The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-03-31 00:00:00

BLANDIPORD PARMERS' CLUB.

A meeting of members of this club was held in the
Chown Hotel on Saturday evening. under the
presidency f Mr. (3. 1. Grosse. chairman for the
ensuing year. There were present Messrs. 3.
Foote.. C Cox-Bartlett, J. 3, Fowler. 0. C.
RichardA. H S. Senior, E J. Burnell, H. Ford.
Herbert Senior, J. Roper, E. Chine, Horace Senior,
J. Coons. 8. Hookey, R J. E. H Old, K 0.
Ricll:ink (lion sec), &a The meeting had been
called to hear a lecture by Kr. Morton Stuart,
...I a subject of interest to agriculturists, but
the death .1 that gentleman's mother the IMMO morn-
ing precluded the possibility of .4r. Stuart fulfilling
his intentions. .

of sorrow at the cause of the lecturer's
absence were general, and on the motion of Mr.
Htsnr Fonlas, seconded by dr. Fosetga, a vote of
' condolence to "Jr. Stuart was unanimously ordered
to be conveyed to him.
The CHM&MAN then read the following brief state-
ments intended to have been read by •Ir. Stuart
, previous to hie lecture Before introducing the
I subject for discussion this evening I should be glad
, to call attention of the members I,f the club to •
complaint which has affected • dock of cross bred
sheep on a farm situated on the •lendip Hills in
Someneetshiro As many present are owners of large
, flocks possibly they have met with something of the
I kind before, and may be able to give some information
on the sulejes.:t The facts are as "dews : The dock.
composed of breeding ewes, store sheep, and last
years lambs. have been fasl during the winter on
root.. hay, Indian corn, and decorticated cotton cake,
varyin4 quantities according to the age and
character of the animals. Daring February and
the early part of this month, from time to
time, various animals have been taken sud-
denly ill, tho syinoteeMY being a 'shaking old
the h,ad falling on the ground not however.
resembling the symptoms of priddy sheep) femme .1;
at the mouth accompanied with much oppreuion in
breathing, resulting in death in train half-an-hour to
an hour After about 20 had been lost in this manner
the corn and cake were stopped, and ono has since
succumbed. On referring the matter to an eminent
authority an Bath, the head of one of the sheep which
had died in this manner was sent to him On divine.
lien he stated the brain was sound and he requested
that an entire carcue might be forwarded to him,
mentioning that he had not' :ed that a similar fatality
had lately occurred in the northern counties, and that
it was attributed to paralysis of the spinal column,
soused by a large consumption of Indian oorn.
The CHAIRMAN said he had read this to raise a
discussion, if passible, and stated that in his own
flock that morning a lamb had died apparently from
lock-jaw, and no cause could be assigned for it.
A conversation smiled, in which several gave
testimony of having many lambs die from eating
maize sni cotton cake—the latter being very
indigestible for young animals —Mr. 0. C. RICHAIIIII
stated lie ,g 1 lost weanling calve, of sit inonths old
through eating too largely .d cotton cake and maims
This subject dropped, and then lir. el G. romtga
read an vxtract from some paper purporting to be •
speech MlAs' in the Kensington Pa liainent, showing
the result of Free Trade, where the speaker, in a day 6
outing, partook and CR111.3 in contact with everythini
of foreign pnalucts, deducing a lesson therefrom that
Fair Trade WAo necessary to ensure more home pro-
ducts beak.: us.sl in every.day life.
The reeling m caused ",hie laughter, but many of the
subject. enentioned were simply absurdities.
. .

4ultor y owl versation Leued, awl the rueettuu
broke up initoh earlier than usual.