and in three days he was ravenous with hunger, and the disease completely subdued. kept the animal half-starved for a fortnight, and he is now as fine a pig, as far as condition goes, as there is in the county of Wex ford. About a fortnight since, a neighbour I had three that took it, and two of them got well by jappa physic. The one that perished, I think, was choked, as it was very roughly handled. THE DISEASE AMONG LAMBS. HERE is nothing novel about the disease which has recently destroyed large numbers of lambs in various parts of the country. On the contrary, says the Field, it has long been known, particularly in the west of England, as a fatal malady which every season inflicts more or less damage on the flock. Numerous essays have been written and pamphlets have been published on the subject for the information of farmers; but, whether the fault lies in the character of the writings on the minds of the readers, it is quite certain that the knowledge of the nature of the affection is still confined to the few who have made the disease a special subject of inquiry. At agricultural meetings, certain undoubted facts are adduced by practical men, and conclusions are drawn which, to say the best of them, are entirely inconsequent to the points at issue; for example, it is said that the disease arises when animals are fed on rank old pastures, that roots are injurious, that the weakly animals are most liable to be attacked-all of which statements are in some degree true, while they have nothing to do with the actual cause of the malady. Lung disease of lambs and sheep depends on the presence of small white thread worms (Strongylus filaria). These parasites, when fully grown, are about 2 inches in length, and of the thickness of a piece of coarse stocking cotton; therefore they are easily detected in the windpipe and bronchial tubes, the minute ramifications of which are sometimes completely choked by them. They also occupy the larynx and cavities of the nostrils, and are often expelled from these positions by Parasites the act of coughing or sneezing. of all kinds are fond of locating themselves in young animals in, preference to the adult ; why, it is difficult to say, unless we accept the orthodox but feeble reason that they find in the young organism the conditions which are favourable to their development. Of the fact that young subjects are the favoured hosts or parasites no question can arise; and it is also patent that the imperfectly developed organism is incapable of resisting their attack. Hence the popular notion that weakly animals are more prone to parasitic invasion than healthy ones. Symptoms of the lung disease of lambs are usually well marked. The worms act injuriously in two ways: first, they occasion by their presence a constant irritation of the mucous membrane, which is indicated by a frequent and harassing cough; next, they cause an increased secretion of viscid mucous, in which they collect themselves in masses, and block up the finer bronchial tubes, thus inducing partial suffocation by preventing the proper supply of air being carried to the blood-vessels which ramify over the air cells. The combined effects of constant irritation and imperfect respiration soon become manifest; the diseased animals fall away in condition until they are little more than skin and bone, and, lastly, die from extreme exhaustion. Frequently, cough and emaciation are the prominent symptoms of this parasitic disease-not necessarily characteristic, but always suggestive-quite sufficient to shew the necessity for a minute. investigation, which shall determine the nature of the affections. Probably, before Treatment.-What the flockmaster wants is a specific-some fluid, gaseous or otherwise—which will cure; this is the universal demand, which, oddly enough, takes precedence of the inquiry as to means of prevention. Many remedies there are of more or less potency, but no specific has yet been discovered, nor is likely to be. Given that the worms are in our reach, we can kill them; but, unfortunately, in their sheltered position, they defy all means which are not sufficiently powerful to kill their host also. The most obvious course is to keep the flock in such condition, that the animal attacked will have a fair chance of withstanding the effects of the parasites; as the weakly lambs quickly die, it is important to have as few of these as possible. A proper system of feeding and general good management, the details of which the farmer perfectly understands, will do more to lessen the mortality than all the specifics which are advertised. the question as to the causes of the be cut open throughout, in order to ascertain illness of the lambs occurs, some of them if any other kinds of parasites are present. will have succumbed to the disease; A variety of Strongylus often infest the if not, the destruction of one of the fourth stomach of sheep and lambs, and does worst of the flock for post mortem examina- more mischief than the parasites in the tion will not be a serious consideration. lungs. Should the dissection of a lamb be from any cause inconvenient or impossible, a microscopic examination of the mucous which flows from the nostrils may suffice; if the eggs and embryos of the worm are found in that fluid, the evidence of parasitic disease is positive but the absence of eggs and embryos is not conclusive of the absence of the parasites in the bronchial tubes. The examination of the nasal mucous, therefore, is a preliminary step which is worth the trouble of taking, on account of the evidence which it may furnish; but the examiner must beware of drawing positive conclusions from negative premises. A post mortem inspection having been determined on, it is to be presumed that a professional man will conduct it; but, as it is constantly objected that no veterinary surgeon is within reach, the directions which are subjoined are intended for the guidance of the shepherd or the farmer. First remove the lungs with the windpipe attached, then slit open the windpipe and fol- When lambs are folded on damp, cold