1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
375 
and black pepper, and a small bit of alum. Heat the 
vinegar scalding hot and pour over the cabbage. When 
cool, tie over or cover the top of the vessel, so as to 
keep the contents from the air as much as possible.— 
Morgan Chronicle . 
Notices ofi New Publications. 
Breeds, Management, Structure and Diseases 
of the Sheep; with illustrative engravings, and an 
Appendix. By Henry J. Canfield, of Canfield, Ma¬ 
honing County, Ohio. 
This is a volume of 395 pages duodecimo. In that 
part of the work relating to the natural history and 
breeds of sheep, the author appears to have followed 
Youatt, Spooner, and others, and this is also the case in 
a considerable degree in regard to diseases, and man¬ 
agement. In reference to diseases, however, the au¬ 
thor has in several instances given his own ideas, wfflich 
he states have been formed from the results of experi¬ 
ence, and much study of the subject. He is of the 
opinion that the disease called the rot has been the 
cause of greater loss in sheep than has generally been 
believed—greater, perhaps, than any other disease. 
This is a conclusion which will probably be admitted by 
most persons who have given the matter much conside¬ 
ration. The means of prevention and the remedy pro¬ 
posed for this disease are in some respects new, and 
should be carefully considered. He thinks the immedi¬ 
ate cause of the disease commonly known as rot, is “the 
acids which are produced by the fermentation of food in 
the stomach.” The remote cause is the deficiency of 
earthy salts in the food. Grass or herbage of much 
succulence is of this nature. The disease and treatment 
are described as follows: 
“ In the rot or gradual decay of the bowels , there is 
a chronic inflammation of the mucus membranes of 
some part or parts of the intestinal tube, which is fre¬ 
quently not very severe; the tongue, though furred, 
may show little or no sign of inflammation, and, at. 
the same time, the lacteal ducts and mesentery glands 
are gradually decaying, in consequence of this inflam¬ 
mation; nutriment cannot pass into the lacteal ducts 
through the inflamed parts, nor through those parts 
which are injured by abscesses, and, consequently, the 
sheep pines away by degrees. This is, properly speak¬ 
ing, the rot; it is very similar to the dyspepsia of man, 
and the complication of diseases which ensues, is the 
result of this indigestion. 
Treatment of the Rot .—When man is afflicted with 
chronic inflammation of the mucus membranes of the 
bowels in this manner, it has been found that mineral 
water, which is strongly impregnated with gypsum, 
(Plaster of Paris,) is one of the best remedies for this 
complaint; and mankind are seldom afflicted with dys¬ 
entery in those districts where the vraters are made 
hard by gypsum, and most hard waters are of this de¬ 
scription: and dysentery is an acute infla nmation of the 
mucus membranes of the lower parts of the bowels; 
and it is only when lime and gypsum are deficient, in 
upland grasses, that graminivorous animals, feeding 
upon them, are afflicted with inflammations of the mu¬ 
cus membranes of the bowels. The reason for this ef¬ 
fect appears to be, that inflammation is the beginning 
of decomposition; gypsum is the natural astringent of 
the bowels both to man and beast, and its powerful an¬ 
tiseptic qualities arrest the decomposition which be¬ 
gins in the parts inflamed, and nature restores them to 
a healthy action. 
“ Therefore, when the bowels of sheep are more or 
less decayed, nothing better can be done for them than 
to give them a full proportion of gypsum and lime in 
their condiments, and a suitable proportion of tar or 
pitch along with them; and if any one does not io dine 
to eat ashes and gypsum, a cleaner mixture may be 
made with one part slacked lime or chalk, two parts 
gypsum, and two or three parts common salt: such a 
mixture will not be refused. 
“ In winter, sheep, wfflose bawels are in any wise de¬ 
cayed, should be kept warm and dry, and should be pro¬ 
vided with a supply of well-cured hay, and a moderate 
supply of grain: but special care should be used not to 
feed them so much as to scour them. 
“ This course will, in most cases, arrest the disease, 
and prevent any further decay of the lacteal ducts and 
mesentery glands, and will take away all diseased ac¬ 
tion, so that such animals may, with propriety, be fat¬ 
tened and eaten, in all cases where they can be made 
fat: but it is seldom that medicine can restore them to 
their original sound state, when their bowels are much 
decayed.” 
Under the head of “Condiments,” the mixture allu¬ 
ded to is more particularly described thus: 
“ I have used ten parts leached ashes, one part gyp¬ 
sum, and two or three parts common salt, in wet sea¬ 
sons; at other times, one-third salt, and the balance in 
gypsum and ashes. Others can mix these articles, as 
they find necessary by experiment. For each one hun¬ 
dred sheep, two to four pounds of pitch pulverized, and 
mixed wdth these articles monthly, will be sufficient in 
most cases, to prevent dropsy, and affections of the 
lungs. The various condiments should be rightly pro¬ 
portioned. If the alkalies and alkaline salts supera- 
bound, they will be injurious by causing too great relax¬ 
ation; but if the earthy condiments superabound, they 
will pass through the bow r els harmlessly. 
“Where a-hes cannot be conveniently obtained, two 
parts slacked lime or chalk, one part gypsum, and one 
or two parts of common salt, may be mixed together, 
and used advantageously for the same purpose; and, if 
convenient, one part burnt clay may be pulverized, and 
usefully mixed with these ingredients, along with bitter 
articles. The quantity which sheep will eat weekly 
varies; sometimes a hundred sheep will eat, in one 
week, a bushel of salt, ashes and gypsum, mixed in 
proportion as first mentioned: at other times the same 
amount will suffice them for three or four weeks. The 
quantity of ashes and gypsum, which they seem to re¬ 
quire, evidently depends upon the quality of the grass 
or hay. 
“ Perfect digestion is the great source of health to all 
animals, and, therefore, particular attention should be 
paid to supply the condiments which may be necessary 
for them; and when they are supplied, their digestion 
will generally be very perfect, and a less quantity of 
food wall suffice them, than if they are withheld. 
“In order to test the properties of gypsum, I fed 
one part gypsum, and two parts common salt to sheep 
and cattle. In the softest and rankest pastures, all 
diarrhee of sheep was entirely prevented. Its effect 
upon calves and fatting cattle was particularly excel¬ 
lent. Gypsum mixed with salt or with provender is also 
very useful to horses afflicted with slavering, or the 
heaves.” 
American Journal of Science and Arts. —The 
November number of this work is before us. It con¬ 
tains a large amount of scientific matter, as well as 
several articles interesting to the popular reader. We 
notice one by Prof. Henry, giving explanations and 
illustrations of the plan of the Smithsonian Institute ; 
Report on Meteorites, by Prof. C. U. Shepard; Notes 
on the Mines of a portion of the State of Mexico, by 
Lieut. G. W. Raines; Structure of the Jaws and 
Teeth of the Iguandon, by Dr. Mantell ; Shooting 
stars of August 10, 1848 ; Electricity as applied to 
Telegraphic purposes; The Dead Sea Expedition; Are- 
