1854. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
95 
New-Oxfordshire Ham, 
New Oxfordshire Sheep. 
There are many breeds of sheep in our country and 
each breed, undoubtedly, has its advocates. With 
some, the French Merinoes are the sheep par excel¬ 
lence, while the Spanish and Silesian Merinoes and 
Saxons have each their advocates. Which of these fine 
wooled varieties is best, I leave for others to decide ; 
they all have their merits, and for fine wool , are un¬ 
doubtedly superior to any of the breeds called Mutton 
sheep; but while the greater part of our farmers give 
their attention to the raising of fine wool , it is fortu¬ 
nate that a few turn their attention to producing fine 
mutton; and for this purpose, I think there can be no 
doubt the new Oxfordshires cannot be excelled, if even 
equalled. They are large and lazy , (the latter quali¬ 
ty, it is well known, is very favorable to the taking on 
of fat,) have short limbs and wide and deep chests 
with hardy constitutions and a great aptness to fatten, 
and with all, shear heavy fleeces of very long silky 
wool. A year ago this winter I purchased three of 
these sheep, of John T. Andrew, Esq., of West Corn¬ 
wall, Ct., and I have just purchased four more fine 
ewes, of the same gentleman, which he assures me 
have all been with hjs new buck that he had purchas¬ 
ed at great expense, and which, he thinks is the best 
buck in America of his age. Should I be fortunate 
in raising lambs I hope to be able to show something 
pretty nice by another fall. I have one sheep, two 
years old, of my first purchase, that would make an 
epicure’s mouth water. E. L. Holden. North Clar¬ 
endon Vt ., Jan. 16^/i, 1854. 
Horn Distemper, &c., m Cows. 
Messrs. Editors —I have from my boyhood, been 
acquainted with, and administered for the disease in 
.cows called Horn Distemper, Horn Ail, &c., and have 
never failed of effecting a speedy cure, fmr did my 
father, who for many years used the sama simple remedy, 
As I have but little faith in the medicine generally 
used in this disease, and as I abhor the unwarrantable, 
murderous quackery of administering cider brandy in 
any case to the brute creation, as is the praetice of 
some of our illiterate country cow doctors, I have con¬ 
cluded to solicit of you, for the benefit of your readers, 
the privilege of giving them my mode of cure. 
My rule is to prescribe immediately after the symp¬ 
toms appear, which are, want of appetite, coldness of 
the horns, dryness' of the nose, and dullness of the 
£yes. With a small gimblet I bore a hole about three 
inches from where the horn connects with the head, 
into which, with a small syringe, I inject once a day, 
about two table spoonfuls of vinegar, to which there 
has been previously added of each, one tea spoonful of 
black pepper and salt. The hole should be kept closed 
with some kind of wax, except when administering the 
medicine. Charles Babcock. 
Profitable Sheep. 
Messrs. Editors —Seeing a statement in the Coun¬ 
try Gentleman, of B. H. Harvey, in regard to sheep 
husbandry, I take the liberty to inform your readers 
that we can do something away up here in northern 
Vermont. My friend Ishmael Comstock, makes the 
following statement. He had 14 sheep, of what is called 
the Native sheep, which sheared 
66 lbs of wool that sold for 40c. per lb.,.$26,40 
5 Lambs, $1,50,. 12,00 
6 Lambs, $2.00,. 12,00 
1 Lamb, sold when young,.. 50 
Making,....$50,90 
or an average of $3,62 per head. Said sheep were kept 
where they could run in and out of a shed at pleasure, 
and had nothing but good hay, and plenty of water if 
they had a mind to go and get it. They have a good 
pi nk floor that keeps them dry. I have not given the 
cost of keeping, but we probably can keep sheep at as 
little expense as any where in the country. Wm. 
Brewster. Enosburgh , Jan. 13, 1854. 
