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ON THE CAUSES OF BRAXY IN SHEEP.

By Mr JAMES CARMICHAEL, Raploch Farm, Stirlingshire.

THE diseases of that invaluable animal, the sheep, though not few, are fortunately of comparatively rare occurrence, except the endemic termed braxy, so fatal to young sheep, especially hoggets; and long as this malady has been known, and severely as store-masters have periodically suffered by its ravages, often to the extent of a fourth of a large flock, yet no remedy for it has hitherto been discovered, nor have the characteristics or predisposing causes of the disorder ever been satisfactorily defined. That it is endemic is obvious, from the fact of its attacking sheep in certain districts, while others of the same age and breed, and perhaps on the neighbouring farm, almost entirely escape. It is not contagious, nor does it early exhibit premonitory symptoms. The whole flock seems safe and well at night, and next morning twenty, perhaps, of the best (for the fattest are noticed to fall first) are found dead, within a small compass of ground, with no external marks of violence, and all lying in such a situation as to preclude the possibility of accident, but all at the same time presenting one and the same appearance.

On examination, the body is found much swollen, and of a very deep red colour, particularly the side which is lying undermost, the whole intestines being highly inflamed, the membrane of fat enveloping the great gut extravasated with blood, and large globules of water interspersed; and on turning out the intestines, a quantity of blood and serum is found floating within the body. The liver is healthy, and the gall-duct full, the heart distended, and the interior cavities filled with coagulated blood, even while the body is still warm. The lungs are very much distended, and the windpipe full of froth, or frothy mucus, resembling soap-bubbles, which are largely suspended round the nostrils. The kidneys are much inflamed, the bladder is generally empty, the anus-duct full of very hard fæces, and the small or anterior portion of the intestines inflated with gas. The contents of the stomach, or first bag, are exceedingly dry and compressed, while that of the great gut is quite moist, as if

fermenting, with a highly offensive smell. Indeed, the whole carcass begins to smell very soon after death.

Inexplicable as these effects may seem to the careless shepherd or casual observer, they are nevertheless easily explained on natural principles. The braxy is an inflammation of the bowels of the most violent description, arising from the state of the food which the animal has taken, namely, very succulent grass loaded with hoar-frost. This is demonstrated by the circumstance of the distemper being most prevalent in the end of autumn and commencement of winter, when the hogg pastures are rankest, and the hoar-frost heaviest ; it being then found that a night of hoar-frost is invariably followed on the second or third day by a number of deaths, or cases of braxy, especially where the pastures have a steep northern exposure, or are shaded by brushwood, copse, or ferns, all of which are very unfit as walks for hoggs or young sheep, though much sought after, because the hoar-frost is deposited soonest, and remains longest amid these shaded situations, where also is produced the softest but least wholesome herbage, thus inducing the sheep to resort thither for food and shelter. This circumstance solves one cause of the aversion to ferns, so often expressed by graziers, yet questioned by landlords, but which neither could explain, though both felt the effects, the former in the loss of his stock, and the latter in an abatement of rent; and it therefore presents an additional reason for the total eradication of so baneful a weed. Were it not for the temporary loss of pasture it might occasion, probably the best mode would be, where cutting has been neglected, to set fire to the ferns when ripe, which would completely destroy the stems of the plant, and also the seeds on the ground.*

Such is the positive state of the case, and no remedy is within the power of medicine, for it cannot be administered on a mountain side to a numerous flock in an instant, nor are affected The negasheep distinguishable from others till past recovery. tive proofs are equally conclusive, as it will readily be admitted on all hands, that the healthiest winter ground for hoggs is an open southern aspect, where the morning sun, and milder atmosphere, immediately dispell the hoar-frost, or. where a mixture

* Irrigation completely destroys ferns.-EDITOR.

of heath or coarse herbage abounds, on which the hoar-frost does not only not lie so close, and therefore cannot be eaten in such quantity as to destroy the sheep, but the astringent nature of which counteracts the liability of soft grasses to fermentation in the bowels. Were the state of the weather, then, more attended to by those whose interests are so deeply involved in this matter, and on every evening indicative of frost, or at least early next morning, were the hoggs to be removed from their lairs to higher open ground till the hoar-frost disappeared, the risk would be infinitely lessened. And it might be well to keep some hay in reserve for such occasions, by those who raise no turnips. But turnips are so beneficial to hoggs, besides improving the soil, and requiring less extent of pasture ground, that every store-master should attempt the raising of them; even one-half acre of good turnips to every twenty hoggs, with a few rations of hay, are excellent preventives of braxy. In many parts of England, colewort is sown for hoggs, and agrees remarkably well with them. But to a great many store-farmers, such substitutes for sheep winter food are altogether inaccessible, consequently to them sound pasture is of much more importance.

