The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-04-21
FARM AND FsRESlDE.


called "scab," which is closely allied to
mango in horses and itch in human be-
ings. 1t is caused by minute parasite,
sometimes referred to as an insect; but
it would be more nearly correct to call
it a "mite," as it is not true insect
scientifically speaking. There are many
species of these mites or aca'1 which IN
fest our domestic animals; in fact, none
of these is entirely exempt from the at
tacks of these pests, when the condi-
lions are favorable for their appearance.
M. Wall, a German veterinarian, in
speaking of the species of acarus infest-
ing sheep, says: "If one or more fe-
male acari are placed on the wool of a
sound sheep, they quickly travel to the
root of it, and bury themselves in the
skin, the place at which they penetrated
being scarcely visible, or only distin-
guished by minute red point. On the
tenth or twelfth day a little swelling
may be detected with the finger, and the
skin changes its color and has greenish-
blue tint. The pustule is now rapidly
formed, and about the sixteenth day
breaks; and the mothers again appear,
with their young attached to their feet,
and covered by portion of shell of the
egg from which they have just escaped.
The newly-hatched mites Immediately
penetrate the neighboring skin, and
bury themselves beneath it, as did their
parents before them; and thus the num-
oers multiply and rapidly spread over
the poor animal upon which they have
once found Judgment. The male acari,
placed on the skin of sheep, were also
found to burrow into it and disappear
for while, pustule forming over
them, as with the other SEX"
1t may readily be seen from the above
description that these parasites could
scarcely fail to produce cutaneous erup-
tious, which would destroy the roots of
the wool and cause it to fall off.
Sickly, poor. half starved animals,
which are exposed 10 cold storms in
winter, are the first to be attacked by
this parasite, as really healthy animals,
carefully cared for, resist the attacks OF
such pests; but when very numerous
they pass over what would seem to be
natural barriers, and the best animal oil
the flock will succumb to their disastrous
advances.
To prevent scab, keep the sheer
healthy by giving them an abundance
of good food and shelter from storms al
all seasons, in dry, clean sheds or barns
Then, at every shearing-time, examine
the skin carefully, and if there are any
signs of cutaneous disease, or even OF
sheep tick (lMeIophagus ovinus), dip the
entire flock in tobacco water. With
proper tanks, which every shepherd
should always keep on hand and in good
order, both the old sheep and lambs may
be dipped very rapidly, at cost of not
more than five cents head, and thereby
freedom from parasitic pests insured fol-
the season.
About one pound of tobacco will be
required for every five gallons of water
and it must be STEPPED in hot water long
enough to extract its strength. The
liquid should be about blood when
the dipping is performed, and if little
flour OF sulphur is added, it will in,
crease the efficacy of the solution. A
fresh supply of the liquid must be kept
in readiness, in extra vessels provided
for the purpose, and the temperature kept
up to 100 or little more.
Of course, tanks of the proper size
must be provided for this purpose, and a
tight platform, at one side, should be SC
arranged that as the sheep are taken out
of the bath, they may rest upon it q
moment, and the liquid which runs of
will return to the tank, thereby saving
unnecessary waste.
There are few focks. which would not
be greatly benefited by an annual dip.
ping in solution of the kind named
1t there is no scab among them, ticks OF
some such pests usually abound, causing
much annoyance to the animal, if not a
positive init ry to health.
The BEST Work CATHERINE. Johr
Dimon, in an address before the Wood
stock Farmers Club, of Connecticut
very truly says: "The Devons make
the best matched oxen tn the world, and
the snartest and best travellers. A pai,
OF properly-trained Devon oxen make
nearly as good team for all farming
purposes as horses, and for many purpo
ses better; and the farmers of New
England to-day would have been thou
sands of dollars better off bad they used
more Devon oxen and less horses. One
thing about this breed of cattle is: q
farmer can turn out dozen steer calves
with certainty of getting at least five
pairs matched oxen, as they are all col.
ored exactly alike. and their horns are
naturally of nearly the same turn"
The Devons also make superior beet
and fair mixers, the milk being rich in
the production of cream. They are ad.
mirably adapted to broken land and hill.
pastures, where the larger beef herds do
not SO well thrive. In this connection
it may be interesting to know that last
year Devon OK, belonging to Mr..
Kldner, at the English exhibitions, was
declared champion in whatever COM
h. I'M