10 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



rapidly in quality, size, and value. Over 2,000 registered hogs, of 

 which 75 per cent are sows, are owned by pig-club members. 



Poultry clubs likewise have received much attention. These have 

 been organized in 98 counties in 6 Southern States, with a total 

 membership of 4,000. The members are raising poultry for the 

 family table, and the clubs are becoming centers for the development 

 of the community breeding of poultry. 



Elimination of disease. — ^Last year the ease with which the meat 

 supply can be increased materially by controlling or eliminating the 

 common live-stock diseases was pointed out. The direct losses from 

 them are enormous. It is impossible to give any accurate statement 

 even of direct losses. The indirect losses, which also are great, can 

 not be estimated at all. It has been conservatively estimated on the 

 basis of data for 30 years that the annual direct losses from animal 

 diseases are approximately $212,000,000. The loss ascribed to each 

 disease is as follows: 



Hog cholera $75, 000, 000 



Texas fever and cattle ticks 40, 000, 000 



Tuberculosis 25, 000, 000 



Contagious abortion 20, 000, 000 



Blackleg 6, 000, 000 



Anthrax 1, 500, 000 



Scabies of sheep and cattle 4, 600, 000 



Glanders 5, 000, 000 



Other live-stock diseases 22, 000, 000 



Parasites 5, 000, 000 



Poultry diseases 8, 750, 000 



The necessity for vigorous prosecution of work to prevent these 

 losses is obvious. It has been emphatically impressed upon the 

 country since the last outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the ap- 

 pearance, spread, and control of which are discussed more fully 

 in another part of this report. 



The cattle tick. — The work of eradicating the cattle tick in the 

 South has been prosecuted with energy and its progress is making 

 possible a fuller development of the cattle industry in that section. 

 To June 30, 1915, 253,163 square miles had been freed of this pest, 

 37,255 square miles being opened up during the year. Wherever 

 areas are released from quarantine the cattle industry receives a 

 marked impetus. The northern markets for beef cattle and feeders 

 are open to southern farmers and the southern market to northern 



