STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 229 



cosis, was occasionally seen, and that black leg, or symptomatic anthrax, 

 was very prevalent a few years ago, but of late years it has been on the 

 decline. Scab in sheep "is very prevalent. Mr. Selwyn stated his annual 

 loss from cattle disease was $500. 



The next gentleman I interviewed was Mr. Hardy, wholesale butcher, 

 San Diego. He informed me that he shipped cattle in April and May, 

 1888, to San Diego, and pastured them in El Cajon Valley, fifteen miles 

 from San Diego. The cattle appeared healthy until the month of August, 

 when about 2 per cent died. I am informed that the remainder of those 

 cattle were slaughtered in San Diego. Mr. Hardy also informed me that 

 Mr. Stratton's cattle, also in El Cajon Valley, began to die when he sold 

 the remainder to him (Mr. Hardy), who found on slaughtering them that 

 two were diseased, the spleens being three times their natural size and of a 

 dark color on section. The livers were of a brick-red color and covered 

 with yellow streaks like straws laid across. The kidneys were also dis- 

 eased, and the flesh, when dressed, was of a bright, yellowish-red color. 

 Mr. Hardy further stated that at least 50 per cent of the cattle within 

 from ten to thirty miles from the coast in San Diego County take this 

 sickness and about 20 per cent of the sick animals die, and appear to be 

 worse between the months of July and December. When asked about the 

 swine plague, Mr. Hardy corroborated Mr. Selwyn's statement, saying that 

 he himself, about eighteen months ago, lost between five and six hundred 

 hogs, which he valued at $2,500. 



The next gentleman was a Mr. Cassidy. He stated that he sold his 

 ranch in 1887, but during the preceding ten years his average mortality 

 was about 20 per cent, the money value of which was about $1,000 per 

 annum. He also mentioned the fact that one year his cattle died and 

 his neighbors did not, although they were only separated by a wire fence; 

 the following year his neighbors' died and his did not. Mr. Cassidy also 

 observed the fact that cattle brought from the north to this county do not 

 thrive, but that calves and yearlings throve and did well, also that mount- 

 ain cattle brought to the coast die, but coast cattle taken to the mountains 

 do well. 



Mr. Thomas Alvarado was next interviewed, from Rancho Monserrato. 

 He noticed disease on his ranch about ten years ago. In his opinion it 

 was brought in by cattle from Lower California and Mexico. He lost 

 about sixty head last year, and his neighbor, H. H. Green, lost over one 

 hundred head; the cause of death, in his opinion, being southern fever. 

 He first noticed this disease about eighteen years ago, directly after Judge 

 Weatherby brought in two hundred cows from Arizona and gave them to 

 C. Thomas, on shares, at the Hermit Valley. His opinion is that the 

 disease originated from said importation. His brother, D. Alvarado, of 

 Cuerro, lost over sixty head last year, and considered his losses due to 

 southern fever. 



My written instructions having arrived, I left next day for Warner's 

 Ranch. I may here state that I had the greatest difficulty in getting my 

 questions answered, and a good many of the answers were calculated to 

 mislead and perplex me. It was almost impossible in many instances to 

 obtain dates. On arrival at El Cajon I heard that at present there were no 

 deaths or sickness among the cattle. On the Santa Maria Ranch I found 

 they had lost a few head, and here I interviewed a Mr. Johnstone, who 

 lives seven miles above this ranch. He informed me that he had, in 1883, 

 lost twenty head of cattle out of a total of sixty head, which loss he attrib- 

 uted to southern fever. 



