents of two-year-old rac¬ 
ing have a rare backbone to their argument 
in Doncaster, for the horse never run until 
he was three years old, and then, after be¬ 
ing beaten, iu the Two Thousand Guinns, tie 
ciuue out a much improved horse at Epsom, 
aud won the Derby in the inost decisive 
yie His defeat, in the Grand Prix de Pails 
was no disgrace to him, os he was palpably 
amiss from his journey, while ol Boiard, 
who won, »t is as impossible to speak too 
highly as also of Doncaster. His memorable 
struggle with his stable companion, Marie 
Stuart, in the Si. Leger, redounds almost as 
much to his credit as victory, us there was » 
lbs. in the male’s favor, ami only a head be¬ 
tween them. Doubt less the horse is cheap 
at the price giveu for him by lm plucky and 
experienced trainer, us a great turl career is 
still before him, while, as a sire there is no 
reason whv he should not at least be worth 
us much a-s Blair Athol fetched, viz., 13,500 
guinas. 
HOW MUCH MEAL TO FEED 
A vii.lauer wants to know how much 
meal it is profitable to give a new milch cow, 
per day ; meal at 85 ceuts a bushel and hay 
at $15 a ton. The Vermont Farmer answers 
the query as follows : 
The only man who can answer that ques¬ 
tion with any degree of accuracy is the one 
who takes care of the cow. His information 
upon the subject to be obtained by varying 
the feed and noting the effect. There is a 
wide difference iu the capacity of cows for 
assimilating food, aud as great a variation 
in the power to convert it into butter. Some 
cows never pay for their keeping, be it what 
it may. 
It may be stated as a rule that it pays to 
feed milch cows meal with liberality, espe¬ 
cially so if both hay and meal are bought. 
Much depends on the quality of the hay. 
Early cut June grass hay will make as much 
milk as a fair quality of limothy hay and 
two or three quarts of meal a day. From 
two to four quarts per day, of meal is prob¬ 
ably as much as an ordinary cow will pay 
for. 
It is better economy and more healthful 
for tho cow, and we believe for those who 
use the milk as food, to give a mixed ration. 
Say wheat bran four or six parts, wheat 
middlings two parts, corn meal two parts 
and linseed meal one part, by measure, and 
feed the cow as much of that as she shows 
herself able to pay for, whether it be four 
quarts or eight. 
SHELTER FOR 8HEEP 
the greatest losses which sheep ewaers an¬ 
nually sustain. A great many men have 
tried sheep husbandry and in a few years 
left it in disgust. They say it is a hard busi¬ 
ness, and will not pay for the capital invest¬ 
ed and the time required. My experience 
lias been different. I have found sheep hus¬ 
bandry ono of the most profitable kinds of 
farm business. It has paid me well, and it 
Will pay others well if they will only take 
pains to adapt their means to the end which 
they have iu view. Sheep and lambs do not 
want the same kind of care and treatment 
that oxen need, and if they arc fed and treat¬ 
ed like oxen, they will not be very profitable 
to their owner. While exposure is injurious 
to all kinds of farm stock, some will endure 
it better than others. The breeds of sheep 
