Correspondence.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 10070, 10 August 1895, Page 4

Correspondence.

The Editor does not hold himsoU responsible (or opinions expressed by correspondents.

LUCERNE FOR SHEEP. SIR,— I read with great) intereat in tho columns ot your paper the very valuable letter of Mr Potta on lucerne for onr sheep, aUo " Oatslder's " attack, not only on him, bat on alt tho other correspondents who have fin aoly written on the vexed question uf drenching. " OutBlder" oannot be a shoepfarmer, or else is s very poor ot.e, bs he writer in lumen!) able ignorance -f tdu whole question. Be ia trying to cr.;ui down the throats of his less enlightened brethren that veterinary research has discovered some new disease in our sheep which renders giving medicines lndiapeneittle, and tarns up his nose st tape, turnip, management), feeding, breeding, &o. The sheepfarmer who is foitnroate enough to have rape to wean bin lambs on, and turnip to follow, can afford to laugh at such udvice. He also hays we might as well dispense with doctors and druggists and refer suffering humanity to the butcher, baker, grocer, &o, I say dispense with our sheep dootors most decidedly. Oar Hooks are not in such low water yet os to reqnire a tablespoonful every fortnight, and a lick before going to camp. His comparison between sheep and bnman beings is unfortunate, seeing that the same laws do not govern both. The weakly and delicate of the latter marry and intermarry, and beget another generation more weakly and delicate than themselves. Were ft not so half of our doctors would be unemployed ; but the sheepfarmer has the law In his own hand?. He can fatten and dispose of all his weakly and delicate eWes, and out the throats of all his delicate rams. As a sheepiarmer of nearly 50 years' experience, my advice to sheeptarnierc is to cull their sheep heavily ; everything that is not up to a certain standard ought not to be bred from. Plough as much country as you can afford, and for country you oannot plough oattle are an absolute necessity to keep it olean and sweet. You will then find that you won't reqnire to run after ovety new drench that comes into the market. — I am,' &c, Sheepfarmbr. Napier, August 9, 1595.