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whether the matter of grease from the heels of horses, or from thrushes, would not have produced similar effects. I have little doubt of such being the case; that suppuration might be produced by inoculating with that or almost any other matter, if, in the operation, the wound was made sufficiently deep; nor would I doubt that disease would be produced if matter was spread over the foot in sufficient quantity, and applied for a sufficient time." The same writer continues-"I repeat, that it is absurd to suppose that, if applied to the hoof, it would produce the disease. The hoof is not governed by the laws of living matter; it is totally insensible, and it has not a circulation, neither has it nerves; it absorbs moisture only like a piece of inert matter, and it is not acted upon as a living part. Matter from the foot of a diseased sheep might as well produce the disease in a tree; nay, even more likely, because it is a living body, which the hoof is not. Why, then, are we to suppose the hoof to be acted upon by matter from diseased feet, and that, too, after the matter has been exposed to the influence of the atmosphere? But rain and sun, we must suppose, have no influence upon it. Arsenic may be diluted with water to such an extent as to be swallowed with impunity, but water seems to increase the virulence of the matter of footrot. It is true that heat and moisture will reduce, after sufficient exposure, animal matter to a putrid mass of the same consistence and properties, but the influence of these agents is lost upon the matter of foot-rot. The plague is now known not to be so infectious as it was once thought to be, but the foot-rot will still infect the most extensive domains. The upas-tree may annihilate the existence of all that comes within its pestiferous shade, but what is that to the infection of the foot-rot when a single sheep will contaminate a mountain? Nay, it will act even upon parts totally devoid of vitality; and such, too, is the eccentricity of its action, that it will allow its neighbouring toe to escape, and still infect the whole ground. But I need not discuss this point farther at present, as I trust I have already shown that all ideas of its infectious nature are merely chimerical."*

In support of these views, Mr Black, farm overseer to his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, states that he had thirteen score of black-faced sheep, the greater part of which was affected with foot-rot, and many of them crawling about upon their knees. He turned them into a drier pasture, on which were seven score of Leicester and Cheviot sheep. All of the diseased sheep, except four, recovered, and not one of the Leicesters or Cheviots was infected. This is a very strong fact, from the pressure of which the contagionists cannot easily escape.

The Scab.

This frequent and very mischievous disease has annoyed the cultivators of sheep in different parts of the world from time immemorial. It is mentioned by Ovid,+ Livy, and in the Georgics it is very graphically described by Virgil. In our own country it is mentioned by our earliest writers; and in Italy, France, and Germany, there is scarcely a writer on sheep who does not describe this prevalent and ruinous disease.

Symptoms of the Disease.-The sheep becomes restless, scratching itself, tearing off the wool with its teeth, and rubbing violently against any post, stone, or gate. When the skin is carefully examined, there are seen numerous pustules, which, having broken and run together, form large patches of scab. The back and shoulders are generally first affected. The general health of the animal sinks in proportion to the extent of the eruption and the virulence of the disease, and if allowed to proceed unchecked, it brings on general inflammation, and the animal dies in a most miserable

dition.

now ascertained that this disease in sheep is

terly Journal of Agriculture, No. 12, p. 863. morph. lib. vii. Tit. Liv. lib. iv., cap. 30.

caused by minute insects of the class acari. M. Wa a German veterinarian, has given a very curious a interesting account of the operations of these acar which are said to burrow in the skin of the sheep, an reappear again about the sixteenth day with a num rous brood. These young insects commence operation at once, and propagate in the same manner, till t poor sheep sinks under myriads of his destroyers. T work of M. Walz contains drawings of these insert highly magnified. The subject deserves farther inve tigation, being of great importance to the sheep-farme The treatment of scab is thus rendered very simplethe destruction of the insect which caused it. Infus of tobacco, hellebore, or arsenic, have all been employ with success. In bad cases, the mercurial ointme has been applied with the happiest effect. A very g receipt is a decoction of tobacco and spirit of turpentin with a little soft soap and sulphur vivum.

