ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 199 
chiefly on grass. In September the culls were drawn, separated from 
the breeding stock, “ and fed on,” the latter following the former over 
the same ground. About the 5th of November the breeding ewes were 
placed on mangold tops during the day, on grass at night. This system 
of feeding was continued up to the 19th of November, when they were 
removed to the highest point of the farm, and put on four-year old 
clover layer. On the 23rd they were turned on to some rich old grass 
from which lambs had been recently removed. Four days later, Nov. 
27th, one of the ewes died suddenly, and on the 29th, two days after¬ 
wards, a second died in a similar manner. From this date up to the time 
of my visit fresh cases continued to occur at intervals of from one to 
four days, notwithstanding that frequent changes of pasture, and of food 
generally, were made in the meantime. Up to the 31st of November 
25 ewes had succumbed to the disorder, and two others have since died. 
Until the time of these animals being pastured on old grass, they con¬ 
tinued to exhibit a healthy condition. It was, therefore, naturally 
inferred that the determining cause of the outbreak was in some way 
connected with the nature and quality of the herbage on the particular 
field in which they were lodged, and they were consequently removed. 
While admitting the possibility of this connection, it must be remem¬ 
bered that the ewes were only on the old pasture four days when the 
disease occurred. Further, that only eight days elapsed between the 
outbreak of the malady and the discontinuance of the mangold tops, 
which are said to have been frosted and otherwise damaged. Whether 
the grass, or the mangold tops, or both, or these together with certain 
surrounding conditions, be regarded as the cause, it is perfectly clear, 
from the subsequent changes of management which were r esorted to 
that that cause was not a transitory one, inasmuch as it continued to 
operate over a period of four weeks after the suspected food had been 
discontinued. Whatever may be the precise explanation of the origin 
of the disease, its confinement to the breeding ewes alone is a note¬ 
worthy feature in the outbreak ; nor is it less important to remember 
that the only material difference in the food as regards the other portion 
of the flock is that which pertains to mangold tops, which, as previously 
pointed out, were given to the ewes for a period of fourteen days. The 
fact of the lambs preceding the ewes over the old pasture being exempt 
from the disease does not necessarily acquit such pasture of participating 
in the cause of the outbreak, any more than the mangold tops can be 
reasonably held harmless on account of the lapse of eight days between 
their discontinuance and the commencement of the disease. From a 
consideration of the foregoing facts it will be seen that while no precise 
cause can be surely stated, certain general conclusions may be ar¬ 
rived at. 
1. The confinement of the disease to the breeding ewes alone, and 
the general condition of the latter, points in a forcible manner to preg¬ 
nancy and plethora as predisposing causes. 
2. The absence of disease in the sheep that followed the ewes over 
the pastures in which the malady originated acquits that pasture of 
being in itself the cause of the outbreak. 
3. Inasmuch as the use of the mangold tops represents the only 
specific difference of feeding and hygiene between the ewes and the 
other portion of the flock, there is good reason for regarding the tops 
as the determining cause of the affection. 
4. The gradual subsidence of the disorder on the discontinuance of 
the tops and the diminution of the food tends to confirm the latter view 
of the case. 