Besides the danger attached to certain localities, there is another, resulting from the treatment of the lambs after weaning. If they have been travelled far, are much fatigued, or been heated by the journey, they are more liable to be seized with braxy than those commingled with them on the same keep, who have not been so driven. And wether or castrated lambs, whose constitutional habits are affected by that operation, as also ramlambs, whose constitutions are unconfirmed, seem to be more susceptible of the disease than ewe-lambs. Nor are old sheep entirely exempt, exhausted rams and old ewes, during hoar-frost in spring, often perishing in the same way in similar situations.

In farther illustration of the truth of these remarks, it may be added, that an instance can be given of a mountain deer, which had been in the habit of going with the milch cows on a property in the north. It was a doe, quite tame and healthy, and went out and in with the cows every day, until one evening, in the end of October 1834, she jumped in sport over the fence, and being neglected to be brought home with the cows, strayed to a clover field, where she partook freely of the rich herbage,

which was covered with that deadly poison hoar-frost.

Katie, as she was named, returned and rejoined her companions, but died in the course of the following night, and on being opened, exhibited precisely the same affection of parts as in the preceding cases related of the sheep, and thus the noble deer died of loathsome braxy.

ON GREEN MANURE.

By Mr A. GORRIE, Annat Cottage.

THE increasing demand for manure renders it necessary to press into service every ingredient that can add to the general stock.

Although dry substances, such as the straw of the cereal or leguminous crops, require and are improved by moderate fermentation before being mixed with the soil, yet I am decidedly of opinion, that all green and succulent herbage give off, in the shape of gas, their most valuable qualities during the very violent process of fermentation to which, from their nature, they are liable. I therefore consider it would be of advantage to the farmer to plough in as much green manure as may be within his reach in the course of the season. In the spring and early months of summer, indeed, little in this way offers itself beyond the garden; but, even then, a little saving tells, on the principle that "twa littles mak a muckle." In the garden, about the season of planting early potatoes, is also the season for clipping box-edgings; and where the box is five or six inches high, as is often the case in the garden of the farmer, an expert hand, which I would always understand the farmer himself to be, would soon mow a large heap of trimmings with the scythe in the twentieth part of the time, and to much better purpose than could be done with box-scissors. From long established prejudice, the trimmings of box have been considered pernicious to soil, and hence they are generally swept away, and removed as a nuisance; but let them have a fair trial, that is, plant row for row of potatoes with farm-yard dung and box trimmings, and the returns will be found equal in weight, with this difference in favour of box, that the tubers are more equal, fewer small,

and the quality drier than where planted with dung. My experience in this case only extends to where the soil is what is termed strong black loam. Carrots, too, prosper well where box. trimmings are dug in.

Towards the middle of June is the time for going over oat) fields, and cutting or pulling up thistles, the common scabious, and such other weeds as may prove hurtful to the growing crop, and of which considerable quantities appear when oats are the last crop in the rotation, or that immediately preceding fallow. I do not justify the having many such to pull in any field, or at any time, as a symptom of good farming; but it will be allowed, that where such do exist, their removal is necessary; and where they really are, they come very opportunely for manuring a few drills of field-turnips. The black mustard, or any of the annual cruciferæ which infest corn lands, form powerful manure. Should the weeding proceed simultaneously with the preparation of the turnip ground, let the drills, in place of the ordinary width of twenty-seven inches, be opened at about thirty-two inches from crown to crown; then let a moderately thick layer of weedings be laid in them, taking care to tread them in, so as they shall be completely covered with the soil in forming the drills for the seed. It will be useful to pass a heavy roller over the ground so manured after sowing. At the same season, several pernicious weeds run to flower-stem about the barn-yard and waste grounds near the steading, such as the common dock. If this plant, in particular, is allowed to stand a month longer, its seeds are perfected; and in the end of autumn, in breaking up the barn-yard, those seeds find their way into the dung or strawyard, and are, of course, carried out to the field, where, in a short time, they appear as standing evidence of slovenly prac tice, whereas if cut while in flower, and applied along with nettles and other like rubbish, as green manure to the turnip-field, they are converted into use instead of being a nuisance. A small part of a field of turnips which was dunged with green manure, as here described, was sold by auction by the square fall. That portion manured with green weeds was purchased by a neighbouring farmer who witnessed the process at 1s. 6d. per fall (36 falls being equal to one rood imperial). The rest of the field, where farm-yard partially fermented manure was used, only

VOL. VIII.-NO. XL.