The only caution necessary to be given in the use any of these remedies, is to take care that they › brought thoroughly in contact with every part of ti skin of the affected animal, lest any of the burrow. acari escape. And all folds or sheds in which infect sheep have been confined, and all gates, posts, az other rubbing places, must undergo thorough purita tion. Besides the acari, sheep are liable to be attack by various other insects, such as the flesh-fly, and species of aphis called the sheep-louse. The mag. only prevails in the moist and warm summer mont but increases in numbers with amazing rapidity, ai requires great watchfulness on the part of the shepher! as they soon destroy a large portion of the skin an flesh of the sheep, if unchecked. The aphis also crea great irritation, but both species are easily destroye by any of the preparations already detailed. The tr (acarus reduvius) is also a very formidable insect t sheep. It almost buries itself in the skin, and adhere so firmly by six legs, very muscular and powerful, a so armed with serrated claws, that it can scarcely t disengaged from its hold, but will yield, like most insec which infest the sheep, to the application of a mere rial preparation.

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THE ALPACA.

It is perhaps not very generally known that attem;" are now making, under the most respectable ausp to introduce the alpaca, or Peruvian sheep, into to number of our domestic animals. As the subject is vast importance in a national as well as indiv.d.s point of view, we propose offering a few explanatory observations upon it.

Nature, as is well known, furnishes animals et pressly suited to the climate, vegetable productar and other circumstances connected with the loca

which they are destined to inhabit. The Andes, other high mountain ranges and slopes of South Am rica, are accordingly provided with several species sheep adapted, by their habits, to these lofty regions scanty vegetation, and which so materially differ fr the sheep of this and other European countries, as seem a perfectly distinet tribe of animals. The t most common of these South American sheep are ti llama and alpaca, and they abound most extensively Peru. The llama is somewhat taller than the alpars and though in some respects a remarkable animal, peculiarities are not such as to render it so especially teresting as the alpaca, for purposes of practical uture out of its native regions. The alpaca, which it is prposed to domesticate in Britain, is an animal combini the appearance of the common European sheep that of the goat, and partly of the deer and camel. L the sheep, the alpaca is lanigerous or wool-coated; its general structure it is light, and possesses lim resembles the deer in skin, flesh, and general appear adapted for springing and leaping like the goat; ance; and though without the camel's deformities, it gifted like him with patience and docility, being ofte used as a beast of burden by the natives of South Ame

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description which so experienced a man as the Ettrick | Shepherd gives of 'that vast range of stupendous mountains, deep glens, and trackless forests,' which (he says) at the first view every unprejudiced man must acknowledge nature never intended for the rearing of cattle, and where no one (adds he) will hesitate whether sheep or goats are the most feasible stock.' What pen could have sketched a more faithful picture of the Andes mountains-those high and secluded regions, inaccessible to other animals, where the alpaca lives an inmate of the cloud and storm,' gathering subsistence from edible plants which otherwise would be left to wither on the land?" We are aware of only one doubtful circumstance as to the successful domestication of the alpaca in any of the British islands, particularly in the Highlands-this is the humidity of our climate. If the alpaca can resist damp as well as our South-downs, we shall have nothing to fear on the score of hardiness in other respects.

Mr Walton alludes to the strong enamel on the alpaca's teeth, as fitting the creature peculiarly for rocky and mountainous pasturage. In the case of snow-storms, too, on our elevated ranges, by which so many of our common sheep are apt to be smothered every severe winter, the remarkable docility of the alpaca renders him almost secure, with little comparative toil to the herdsman. "Peruvian sheep have, in fact, an unerring foresight of the coming danger, long before their tender (if they happen to have one) sees above him a threatening cloud or dreams of a drift. Instinctively they know the safest side of a crag, as if they saw the point of the compass from which the storm was approaching, and thus admonished, collect their young, and fly to the stell which nature provided for them, even before the conflict of the elements and the raving of the wind shall have commenced. If within reach, the alpaca asks protection at the cottage door where at other moments he had been welcomed." Again-" Another great advantage in the alpaca is, that he is not liable to the many diseases incidental to common sheep, and which have so often raged like a pestilence among the tenants of the Scotch hills. In Peru, where the circumstances are as near as possible alike, the llama and alpaca are not hurt by changes of diet incidental to the seasons. This may arise partly from their greater abstemiousness and discernment, and partly from their having a wider range, and consequently more choice of food. It is, however, a fact, which I have ascertained from natives, that the Peruvian breeds are not so liable to bowel complaints as ours, and, their constitution being much stronger, they are consequently less affected by sudden transitions from one food to another. The distemper called pining, or daising, very usual in the west of Scotland, which occasions a thinness of blood, and when, though the animal continues to feed greedily, it pines away to a mere skeleton, is unknown on the Andes; neither are the fawns there liable to the many accidents which attend the feeding, herding, and folding of lambs among us. As regards vermin, they are much clearer." With respect to other diseases, though the alpaca is not exempt from some of them, its hardy constitution seems to render their influence less extended and destructive.