low some of its branches into the lungs. In ground, exposed to wind and rain, and half most cases, if the worms are present, they starved on poor grasses or such watery food will be at once seen, in bunches like tangled as swedes or turnips, it is not remarkable that masses of cotton, in the windpipe and small a large per-centage are unable to bear up tubes of the lungs. But it is very necessary against any debilitating influence. Of the to avoid a positive conclusion here again from various remedies used, turpentine takes a the absence of parasites. The worms, after high place; it is a powerful worm killer, and a temporary residence, quit the bronchial it is so penetrating that it quickly finds its tubes; some of them penetrate the minute way into the circulation, and is exhaled or structures of the lungs, and the remainder are excreted from mucous surfaces generally; carried away through the mouth and nostrils I drachm of the agent, with the yolks of two along with the mucous in which they live, and, eggs or 1 ounce of glycerine, may be given to falling in the pastures, become the means of each lamb once or twice a-day, where the numinfecting future flocks. After the worms ber is so small as to allow of this mode of treathave left their habitat in the bronchial tubes, ment. Fumigation with the vapour of carbolic the ova and young worms will be found in acid, chlorine, or sulphurous acid gas may the mucous ; and therefore a minute examina- be tried; but these processes can only be cartion of the lungs and bronchial tubes is always ried out by a competent veterinary surgeon, necessary when the adult worms are not amateur experiments in this direction being discovered. often very disastrous in their results. QuickThe stomach and intestines should always lime is recommended by some persons wh have tried it, as a harmless and effective re- All methods of treatment will fail when the animals have been neglected at the onset, and have become exhausted; therefore it is that we insist so strongly upon the importance of a liberal system of feeding, as well as the utmost care in the management of the flock. medy. The method of using it is simple enough; the floor of a shed is covered with the lime in coarse powder, and the diseased animals are driven about every day. Some of the dust of the lime is inhaled, and is thus brought in contact with the worms. MURRAIN IN FARM ANIMALS. URRAIN, or foot-and-mouth disease, is said to be an irruptive fever, and, as you all know, affects principally the feet and mouths of those animals subject to its influence. It is well known to be most contagious and infectious; and, as a proof of the latter, I may mention one instance which came under my own observation a good many years ago, where the virus was carried from one lot of cattle, freshly brought into the district and infected with the disease, to another, by a storm of wind and rain, which carried it over a tall thick hedge, across the public road, over a 6-feet high wall, and then across a plantation of large trees, and hedge, and ditch, of altogether at least 150 lineal yards. Of this, there could be no doubt, because until the arrival of the infected lot of cattle in question from Ballinasloe fair, there was no foot-and-mouth disease in the district; and as neither animals nor any human being could possibly have crossed the intervening hedges and high wall from the infected to the non-infected herd, so as to be the medium of carrying the disease from one lot of cattle to the other, there was no reason to doubt but that the disease had been carried through the agency of atmospheric influences. The present season, too, has given many proofs of the extremely infectious nature of the disease, and we have seen, notwithstanding the MURRAIN, or foot an * Read before the Athy Farmers' Club. restrictions of the Government, on every side, and generally throughout the Empire, the disease spreading just as if no restrictions had been attempted. Murrain cannot be called a dangerous disease, as the instances are few where death results from it, especially where the animals affected are simply either let alone altogether, or, at most, food supplied in a form to enable the suf fering beast to pick it up without any strain upon the muscles of the mouth. But, notwithstanding its course is thus moderate, it is marked with serious deterioration in point of condition of fat or half-fat stock, and besides, is often the precursor of pleuro-pneumonia. When the mouth or palate is much excoriated, cabbage leaves, cut clover, soft hay, or cut turnips, and, above all, mashes of bran and a supply of oatmeal gruel gently horned down the throat of the animal in extreme cases, is nearly all the treatment that is required; and if the mouth in such cases is dressed, say twice a-day, with a wash composed of 1 ounce powdered alum, 1 ounce powdered catechu, and 1 ounce bole armenian dissolved in 1 quart of tepid water, to be gently applied by a soft piece of calico tied to the end of a stick, the sores will heal all the sooner, and the beast be enabled the quicker to return to its natural way of feeding. Sheep, although also seized in the mouth, seldom give over feeding, and in their case the feet are the most affected. The feet, in cases of lameness, whether in cattle or sheep, Murrain in Farm Animals 433 should not be treated until fever and in- only a few centres in the country, and when flammation have abated, and even then mild caustics should be preferred for dressing with, to a more severe application. In many cases, foot-and-mouth disease is the precursor of the much more serious distemper, pleuro-pneumonia; and as a preventative of this, cattle newly out of the former ailment may be advantageously given tonic medicine for a time. Perhaps the most useful for this purpose would be sulphate of iron dissolved in warm water and hored down, say three times a-day. Pigs, in my experience, get over murrain easier than either cattle or sheep, especially where properly attended to, and carefully fed while under the disease, with luke-warm sloppy food, and