On Sheep and their Diseases. By Joseph Capner, of Flemington, New Jersey. Read September 8th, 1807. Sir, Flemington, June 6th, 1807. Agreeably to your request, I will give you any information, according to my abilities and observations, on those useful animals, sheep. As I am in the habit of killing what sheep I have to spare, and of selling to my neighbours, I have had a good opportunity of viewing their internal complaints, they are, 1st, The worm in their head. The smallest size which I have observed, is less than a cheese skipper, about one inch up the nose, creeping about in the mucilage; as they grow, they creep higher up, and when fully grown, they lie as high up as the cavities will admit. I have seen as many as twelve or fifteen, great and small, in one head, but commonly only two. I suppose they are produced from a bee, that frequents the walks in sheep pasture, much resembling those bees, but of a less size which pester horses in summer, and deposit nits on their hair. I call them the sheep bee; but where they deposit their eggs, whether externally or internally, I know not. They first begin to be troublesome about the time the honey bees swarm. I know of no cure. The method I follow to prevent the complaint, is to smear the noses, and up to the eyes of the sheep, with tar. This practice seems to have a good effect upon a sheep, for about one month, and on ly three weeks on lambs, as they are apt to rub off the tar in sucking. 2d, Intestinal worms. I frequently find the tape worm, to the number of four or five, in one sheep, and four or five yards long. I lately killed a lamb with eleven: the animal was fat: these seem to be least injurious to sheep, as those in which I have found them have the fewest knobs on their bowels. The second kind of worms resemble narrow strips of boiled parchment, cut about one fourth of an inch in length; they are discovered in the dung of the animal, and are much more injurious than the former kind, occasioning so many lumps on the bowels, as to cause great difficulty in taking off the rough fat. 3d, The third kind are more fatal, than either of the former two, but fortunately they do not appear so often. In two or three instances, the animals which were troubled with them, continued ill until they died; and upon examining their bodies, I discovered several small round worms, about one inch long, coming out of the anus. I observe that sheep are much more healthy here, than in England. I also notice a great neglect in the American farmers, in not docking the tails of sheep, hence they often dislocate their spines, and render their limbs paralytic, by the violence with which they frisk their tails when affrighted. DR. JAMES MEASE. I remain with esteem JOSEPH CAPNER. [Mr. Capner presented to the society, four vials, containing the intestinal worms mentioned in his letter, and the bee which he supposed produced the kind he first notices.] : On Jerusalem Wheat. By Dr. John Keemte. Read September 8th, 1807. Sir, Philad. Septr. 2d, 1807. This letter with a head of the Jerusalem wheat, will be handed you by Doctor Mease, secretary to your society. In December 1805, I wrote to Mr. Humphreys, of Dublin, requesting him to favour me with some of that wheat: this request he complied with, by sending me a small bag, containing about a quart and an half pint, which I had sown in different kinds of soil, to ascertain in which kind it would thrive best, and ripen soonest. One third part I had sown on high ground on the 15 September, 1806; this ground was not in a high state of cultivation. The other two parcels were sown in low ground, highly cultivated, one and two weeks later than the first. That which was sown on the 15th September, was fully ripe on the 12th July, 1807. The other two parcels did not ripen so soon, nor so perfectly, as the first; whence it appears that it should be sown as early as possible. In my opinion Ist Septr. would be the most proper time for sowing it. From reading some observations on that part of the eastern country, from which this wheat was brought to Ireland, I am confirmed in my opinion of the necessity of its being early sown. From the time this wheat starts to grow, to the time of its ripening, there is very little rain, if any, in the climate of Jerusalem. This wheat requires a high degree of heat to ripen it, and as : the degree of heat in our climate, is not so high as that of Jerusalem, the deficiency must be made up by early sowing. I am informed that it does not ripen equally, and perfectly in Ireland or England. This is easily accounted for. Our indian corn will not ripen in either of those countries, which being farther north than our climate by several degrees, have not the same degree of heat: consequently our climate is more favorable to it than England, or Ireland. In the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, N. and S. Carolina, and Georgia, this grain may be raised to advantage. North and South Carolina, lie in the same latitude as Jerusalem. In these States, therefore, I would presume, it will best succeed. The southern States, will find it their interest to attend to the cultivation of it, as soon as a supply can be obtained. As to the quantity reaped from what I sowed, I can only state, that from a pint sown about two miles from town, I do not expect to get more than a peck. Notwithstanding all the care taken of it by the farmer, half was destroyed by fowls. A farmer in the neck who had half a pint, assures me, he will get a peck at least. Of the produce of the third parcel I have as yet received no information. Considering the three severe seasons it had to encounter, I am fully satisfied with the produce. We never hadamore severe and trying winter for grain than the last, much rain, little snow, and extreme cold. During the spring and summer almost every other day we had rain, which not only checks the growth of grain, but also the ripening of it This wheat, is hardier and more productive than any we have among us: neither heat nor cold seem to have much effect on it. It does not mildew and rust as easy as our wheat. Some of the common wheat, that was sown by the side of it, in the neck, was entirely spoiled by rust and mildew, when this was not in the least affected. Its productiveness may be estimated by the number of heads on a single straw, on some there are 3,-5,-7 heads as you will observe, by those I send you. The straw is six feet high, and very stout, sufficiently so to bear its own weight uncommonly well. The grain is full and plump, differently shaped from our wheat, and somewhat larger. The Jerusalem wheat will be a valuable acquisition to our country, if it does not degenerate, of which we shall be enabled to judge by one or two further experiments. With much respect I am &c. RICHARD PETERS ESQ. JOHN KEEMLE. President Agric. Soc. Philad. The public papers have frequently mentioned the origin of the above mentioned wheat. It appears, that a servant of an eccentric character, the late Mr. Whaley, (who for a wager undertook to walk to the holy land) brought back a small sheaf of wheat, and fixed it up as a sign to an ale house which he kept for some years after in Dublin. In time it was blown down, and a farmer who accidentally passed, perceiving a few heads, among the straw, picked and planted them. He continued to propagate it, until he had several acres Ff |