In reality, the experiment of keeping the alpaca in Great Britain has already been tried on a considerable scale, and the wool has been found to be even improved by the change of site. "The Earl of Derby, with that patriotic spirit and splendid taste which have distinguished him through a long life, also stepped forward among the first breeders, and his lordship has now at Knowsley a little flock of llamas and alpacas, amounting to fourteen, two of which were bred on the spot, whose wool is finer, softer, and more beautiful than that on the backs of their parents. The proof that the wool improves with our pasture is, in fact, established in this instance. The young are eighttwenty months old, and already the first has wool six inches long. A fine male alpaca, shorn

three years ago, has at present a coat upon it from eighteen to twenty inches long, thus proving that t wool grows from six to eight inches yearly, if regu larly shorn. Speaking of the practicability of inter ducing the Peruvian sheep more generally, in a letter addressed to William Danson, Esq., of Liverpool, wiaccompanied by a friend, visited Knowsley at th beginning of the current month [April 1841], } lordship says, that he certainly knows of nothing like to prevent the propagation of the animal in this country On the contrary,' he adds, the gentlemen will see in these grounds living specimens that they can and w do so, one female having produced in each of the tw last seasons, and the young are doing well.' His lore ship then expresses his anxious desire to obtain th remainder of the species, more especially the vicu Already does this interesting animal adorn the pies sure-grounds of the Marquis of Breadalbane, at Aber feldy, Perthshire; J. J. Hegan, Esq., Harrow Ha', Cheshire; Charles Tayleure, Esq., near Liverpool; MStephenson of Oban, and others. The Duke of M--trose has lately become a purchaser of alpacas; and Ear Fitzwilliam has also bought a llama at £80. Var isolated trials in other countries have proved equay successful." Messrs Ducrow, Wombwell, and other proprietors of menageries, have also kept specimens e Peruvian sheep, which have been at once wonderful for docility, and have lived healthily upon the usual fed procurable for animals in Great Britain.

From the tone in which this notice has been draws up, it may be observed that the statements before have been convincing in our eyes, in so far, at leas as regards the propriety of making fair and full expriments on the subject of the alpaca. This animal, we conceive, without infringing materially on the keeper of sheep, might prove the means of enlarging the profe sion of the pastoral farmer, and of varying, extending and improving our manufactures. From the alpaca wool which we do procure at present, yarn is spa, which the French import at from 6s. to 12s. per lb. 1. conclusion, we give a few additional words from M Walton. "When we consider the great improvemer: which we have attained in sheep's wool, there is every reason to look for a similar success in that of the alpac and in devising means to increase the productive power of the country, we ought never to forget, that there bar been periods in our history when we were depender upon foreign supplies for the raw material required fr our woollen manufactures, and that the best way to > independent, is not to be under the necessity of boyag that which it is in our own power to grow. The task of obtaining suitable breeds of the alpaca is by no means a difficult one; and in our attempts to naturalise the we ought to feel the more encouraged, when we reflect on the recent changes in the growth and supplies sheep's wool, and how soon a farming stock propagates under judicious management. It must be equally borne in mind, that in using alpaca wool we are not compete with that of our own sheep, but rather with that of the Angora goat (mohair) and silk; and the manufacture. it has been ascertained, does not cost half so much as that of the latter."

One other point calls for notice. Our present breeds of sheep are of essential importance as food to man The flesh of the alpaca is spoken of as excellent le Acosta, Garcilasso de la Vega, and other writers Peru. Of the various breeds of sheep on the Andes "the alpaca (says Garcilasso de la Vega) is chiefy valued for its flesh." General O'Brien, an Irish gentie man in the Peruvian service, speaks of the flesh as "delicious," and likely also to improve much on the animal being placed on milder pastures than those the Peruvian mountains. The flavour resembles the of venison, and, from all accounts, could not fail t command as fair a price in our markets as mutt beef, or any other kind of meat.

Printed and published by W. and R. CHAMBERS, Edinburg Sold also by W. S. ORR and Co. London

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