kept comfortable in respect to litter and shelter. Murrain has prevailed periodically since its first introduction in these kingdoms; and at the present time, in the very face of the powers given to the Irish Executive to deal with it effectually, it is, perhaps, more wide-spread than on any previous occasion. This, I think, is most unsatisfactory, and shews either the inutility of these powers, or the incapacity of the authorities who are expected to put them properly into operation. One thing at all events is clear, from recent experience of the measures taken by the Irish Government in reference to this disease, and that is, that "meddling and muddling" is not the way to go to work in trying to arrest its course. And yet, we may ask, what other means have been adopted by Professor Ferguson, Earl Spencer, and the Irish Privy Council up to this moment in regard to the disease? There was a time when foot-and-mouth distemper had it had not as yet assumed the epidemic form; and what, under these circumstances, and with the very full powers given them by Act of Parliament, did Professor Ferguson, Earl Spencer, and the Privy Council do to arrest its course? Absolutely nothing, but fulminate ukases and proclamations, and threaten fines upon the stock and flock-owners of Ireland! They had the power to enforce the cleansing of railway waggons and pens, and yards at railway stations, but up to the present time that power has not been properly exercised. The railways are just now as fruitful in spreading cattie disease as they ever were. The Government could have put a cordon of soldiers round the first centres of foot-andmouth disease, and thus have effectually "stamped it out," but they did not make the attempt! They preferred apparently to imitate the English Government when first rinderpest appeared in Britain. In that case, as is well known, rinderpest could have been surrounded and "stamped out" in its first outbreaks, but the Government then, as if paralyzed, allowed it to spread until it had carried ruin and destruction throughout the herds and flocks of the kingdom. Still it is questionable, if, even then, those who insist on all occasions upon their exclusive right and ability to govern us, could have successfully coped with the disease, but for the example shewn them by the farmers of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Until that example was shewn, our legislators could only think of slaughtering herds and flocks without compensating the owners, and in this way committing a public wrong, because they could think of no other way of managing. VOL VII. EL The Dairy and Poultry-Dard, WE POULTRY FARMING WITH PROFIT. E have often urged upon farmers the necessity of paying more attention to poultry as a branch of live farm stock than they at present do. The enormous imports of eggs we annually receive from foreign parts, and the high price at which they are sold, prove conclusively that there is a large field open for the rearing of poultry at home. We are quite aware that many good farmers, and housewives fond of their flower gardens, consider domesticated winged creatures a nuisance about the homestead; the one believing there is little profit to be reaped from their keeping-that they pick the wheat and steal the barley; and the other that they scratch out and destroy the tender and beautiful plants. Where care is taken, however, and regular feeding looked strictly after, it has been found that neither objection holds good, that poultry will respect the corn-stacks, and yield a profit, and eschew the garden after a little breaking-in. Hens are very tractable after a little training. As sheep learn to know the voice of the shepherd, so do fowls learn to recognize the voice of their mistress-guinea fowls, perhaps, being the most inapt scholars, as, like John Grumley's hens, in the old Scotch song, they have a knack of frequently laying away. A correspondent of a contemporary has given us a balance-sheet for about nine months, from October 8, 1870, to June 30, 1871, for fifteen hens and nine ducks, which shews a profit of £3, 14s. 7d. on an outlay for food of £5, 18s. 4d. The details are:RECEIPTS ENDING JUNE 30, 1871. This balance sheet, favourable as it is in shewing the profitable nature of poultry, does not appear to us to bring out to its full extent the value of the birds. For instance, it charges only id. for each egg used in the house; whereas for selling purposes, it marks down those sold out at 2d. each. Now, if the eggs brought 2d. a-piece in the open market, it is fair to presume that a like price would have had to be paid for those used in the correspondent's house had he been obliged to purchase them. Looking at the matter in this light, therefore, the 919 eggs ought to be doubled in value, which would give an increase of £3, 16s. 7d. to the profit-side of the balance sheet. Sixpence per head should be added to the price of the five cockerels stewed or roasted at home, in order to make their value tally with that of those sold. This gives an additional 2s. 6d., which, added to the £3, 16s. 7d., makes the amount of profit beyond that set down £3, 19s. 1d. Looked at in this light, therefore, which we think is a fair enough one, the total sum in profit realized from the fifteen hens and nine ducks From this would fall to be is £7, 13s. 8d. deducted the interest on the original price of the birds, but this would be trifling. The correspondent, who signs himself "C. C.," gives some interesting details with. reference to his management which cannot fail to be read with interest. His observations about feeding, breeding, and housing, 2 8 4 can be followed with advantage by all who desire to raise eggs for the breakfast, and chickens for the dinner tables. Eggs used in house 795, and for setting purposes 124, together 919, at 1d. per egg... £3 Eggs sold, 290 at 2d. each. ive cockerels killed for house Two cockerels killed and sold... Forty-six chickens in yard, at Is. 167 0 15 0 7 O £9 12 11 Food used-corn, barley, and maize, mixed in equal proportions, and ground oats; soft food |