Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1880 — Vermin on Stock. [ARTICLE]

Vermin on Stock.

tarkwa dtaggfte tent bad tbe thing gooes that enough had taken up their Abode in the woodwork about the tie-up and etansMans, so that an taHmal which wee introduced free from lice would soon become badly infested, and would run down in flesh and become poor. To remedy the evil I had recourse to n great variety of expedients aad remedies, with various results. Tobacco water, produced -by boiling the stems of refuse tobacco. or by soaking it in water tot several days, wee the remedy generally need about here for the puxpoee. Hie oipectione I found to thie were, that it wee extremely disagreeable to prepare and araly, sometimes made the animals sick, ana often did its work imperfectly. Sometimes when it seemed to be strong it foiled to kill them. Oil sod grease put upon tbe hesd and shoulders, end well-rubbed in, would generally kill them, but it was quite a job to do it effectually, and was liable to some other objections. It was never • favorite remedy with me. Mercurial ointment was effectual but dangerous to the animals if placed on any part of the body that they could lick. I onee lost a valuable calf, and have known others to lose valuable animals, by its careless nee. Effectual, but it should not be recommended for general use. Kerosene was used, but unless considerably diluted removed the hair, and if much weakened failed to kill them, and will never prove a satiafectory remedvS Dusting with rood dost or any mch fine material being the remedy applied by wild animals in the natural state, did a good business. I once made them scarce % dusting with fine ground plaster of Paris. All the remedies named, with e greet many others, were tried; the woodwork was whitewashed every where to kill such as were living in the bam; yet with all my care and remedies, they still managed to propagate themselves in such numbers as to seriously interfere wtth the growth of the stock, and render the profits exceedingly small. It seemed, after a number of years of warfare, as if it were to remain a permanent evil.

At one of the agricultural conventions, held in Manchester. I met Mr.T. L. Ooodale, of Maine, at that time state chemist, who told me bow to make a good article of carbolic soap, stronger and better than that sold for the purpose, and much cheeper, which would be sure death te all parasitic insects which, infest domestic animals, which proved to be of great value to me, as I have not had any trouble from vermin of the kind since. It was made as follows: Put common bar soap into a pan containing a little water, then beat until melted down; then add carbolic acid ciystals, which nuy be bad of any wholesale druggist, at a low Srice by tbe pouud (1 bought a bottle for 9 cents;) add at least one onuce of acid to each pound of soap used, there is no danger if used stroager, aud it Is advisable to add a little more than I have named. To reduce the crystals to a fluid state remove the cork from the bottle, place in water and heat the water, when it may be easily poured out and mixed with the soap. When cool, a strong suds made with this soap will be sure death to all insects which live on domestic animals; will cure-mange, barn-itch, and all cutaneous diseases, and makes a cheap and effectual sheep dip. When cattle are hide bound, dr the hair does not appear healthy, a wash of thesuds will prove a decided benefit, and it is cleansing and healing in case of sores. It is valuable in the poultry house; with a small force pump such as many people have, the inside may be wet down two or three times a year, making vermin on the fowls an impossibility. A soap of this kind should find a place ou all well-regulated premises. It is a good disinfectant, is cheap, safe and effectual, awl will be ussful for a great variety of purposes. I have communicated this so that if any of your readers have domestic animals suffering from vermin they aiay safely and easily rid them of their presence.— Hen. Wnrrtu Brown.