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DISTRICT OF NEW ENGLAND.
OCCUPYING COUNTRY UNFIT FOR SHEEP FARMING.
In the Northern Districts the Most valuable lands for grazing Sheep are the lands where the Box tree is found growing on the ridges, & the apple tree on the flats and plains. Skillful flockmasters in Selecting a run in New Country pay attention to this, & that the run altho elevated is well Sheltered. Many of the Sheep farmers in the District of New England have been fortunate to fall in with Country of this description, hence it is that they have been Successful in their operations.
Runs have been taken up & occupied of a description unfit for Sheep farming, this frequently takes place by the occupiers of New Country who Content themselves with having a run in a district Celebrated for sheep farming.
Some of the farmers are inclined to take Credit to themselves in the Management of their flocks to their increase, their Condition, & the quality of the wool they bring to Market, When if the Subject were properly looked into it will be found to Consist in the possession of a good and a sound run, producing Sufficient herbage grass & water for the number of the flocks run upon it and the Character of the Climate.
"The viscissitudes of the Climate of the Colony are found to be very great, The Mornings during Summer may be observed to be very hot, frequently followed in the afternoons and evenings with Cold Chilly wind; the temperature suooenly changing from 10 to 20 it is therefore not uncommon for men working in the fields during harvest, nearly Stripped of their Clothing when the sudden change of temperature takes place to be attacked by head aches, pains in the limbs, and general debility frequently followed by Catarrhs. It is these Sudden Changes of temperature which also act in So distructive a Manner upon the vegetable Kingdom, & upon Mankind in the form of blights, & Catarrhal diseases in the Colony which are more usually observed during the Change of Seasons when Suooen transitions are more liable to take place, altho it too often occurs at irregular intervals during the whole year" ------
During winter on the table land of New England frosts are frequently Severe during the night followed by Mild bright Clear Sunshine weather during the day, & it is during this Season of the year that Catarrhal diseases are So distructive among the flocks ------ At this Season the frost has destroyed Much of the herbage & the nourishing qualities of the grasses, which are found to be hard, dry & unfit for Sheep I may give an instance of a Change of feed to a flock in which Catarrh had broke out ------ The flock owner a gentleman