The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-10-04 00:00:00

91grimIture.

ERGOT IN GEMMEL—The existence of Ergot on
ninny varieties of grass has been preved beyond all
doubt, and in like manner we have strung evidence of
its influence upon breeding cattle. Two conditious ap-
pear necessary for its production: first, the formation
of the seed; and secondly, that peculiar condition of
climate which predisposes the seed to favour the develop-
ment of the Ergot. In the western climate of this
kingdom, the existence of this disease in the grasses of
our pastures is by no means uncommon in the autumn
of the year. An examination of the seed strums of our
meadows will generally give evidence of this disease,
but it is only when it is abundant that its influence is
no manifest. Unfortunately much of the grass land in
the insist climate of the west is too frepmently the
cause of trouble and Ins by causing the abortion of the
cows fed thereon. The disease is seldom found upon
grass land which has been mown in the same season,
and even when it is found its appearance is so casual as
to be of little importance. The land which has been
grazed during the summer is that upon which the ergo-
tised grass is found to exist most abundantly, because
the stock having avoided the seed stems these have been
enabled to fulfil their special functions and produce seed
which has subsequently become diseased. It is clear that
if prevention is the object to be &billed at, this will ho
best attained by keeping breeding stock from Lind thus
bearing a diseased produce. This may be accomplished
on the majority of farms by !moving the breeding cows
and heifers from their summer pasturage, say in July, and
keeping them afterwards 1111011 land which had been
mown that season. The removal of the steels should not
be delayed until any case of abortion has positively oc-
curred, because having once commenced it rapidly spreads
through any herd and often in opposition to every care.
As soon as there in seed formed upon the seed stems of
the grass, the prudent breeder may take notice of danger
and his wisest policy will undoubtedly be to put his cows
and heifers upon the after grass. There ate very many
districts where the climate front being dry does not
render this precaution nece:sary, hut at the same time
there are uninerous tracts of land where the moisture of
the climate acts mein t.. 0 grass seeds, and favours the
growths of erolbeil grass, and such land is noted for
the difficulty o:pori,miced iii keeping the stock in
proper breeding order. The age id the testes appears to
be a matter of small importance, for it varies from
two months upwards at the time when the abortion
takes place. Some dock are much mor.• sensitive to its
influence than others, and this is doubtless dependant
upon their health and vigour ; and thus stuck which
ant well bred, i.e., nearly related, are re liable to
injury in this way than those which are inferior in this
respect; for although by judicious breeding we improves
the general character of an animal, yet at the sumo
time this altered character is generally accompanied by
diminished vigour. This explains how the best bred
cows and heifers will often throw their calves, whilst
seine common stock about which the breeder is indif-
ferent will frequently escape, although their treatment
and fool may be similar, and each may have partaken
of this ergotiseil grass. Knowing as we do the action of
this diseased forum of grass seed, it becomes highly im-
portant that we should avoid a cause so prolific of
trouble and loss to many of our beat breeders. The pre-
ventive treatment is simple and readily available, and we
trust that attention having been drawn to this very
much overlooked cause of abortion, it may help our read-
ers to avoid a recurrence of the losses and disappoint-
ments which we regret to know have been so frequent.
—Agricaliaral Gazette.
FARMEILS' MEMORANDA FOR OCTOBER.—Attend to
the fattening of oxen and sheep. The liberal use of
Thorley's Food for Cattle will exhibit its astonishing
effects in the appearance of the Christmas meat.
Bring cows into the yard. Store up potatoes, and dig
up parsnips and carrots, ('any swedes and mangle
wursle for store. Dress and plough your land intended
for beans and peas near the end of the month. This
it the time when apples and pears are gathered, and
Famous old October is brewed. Plant and fell timber
trees, and mend gates, ditches, drains, isc.—Tkerfey's
Partners' Ahaaaack.